452 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 20, 1897. 
possible, and those who give their attention 
to the subject in earnest would probably be 
able to show that it is merely a question of 
thoroughly investigating the case in order 
to prolong the flowering period till cold and 
frost puts a stop to the growth of all 
vegetation. 
The system of cultivation to be pursued 
will naturally depend upon the grower, 
upon taste, convenience, circumstances 
and surroundings. The rockery readily 
suggests itself, but this presents endless 
variation in form. The chief aim should be 
to construct it with the view of the successful 
cultivation of the plants, and mere fanciful 
ornamentation should be a secondary 
consideration. The rockery should not be 
merely a “ dry as dust ” heap of stones and 
soil, but should be constructed with the 
view of catching the rain and of retaining 
the moisture as long as possible. This 
would serve to minimise labour. The 
culture of aquatic plants in tanks or small 
ponds might well be associated with 
ruckeries. On the other other hand a 
collection of alpine and rock plants might 
very successfully be grown in pots or pans 
so that the plants in bloom might be 
transferred to prominent positions where 
they would be most readily seen, or 
frequently under the eye. This might be 
in an unheated glasshouse offering every 
facility for inspection. Pits or frames 
might answer the same purpose. The 
approach to the mansion, even in close 
proximity to the house,might be ornamented 
with a kind of rockery or raised beds having 
spaces filled with coal or coke ashes or 
cocoanut fibre according to fancy, and in 
which to plunge the various subjects in 
season, so that constant variety and change 
could be maintained. 
Such a scheme would afford novelty and 
variety such as no class of summer bedding 
plants is capable of supplying. The alpine 
and low growing subjects that could be 
utilised in this way could be numbered by 
hundreds ; but only the really showy species 
and varieties need be taken in hand. The 
spring could be ushered in by Snowdrops, 
Crocuses, Chionodoxas, Squills, and 
Daffodils ; and continued by later flowering 
species of the same class. Saxifragas com¬ 
mence the season early and continue till 
mid-summer in profusion. The dwarfer 
Bellflowers are numerous and varied, as are 
the Sedums, Primulas, Phloxes, Silenes, 
Dianthus, Veronicas, Candytufts and a host 
of others too numerous to mention. 
5^he Horticultural College, Swanley. 
^ — The fifth annual report of the 
Women’s Branch of this College is before 
us, and we note that the prospects are still 
hopeful. The Women’s Branch was 
opened in 1891 with a solitary student, but 
before the end of the year there were five, 
and since then the number has increased 
annually, till there were thirty-nine last 
year. Altogether eighty-two women joined 
the college during the past five years, but 
not all of them continued their training lor 
the whole period of two years. Indeed 
only seventeen have done this. This is to 
a great extent due to the fact that a large 
number never intended to do so. The 
objects for which they joined were various. 
As is almost inevitable, several of the 
women discovered that gardening was not 
the paradise their youthful imagination 
had depicted, or that such occupation was 
unsuitable. The same thing happens with 
young men who change their occupation 
accordingly, if, indeed, they take the 
trouble of putting the question to them¬ 
selves ; for we know that many young men 
hang on to gardening for years without 
apparently troubling themselves as to 
whether they and their profession are com¬ 
patible messmates or not. 
The destinations the women students have 
in view are various, such as market gardens, 
public and private gardens, institutions, 
teaching and lecturing. The committee of 
the college recognise the qualifications only 
of those who have studied for the prescribed 
two years, and, in preference, those who 
have taken the college diploma. This 
honour has been accorded to six students 
during the past year. Every properly 
qualified student on leaving the college has 
been able to get paid employment, and 
testimonials have been received from their 
employers as to their efficiency for the work 
they have undertaken. Time only can tell 
how this gratifying state of matters will 
continue; but surely it is too much to 
expect women to be capable of undertaking 
much responsibility after so short a period 
of work and study, when young men in the 
ordinary course of gardening are not 
expected to know much till they have been 
at least four or five years in the profession. 
A properly organised system of education, 
and the compelling of the students by 
example and precept to give their whole¬ 
hearted attention to their work and study, 
may, however, break down old notions as 
to the time required to get a competent 
knowledge of the profession. If so, the 
sooner we get horticultural schools and 
colleges for young men as well as women, 
the better. 
All the women students professionally 
employed speak heartily of the pleasure and 
healthfulness of their work. There is no 
doubt a yearning amongst many young 
women to get healthy outdoor occupation. 
Only the other day we had an enquiry for a 
school of gardening for ladies. We note 
from the report that the Royal Botanical 
Gardens at Edinburgh and Dublin, as well 
as Kew, are now open to receive lady 
students as improvers, or for “ ad interim ” 
employment. We suppose the term 
“journeymen” would be inadmissible. Miss 
Gulvin, the gold medallist, has now left 
Kew, and accepted an appointment in 
which she has charge of large private 
grounds, and the management of several 
gardeners. 
Candytuft owes its name to the fact that it 
originally came from Candia in Crete. 
Mr. Edwin Beckett, the Gardens, Aldenham Park, 
Elstree, Herts, has been engaged by the U ster 
Horticultural Society to act as judge at their 
Chrysanthemum show to be held at Belfast on the 
16th November next. This show has grown to be 
one of leading importance. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, March 23rd, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, 
1 to 5 p.m. A lecture on “ Bud Transference and 
its Effects on Fruit ” will be given at 3 o’clock by 
the Rev. Gordon Salmon, M.A. 
Renfrewshire Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Society.—The last of the fortnightly meetings for this 
session was held on the 10th inst, in Yeilder’s Hall, 
Paisley, Mr. Grandison in the chair. Two subjects 
were under consideration; firstly, Mr. Morton, Ross 
Hall, read an excellent paper on the “ Rock Garden,” 
in which he ably described the different features to 
be aimed at in the formation of such ; he also gave a 
characteristic list of plants both alpine and herba¬ 
ceous, most suitable for rock work. Secondly, Mr. 
H. Maxwell, Ralston gave a paper on the “ Rose : its 
history and culture,” the historical part of which 
was very much appreciated. The cultural details of 
both papers were ably discussed by the majority of 
those present. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded 
those gentlemen for their interesting papers, and to 
Mr. Grandison for presiding. The meetings during 
the session have been extremely popular amongst 
the young men of the district. 
Snow has rapidly accumulated to the depth of 33 in. 
on the top of Ben Nevis. 
The Primrose is generally supposed to come from 
primus, first, and rose in allusion to its being the first 
amongst spring flowers. The name, however, was 
at one time speli differently. 
The eggs of the Lapwing are to be protected after 
the rst April in Banffshire. The County Council 
has also asked the Scotch Secretary for the protec¬ 
tion of the eggs of a large number of useful birds, 
and for an order to prohibit the killing of the 
birds. 
A Golden-leaved Passionflower.—A correspondent 
of the Florists' Exchange had a plant of the Passion¬ 
flower Constance Elliott which threw up a sucker 
from the roots, bearing golden leaves. The sport 
resembled the parent in every way, except that the 
leaves were smaller and different in colour. 
A Robbery at the R.H.S.—A cool robbery was 
perpetrated at the R.H.S. on Thursday, March nth. 
The sacred precincts of the Council Room were 
invaded by a thief who quietly and expeditiously 
appropriated the overcoat of Mr. J. Weathers, the 
assistant secretary. The latter was on the other 
side of the dividing curtain, but heard nothing. The 
thief very considerately left behind a bundle of 
papers which he had taken from the pockets. 
Orchids at the Sale Rooms.—There was a good 
demand for the Cymbidiums offered at the Sale 
Rooms of Messrs. Protheroe & Morris, Cheapside, 
on the 12th inst. A small piece of C. hookerianum 
went for 14s., but the rest fetched from one to two 
guineas each. C. traceyanum varied from £2 to 
£3 15s. each. Some pieces of what were described 
as white C. lowianum collected on mountains rapidly 
went at prices varying from £2 5s. to 5J guineas. 
Pieces of a bottle-green and crimson variety of C. 
grandiflorum fetched from 20s. to 32s. each. A con¬ 
siderable amount of amusement was caused by 
several lots of Orchids being sold under fanciful 
English names, and which were mostly secured by 
amateurs. 
Diamond Jubilee Prizes for Chrysanthemums. —There 
seems a healthy determination on the part of the 
committees of the various large Chrysanthemum 
societies to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond 
Jubilee by the offering of valuable prizes in certain 
classes to be competed for by exhibitors. The 
Scottish Horticultural Association, Edinburgh, offers 
special prizes to the value of £150, to be awarded 
to successful competitors, in the form of Victorian 
Gold and Silver Medals, together with a valuable 
money prize in each case, for twenty vases of Chry¬ 
santhemums, in twenty varieties, three blooms of 
each, and set off with their own foliage only. Six 
prizes are offered in this class, but additional Silver 
Victorian Medals will be awarded to other meritorious 
exhibits in this class. For details see advertisement. 
National Auricula and Primula Society (Southern 
Section).—The twentieth annual report of this 
society for 1896 is before us, and we note that the 
membership is increasing. The committee regret to 
report the resignation of Mr. James Douglas of the 
post of honorary secretary, after a period of nearly 
twenty-one years of excellent and valuable services 
to the society. Mr. T. E. Henwood, Auricula Villa, 
16, Hamilton Road, Reading, the hon. treasurer, has 
consented to act also as hon. secretary for the present. 
The twentieth exhibition of the society, held in the 
Drill Hill, James Street, Westminster, on April 21st 
of last year, proved more successful than had been 
anticipated, notwithstanding the earliness of the sea¬ 
son and the disadvantage at which the southern 
growers had been placed. The stand of twelve show 
Auriculas, shown by the Rev. F. D. Horner, was of 
exceptional merit, comprising as it did ten varieties 
of his own raising. The premier Auricula of the 
exhibition was Mrs. Henwood, raised by the late Mr. 
Samuel Barlow. The balance sheet for last year 
shows that £70 8s. 6d. was obtained in subscriptions 
and the balance in hand run it up to £82 7s. The 
expenditure consisted of £65 16s. 6d. in prize money, 
£7 18s. 3d. for printing, stationery, luncheons, &c., 
and a balance in hand of £10 12s. 3d., making up a 
total of ^82 7s. The 21st exhibition of the society 
will be held in the Drill Hall, James Street, West¬ 
minster, on Tuesday, April 13th, 1897. 
