July 31, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
757 
Broom Rape on Clover.—In the neighbourhood of 
Farndon, Cheshire, the Clover in the hay fields is 
much infested with Broom Rape (Orobanche minor) 
as is usual in July. 
Gardener to garden boy, after six months’ ex¬ 
perience : " Why do you want to leave so soon ? 
Rolling stones gather no moss, you know.” Garden 
boy : "I'm a-feared a coating of moss would make 
me sour.”- Snaggs. 
Birmingham and Midland Counties Gardeners’ 
Association.—The members of this association paid 
a visit to Mentmore, the seat of the Earl of Rose¬ 
bery, on the 22nd inst. They were conducted 
through the plant houses and vineries by the 
gardener, Mr. Smith, and found much to admire. 
The party then proceeded to Ascott, the seat of 
Leopold de Rothschild, Esq , and was conducted 
round the place by Mr. J. Jennings. The houses and 
garden grounds (about thirty acres in extent), were 
eagerly inspected and much appreciated. The 
gardeners were then entertained at tea by Leopold 
de Rothschild, Esq., who was accorded a vote of 
thanks on the proposition of Mr. Walter Jones, one 
of those by whom the arrangements were made. 
Mr. John Hughes (secretary) and Mr. W. Spinks 
were also instrumental in carrying out the arrange¬ 
ments. 
Broughly Ferry Horticultural. — The monthly meet¬ 
ing of this association was held at the British Work¬ 
man, Broughty Ferry, on Tuesday, 20th inst. Mr. 
John Machar, Corona, gave a paper on ” Herbaceous 
and other Flowers for Cutting.” The essayist was 
listened to intently by his audience. He imparted 
much useful cultural information, and gave lists of 
suitable plants and their seasons of flowering. At 
this meeting there was a keen competition for the 
best six bunches of cut hardy herbaceous flowers. 
The first prize, a Silver Medal, was awarded to Mr. 
Jas. Fairweather, Douglas House Gardens. On 
the afternoon of Saturday, 24th, twenty-five mem¬ 
bers of the society paid a visit to the nurseries of 
Messrs. D. and W. Croll, the celebrated Rose 
growers. At the close of the tour of inspection the 
company was entertained by the firm in the house 
of Mr. James Simpson Mr. David Croll presided. 
The president of the society, Mr. Win. Grant, spoke 
of their indebtedness to the Messrs. Croll for the 
opportunity they bad given. On the motion of Mr. 
Stark, a vote of thanks was accorded Mrs. Simpson 
for the way in which she had looked after the 
creature comforts of the party. 
The Insects of a London Back Garden—The 
chapter on this subject commenced by Mr. F'red. 
Enoch, F.L.S, F.E.S, in the May number of 
Knowledge has been continued in the July number. 
Having a small back garden, 30 ft. by 17 ft., and 
being an entomologist it is evident that he favoured 
the notion of encouraging the insects by creating a 
rubbish heap, planting some Willow trees and other¬ 
wise creating a paradise for vermin. This is 
legitimate enough for an entomologist; but for a 
gardener would be reprehensible enough. Those 
who have gardens and love them need not go to the 
trouble of making special preparations ia order to 
invite insects, even if they have a love for entomo¬ 
logical specimens as well. All they have to do is to 
cultivate their favourite plants and catch the insects 
that come to feed upon the same. London back 
gardens generally swarm with insects of many kinds 
which enjoy the shelter and protection afforded, 
particularly by those who permit rubbish of any sort 
to accumulate, and who cultivate a considerable 
variety of flowers, fruits, or vegetables. Mr. Enoch 
mentions numerous interesting insects which he has 
found, some of which are friends, but the large 
majority enemies of gardens and gardeners. We 
have at one time or other met with a large proportion 
of the moths, beetles, aphides, sawflies, and other 
insects he mentions, as well as mites and other allies, 
and in some cases the parasites with which they are 
infested and kept in check. Numerous illustrations 
accompany the text and help the reader to under¬ 
stand the strange, wonderful, and often marvellously 
beautiful forms of insects to be met with in gardens, 
and their metamorphoses. Anyone in pursuit of a 
hobby, and with sufficient spare time on his hands 
would find an immense amount of pleasure and 
instruction watching, studying, and searching for 
these various creatures. 
Haps in Kent promise to be only half a crop. The 
vine is so infested with vermin that no washing can 
keep the insect pest in subjection. 
Orchid culture in America.—Two large collections 
of Orchids have been disposed of partly by private 
sale and partly by public auction, The collections 
we allude to were the Corning collection at Albany, 
New York, and that of Messrs Pitcher & Manda, 
Short Hills, New Jersey. The latter was the most 
complete in the United States, but was got together 
too rapidly for the demand for this class of plants 
on the other side of the Atlantic. This grand 
collection cost Mr. J. R. Pitcher a great deal of time 
and money, but singularly enough when he became 
obliged to disperse the collection, he found a buyer 
for the half of it in Dr. J. M. W. Kitchen, of East 
Orange, who was about to invest in fancy Carna¬ 
tions, with a few Orchids, &c., but changed his mind 
when this opportunity occurred of laying in a stock. 
Most of the buyers of the other half of this collec¬ 
tion, and also the Corning collection were growers 
for market, so that the transactions in Orchids show 
which way the wind is blowing in the United States. 
The cultivation of Orchids is increasing, but almost 
solely on utilitarian lines. 
Brentwood Horticultural Show was held in the 
grounds of Middleton Hall, lent for the occasion by 
Mr. J. C. Tasker, on July gth. Last year the show 
was held in conjunction with the Essex Agricultural 
Society, and there was, as may be expected, a great 
falling off of exhibits this year as compared with 
those of last. This was more particularly the case 
with vegetables and fruit, although cut flowers were 
likewise limited in number. Messrs. W. Gadsby, A. 
Geary, and W. Shelley were the most successful ex¬ 
hibitors in the amateur’s section. Mr. J. Preece, 
gardener to Mrs. Willmott, Warley Place, secured 
the premier award for a group of plants measuring 
16 ft. by 10 ft. Mr. P. Perry, gardener to J. C. 
Tasker, Esq., obtained the president’s prize for 
fireplace decoration. The president’s prize for 
twenty-four Roses went to Mr. B. R. Cant., Col¬ 
chester. Mrs. C. S. Burgess was placed first for 
table decoration ; Mr. J. Preece was first for six 
dishes of fruit ; and Mr. P. Perry showed some 
unusually fine Cabbages Over £70 was distributed 
in prizes, the judges being Messrs. Coomber, J. 
O’Brien, and R. Dean. 
-—j-- 
BY TELEGRAPH. 
THE CHESTER SHOW. 
The Chester Show opened on Wednesday under 
rather gloomy and threatening weather, which con¬ 
trasted rather strongly with the rich and varied 
scene under canvas. It was continued next day. 
Although the number of exhibits are rather under 
last year, the quality in several classes is far ahead 
of previous years, and taxed the judges’ dis¬ 
criminating powers considerably. 
Tbe chief exhibit was that of Messrs. Dicksons, of 
Chester, which occupied the whole of a large tent 
and gave them great credit both for the quality and 
manner in which the exhibit was carried out (Gold 
Medal). The first prize for grouping was gained by 
Mr. J. Cypher, Cheltenham, for one of the most 
effective groups ever put up, and for twelve stove 
plants he also gained the premier place. Other 
winners for groups were Mrs. G. Pease, Darlington, 
and Charles Wigg, Esq., Chester, who were second 
and third respectively. 
In the cut bloom classes Messrs. Perkins, of 
Coventry, carried cff leading honours for bouquets. 
For a Rose group and for a group of Dahlias, Messrs. 
Jones, of Shrewsbury, were first ; Mr. M. Campbell, 
Blantyre, Lanark, was second ; Mr. J. Walker, 
Thame, was third. For a group of herbaceous 
plants, Mr. Gunn, Alton, was first; Messrs. Harkness, 
Bedale, was second. The latter carried off the lead¬ 
ing honours for forty-eight Roses ; Messrs. A. Dick¬ 
son & Sons, Newtownards, were second ; Messrs. D. 
and W. Croll, Dundee, were third. For twelve 
Roses, Mr. Hugh Dickson, Belfast, was first; 
Messrs. Harkness, Bedale, came in second; and 
Messrs. A. Dickson & Sons, Newtownards, took the 
third place. 
Mr. H. Eckford, of Sweet Pea fame, had a lovely 
display of his speciality ; while Mr. Barnes, gardener 
to the Duke of Westminster, had a group of Carna¬ 
tions, which was one of the largest and most varied 
ever put up. Messrs. McHattie, of Chester, had a 
nice front of foliage fruit and bloom. 
Hardening Iiiscellany. 
CARNATION MR JOHN FRASER. 
The other week a bouquet of flowers of a new border 
Carnation reached this office, under the above name, 
from Mr. John Forbes, Buccleuch Nurseries, 
Hawick, Scotland. It was cut with long stems, and 
is evidently a free flowering and vigorous variety. 
The terminal flower opens first, after which the 
lateral branches develop in succession, each ter¬ 
minating in a single flower of moderate and very use¬ 
ful size. The blooms had not been disbudded, and 
for ordinary garden decoration and for cut flower 
purposes we consider this the best way. There is no 
evidence of pod-splitting as it is termed, the calyx 
being long, cylindrical, and perfect. The petals have 
long claws and are not unduly crowded, facts which 
would account for the calyx not being split. They 
are smooth, rounded, and entire at the edges, and of 
a rich terra cotta, shaded with salmon, not buff. Mr. 
Forbes has been working assiduously in the im¬ 
provement of garden Carnations for many years past 
and this variety will no doubt prove useful and 
acceptable for border work, for it is really beautiful. 
This is the second season it has been tested, and in 
every respect it promises well. The plants are of 
free growth, good habit, and produce an abundance 
of well-formed flowers. The petals are richest in 
colour in the centre of the bloom, the large, outer 
ones being much paler and showing that the ground 
colour is yellow of the shade generally known as old 
gold. As far as can be determined from the 
specimens sent it will be really a good thing for 
border work, and the flowers are certainly handsome. 
CRICKET. 
Hurst & Son- v. Elliott Bros. 
Played at Walthamstow, Saturday, July 17th, 1897. 
Hurst & Son. 
Sampson, c and b Trollop ... 7 
Square, c Challens, b Haynes . 60 
Portch, c and b Fast . 1 
A. Cox, b Fast .„. o 
Blyth, b Haynes . 20 
Delacourt, b Trollop .. 4 
Jerry, b Trollop. o 
Day, c Cowan, b Fast.. 14 
Thake, b Fast . 4 
Duggleby, c Trollop, b Haynes.,. o 
Dixon, not out . o 
Extras. n 
121 
Elliott Bros. 
Cooper, b Portch. 2 
Hood, b Sampson. 43 
Trollop, c Squire, b Sampson . o 
Fast, b Sampson . 19 
Haynes, c Squire, b Delacourt .. 6 
Cowan, c and b Sampson . 2 
Challen, b Sampson. 8 
Barber, b Sampson . 3 
Byrne, not out .. 2 
Clifford, b Squire. o 
Moore did not bat 
COOMBE COTTAGE, KINGSTON-ON- 
THAMES. 
The name by which this mansion is known is un¬ 
assuming enough, and is due to the fact that it was 
originally a gamekeeper's cottage. Each successive 
owner has added to it till it is now a commodious 
residence of a mixed pattern, but somewhat after the 
Elizabethan style of architecture. It is built of red 
bricks partly covered with neatly trimmed Ivy. It 
is pleasantly situated on the southern slope of the 
rising ground known in different parts as Kingston 
Hill, Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common. 
The site overlooks a wide stretch of the flat portion 
of Surrey, the view being obstructed in the far dis¬ 
tance only by Norwood Hill, Epsom Common, and 
the Banstead Downs, which are easily seen by the 
naked eye on clear days. The residence is occupied 
by J. B. Johnstone, Esq. 
There is a considerable amount of glass on the 
place, with kitchen, fruit, and flower gardens. The 
kitchen garden, as far as vegetables are concerned, is 
gradually being transferred from the vicinity of the 
house to a field lower down the slope, which has 
