468 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 27, 1897. 
Valley. A very successful spring show at 
Exeter took very similar lines to that at 
Aigburth; but in either case, the display 
was very varied. The interest of a spring 
show at Bristol was divided between 
flowers and industrial exhibits, the flowers 
being such as are common at this season of 
the year. 
The spring show presenting, perhaps, the 
greatest amount of novelty was that held at 
Truro, Cornwall, the first of its kind which 
has been organised. The ostensible object 
of the show was to further the interest of 
the Daffodils and other Narcissi. Now, 
there is nothing of novelty in a Daffodil 
show, but that, coupled with its earliness 
and the fact that the flowers, or a large 
proportion of them, had been grown in the 
open air, gives cause for wonder that the 
idea of holding a spring show in that part of 
the country either never occurred before, or 
was not acted upon. The success of the 
show on the i6th and 17th inst., elicited 
many expressions of the hope that it would 
become an annual event. Truro may be 
regarded as the centre of a great industry in 
early spring flowers, and which seems 
capable under favourable circumstances of 
becoming vastly extended Cornwall and 
the neighbouring Scilly Isles jut so far into 
the Atlantic that their climate is seldom 
otherwise than mild. Notwithstanding 
these favourable conditions, it is somewhat 
significant that the first prize lot and lead¬ 
ing competitive exhibit of Daffodils should 
have come from Ireland. It is only 
another instance of the fact that many of 
the bulbs imported from foreign sources 
might well be grown within the compass of 
the British Isles. The most important 
feature of the Daffodils down Land’s End 
way is their earliness. The premier bloom 
in the show was Narcissus Weardale 
Perfection, well known but scarce and 
expensive ; while the finest novelty was 
bilver Spur, with white perianth and pale 
sulphur trumpet. 
Independently of the Daffodils, the 
Rhododendrons, Camellias and hardy 
flowering shrubs were also striking features 
of the show. Hardy spring flowers of many 
kinds were also plentiful ; but the Rhodo¬ 
dendrons were markedly interesting from 
the fact that they had mostly been grown 
and flowered in the open air. Cornwall has 
for many years past been famous for its 
Rhododendrons, including Himalayan 
species which will thrive only in excep¬ 
tionally favoured parts of the south and 
west of England, or in Ireland. We 
occasionally see collections of them in other 
parts of the country, but they do not as a 
rule attain the same vigorous development 
and size as the Goinish specimens. These 
things require to be brought more pro¬ 
minently before the public by the holding 
of shows. Japanese Bamboos and various 
rare subjects testified likewise to the 
exceptionally favourable character of the 
climate of Cornwall. In addition to his 
non-competitive exhibit of Daffodils, T. 
Dor rien Smith, Esqr., of Trescoe Abbey, 
the lord proprietor of the Scilly Isles, had 
another surprise for the show in the shape 
of Acacia dealbata grown and flowered in 
the open air, thus showing that Covent 
Garden need not be dependent upon the 
south of France for its supply of this 
decorative tree. A humorous incident of 
the exhibition was that several of the 
exhibitors would persist in furnishing 
thirteen to the dozen accordingjo their mar¬ 
ket custom, and had therefore to be dis¬ 
qualified for not adhering strictly to the 
requirements of the schedule. A little 
experience of this kind soon serves to put 
exhibitors on their guard, though mistakes 
will occur. 
A Cheshire Acre consists of 10,240 sq. yds. It might 
be worth while buying land at this figure and selling 
it in imperial acres of 4,840 sq. yds. 
Mr. James Whitton, superintendent of the public 
parks at Glasgow, has recovered from a rather serious 
illness by which he was laid up recently. We are 
pleased to state that he has resumed his duties with 
his customary energy. 
Mr. D. Dewar of the Glasgow Botanic Garden, we 
are pleased to learn, has so far recovered from the 
illness under which he has laboured since the week 
before Christmas, that he was released from hospital 
about a fortnight ago or slightly over. We under¬ 
stand that he intends to come south for a time to 
recruit, probably at Bournemouth. 
A Superb Specimen of Dendrobium nobile 3 ft. in 
height, 5 ft. in diameter, and bearing no less than 
1,134 blooms, is to be seen at the gardens of Hollin 
Hall, Moorhead, Shipley, the residence of Mrs. 
Knowles. This plant was awarded a Certificate of 
Merit by the Bradford Paxton Society last year, and 
is said to be in even better condition this season. 
Anyway, it does credit to the gardener, Mr. William 
Moarby. 
Aberdeen Chrysanthemum Society.—A meeting of 
the committee of this newly-formed society was held 
in the secretary's office, 8, Hadden Street, on Thurs¬ 
day last, when Mr. William Reid, secretary and trea¬ 
surer, intimated a very favourable report on the 
amount of special prizes and donations already 
promised. The schedule of prizes was finally 
arranged, is to be printed and sent out immediately, 
but as several more special prizes are expected, it 
was agreed to have an extra list of these sent out 
early in June The show is to be held in the Art 
Gallery, on the 26th and 27th November, when it is 
expected there will be a large turn out. The interest 
created in the district since last year’s show is such 
that every grower has been going in for the newer 
varieties.— A. G. 
Lectures on horticulture in Somerset.—Mr. John 
Crook, The Gardens. Forde Abbey, Chard, has 
delivered a course of six lectures at various places in 
Somerset, during the winter months. These lectures 
were especially intended for amateurs and allotment 
holders, and were generally well attended. At 
Merriott, there were close on fifty of an audience. 
The fee for admission to these lectures was one 
penny, not a very prohibitive sum, but giving some 
evidence that those paying it desired to get the worth 
of their money. The first lecture dealt with the 
culture, heading-down, grafting, and other matters 
of fruit trees. The second lecture dealt with bush 
fruits, and Strawberries, Carrots, Parsnips, &c., took 
another evening ; Potatos, Peas, and Beans, another ; 
trenching and manuring, Celery and Tomatos, the 
fifth ; and the sixth dealt with Roses, flowers for 
small gardens, and instructions concerning seeds. 
Messrs. Messenger and Company's Glasshouse 
Designs—A large and well got up catalogue cf 
designs for glasshouses, and hot water apparatus, 
has recently been issued by Messrs. Messenger & 
Company, of Loughborough, Leicestershire. It is 
something more than a catalogue, inasmuch as it 
is abundantly illustrated throughout with designs of 
conservatories and various other glasshouses, which 
have been erected by them, or which they are pre¬ 
pared to execute. Some fine buildings have been 
erected by them in various parts of the country, and 
Others show how the company has erected buildings 
conformable to the space at command, or to other 
buildings, including dwelling houses. Much informa¬ 
tion is also given with regard to the structuie of 
various buildings suitable for conservatories, ranges 
of houses, Peach covers, amateurs’ and nursers men's 
houses, Orchid houses, pits, frames and plant pro¬ 
tectors of various descriptions. The most approved 
methods of ventilation also receive due attention, the 
principles upon which they work being illustrated. 
Iron staging of various forms, ornamental in charac¬ 
ter and suitable for conservatories, are described and 
illustrated. Brackets for hothouses, ornamental and 
useful fittings, and iron grating of very ornate designs 
receive due attention. Last, but not least, various 
kinds of boilers and their fittings are abundantly 
illustrated with woodcuts, that speak for themselves 
when seen, and require little explanation. 
Geography Gone Astray.—A well-known Conti¬ 
nental firm, the other week, addressed another 
equally well-known at Edinburgh, England. 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.—Mr. H. 
Morgan Veitch has forwarded to the secretary tf 
this institution a cheque for £60 2s. 2d., the net pro¬ 
ceeds from the recent performance of the Comedy- 
Opera, “ Dorothy,” in aid of the ” Victoriah Era 
Fund.” 
Portraits of Linnaeus.—At the meeting of the 
Linnean Society on the 4th inst., W. Carruthers, 
Esq., F.R.S , exhibited a series of portraits of 
Linnaeus, the father of botany. He bad been 
travelling in Sweden and Holland, and was not only 
fortunate in seeing the original paintings, but in 
getting photographs of them, so that he was able to 
exhibit exact copies. He interested his audience by 
giving a history of each, illustrating his remarks by 
means of lantern slides. Laying aside supposed 
portraits, he had been successful in proving the 
authenticity and existence of eight that had certainly 
been painted or drawn from life and frequently 
copied by different engravers. 
Last week's gale at Cheshunt.—The tremendous 
gale which raged about the beginning of the month 
would appear to have been renewed in all its fury 
last week, and was felt severely in the neighbourhood 
of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. Three new glasshouses 
in the course of erection were blown down about 10 
p.m. on Wednesday, the 17th inst. The gale was 
renewed at intervals on Thursday, and a few minutes 
before 1 p.m., about 50 yards of a brick wall sur¬ 
rounding the gardens at Heaton H,use, Cheshunt, 
were blown down bodily. The gardens have for 
some years past been carried on as a nursery by Mr. 
T. Bones, who had a splendid collection of border 
Carnations in the border under the wall. These 
were buried and destroyed, the loss being all the 
greater seeing that the plants had been layered last 
summer, and only a few of tfcem had been lilted to 
form the new plantation elsewhere. The wall itself 
was covered with Peach trees in full bearing condi. 
tion, and these were snapped across at the base, and 
involved in the general destruction. The wall will 
speedily be rebuilt, but the loss of the Peach trees 
and Carnations is irreparable. 
Woolton Mutual Improvement Society.—The con¬ 
cluding meeting of this session was held at the 
Mechanics' Institute on the i8:h inst., the Rev. 
George Beaumont presiding. Arrangements were 
made for a social evening, which took the form of an 
exhibition of plants and flowers which proved a 
feature very creditable to the society. The president, 
Holbrook Gaskell, Esq., J.P. (gardener, Mr. R. 
Todd), contributed a grand bank of Orchids 
interspersed with Adiantums. The collection 
numbered twenty distinct sorts, including Dendro¬ 
bium wardianum, D. nobile, D. n. nobilius (fme), D. 
Ainsworthii (grand plant), D. A. roseum, D. leechia- 
num, D. crassinode, and D. moniliforme. Cypri- 
pediums included C. villosum with about two dozen 
flowers, C. willianum and Woolton Wood seedling. 
Others were Calantbe Williamsii, Laelia harpophylla, 
Coelogyne cristata (densely flowered), C. c. Trent- 
ham var , C. c. lemoniana, and C. c. alba, 
Sophronitis grandiflora, Odontoglossum Roezlii 
album, and O. R. rubrum. Col. Walker, (gardener, 
Mr. J. Glover), The Grange, Gateacre, male a large 
display of miscellaneous flowering and foliage plants. 
T. S. Timmis, Esq., J.P. (gardener, Mr. B. Crom¬ 
well), Clevely, Allerton, had a good bank of stove 
and greenhouse plants. Mrs. Cope (gardener, Mr. J. 
Carling), Doe Park, Woolton, sent good decorative 
Palms. F. H. Gossage, Esq , J.P. (gardener, Mr J. 
Jellicoe), Camp Hill, Woolton, had a pleasing 
exhibit of spring fl nvers with a background of Palms. 
Col. Shirley, gardener, Mr. G. Eaton, Allerton, sent 
cut flowers in variety. T. Hughes, Esq. (gardener, 
J. McColl), Allerton, staged a good strain of 
Cinerarias and Hyacinths with fine massive spikes. 
Mr. Thomas White contributed cut Azaleas in a 
large number of varieties. For each of these 
exhibits a Certificate of Merit was accorded with an 
extra to Mr. Todd for hybrid Dendrobiums. The 
rooms were filled to their utmost capacity with an 
appreciative audience. The balance £3 is to be 
devoted to ths “ Victorian Era Fund.” Mr. R. G. 
Waterman, the secretary, was chiefly responsible for 
the satisfactory arrangements. 
