772 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 7, 1897. 
the new bigeneric hybrid is practically an 
Epidendrum, the great size of the lip and 
its form being the chief obvious differences 
between it and the pollen-bearer, E. radi- 
cans. The strong potentiality of this 
species is therefore well established. 
In a batch of seedling Violas a con¬ 
siderable number number may be picked 
out which lean towards the seed bearer, 
while an equal number possibly would lean 
towards the pollen parent, while another 
lot might be totally unlike either pro¬ 
genitor. Some of the latter might be 
accounted for in various ways, but the fact 
that about an equal number leans towards 
either parent shows an equally strong indi¬ 
viduality in both. In other crosses the 
pollen parent is the most potential, as the 
seedlings testify by having flowers agreeing 
in size and colour with it, although the 
seed parent might be totally different in 
both respects. It is when the seedlings are 
totally different from the seed parent that 
we acquire confidence in the efficacy of the 
cross. Cases might be multiplied, but the 
above must suffice for the present. An ex¬ 
planation of the phenomenon that is gain¬ 
ing ground is that the parent which most 
affects the progeny is the stronger, more 
stable, and the less altered by cultivation, 
cross-breeding or hybridisation. Its con¬ 
stitution is strong, and all its leading 
characteristics have long been fixed and 
rendered stable by long continued con¬ 
ditions, both as to climate and environment 
in a state of nature. 
——-f-- 
The Banana seldom produces any seed. It is 
propagated by suckers. The so-called stem is a 
false one, consisting of the sheaths of numerous 
leaves tightly wound round one another. 
Mr. Andrew McDermiad, from the nurseries of 
Messrs. James Dickson & Sons, Edinburgh, has been 
appointed head gardener to H.R.H. Princess Louise 
and the Marquis of Lome, Roseneath Castle, 
Helensburgh. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, August ioth, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, i 
to 5 p.m. A lecture on " Cross Fertilisation of 
Florists' Flowers " will be given at 3 o’clock by 
Mr. James Douglas, F.R.H.S. 
The Birmingham Gardeners’ Association held a 
flower show at the Technical School on the 27th ult. 
The number of entries was the largest on record, 
and of good quality. There were ten entries in the 
class for six Carnation blooms and twenty for single 
blooms. Many of those competing in the classes 
for Roses and Sweet Peas had to go without prizes- 
A Flower Service took place at St. Anne’s Church, 
Lewes, on Sunday afternoon the 25th ult., and drew 
together a large audience. The Rev. C. Jickling 
officiated and delivered an appropriate address on 
the words, “ As a flower of the field so he 
flourisheth.” From this he adduced the three-fold 
lesson of thankfulness, sweetness, and content¬ 
ment taught by the flowers. The offertory was 
devoted to the Alexandra Hospital, Brighton. 
Oaks struck by lightning.—During a thunder¬ 
storm which passed over Mentmore, on the 20th 
ult, a fine Oak on Lord Rosebery’s estate was 
struck by lightning and split in two, the falling 
timber smashing some pigsties and greatly alarming 
the villagers. On the 21st ult. an Oak about 45 ft. 
high was struck not far from White Hart Lane 
Station, Tottenham, the electric current passing 
down just beneath the bark. The latter was peeled 
off in a stripe, showing that the electricity had passed 
down in three currents, forming as many grooves in 
the solid wood. A nail buried in tte wood happened 
to be in the middle of one of these grooves, which 
was scorched as if by gunpowder for 18 ins. above 
the nail. 
A flirt is a Rose from which any man may pluck a 
petal ; but the last man gets caught in the thorns. 
Most of the Prize-winners at the recent flower 
show at Newcastle were Scotchmen, according to a 
correspondent of the Newcastle Daily Journal. 
Hop Plantations in the neighbourhood of Worces¬ 
ter are thriving owing to the high temperature and 
recent rain, but particularly where their owners took 
the trouble to wash them. The laterals are rapidly 
developing and the burrs making their appearance. 
Unwashed vines are very weak, however, and 
apparently incapable of making much progress. 
Salterhebble Rose Show.—There was a slight falling 
off in the number of entries for this show on the 
22nd ult.; yet the show was one of the most gratify¬ 
ing held during the last nineteen years. One of the 
judges said that the bouquets would hold their own 
with any show in the North of England. The 
National Rose Show will be held at Spring Hall 
next year. 
Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society.— 
The annual meeting of this society was held at the 
Edgbaston Botanical Gardens on the 27th ult. The 
report said that there had been a substantial increase 
in the membership as compared with the previous 
year, but the subscription list was still £60 behind 
what the committee expected. There was a de¬ 
ficiency on the year of £55, and the total indebted¬ 
ness was £398. Lord Calthorpe was re-elected 
president and thanked for his continued donation of 
^100. 
Water Lilies at Blenheim.—The lake at Blenheim 
Palace, Woodstock, the residence of the Duke of 
Marlborough, has recently been cleaned out, and a 
fine collection of hardy Water Lilies has been got 
together, including all the more recent varieties that 
have been put into commerce,and embracing some of 
Marliac's hybrids. The multiplication and dissemina¬ 
tion of the numerous splendid Water Lilies in cultiva¬ 
tion are a feature of modern gardening, and they will 
certainly be a feature of Blenheim in the course of a 
year or two, when they have got thoroughly estab¬ 
lished. Already they have made wonderful progress 
since they were planted. 
Forest Gate and Stratford Chrysanthemum Society. 
—The members and friends of this society to the 
number of 80 paid a visit to the gardens and grounds 
of Lord Rothschild, Tring Park, Tring, Hertford¬ 
shire, on the 17th ult. The party visited IheMuseum in 
the village and found the finest private collection of 
birds, beasts and things in the world. The grounds 
were much admired, as well as the contents of the 
glasshouses, but particularly those containing 
splendid collections of Carnations. The party was 
much amused at the antics and performances of 
some tame kangaroos in the park, which, however, 
were not sufficiently civilised to carry tobacco in 
their pouches. A very enjoyable afternoon was 
spent here by the excursionists. 
Dutch Horticultural and Botanical Society.—At a 
meeting of the floral committee of this body on July 
ioth, First-class Certificates were awarded to Mr. 
C. G. Tubergen, Jun., of Haarlem, ror Calochortus 
clavatus; to the gardening school of Frederiksoord 
for Chrysanthemum maximum Perfection, and for 
Centaurea macrocephala; to Messrs. Gratama 
Bros., of Hoogeven, for Rosa hybrida bifera Captain 
Hayward; to Mr. G. A. van Rossem, of Naarden, 
for Rosa indica Nois. Madame Pierre Cochet; to Mr. 
Jac. Smits, of Naarden, for Rosa indica Nois. Madame 
Pierre Cochet, Rose Frangois Dubreuil, Rose Mrs. 
R. G. Sharman Crawford, and Rose Souvenir de 
Catharine Guillot. At the same meeting Certificates 
of Merit were accorded to Messrs, de Graaff Bros , 
of Leiden, and to Messrs. E. H. Krelage & Son, cf 
Haarlem, for Astilbe Lemoinei Gerbe d’argent, 
Astilbe Lemoinei Panache, and Astilbe Lemoinei 
Plumet neigeux; to the gardening school of 
Frederiksoord for Begonia versaillensis,and Myosotis 
palustris Nixen Auge; to Mr. H. D. Willink van 
Collen, Breukelen, for Centaurea babylonica ; to the 
botanical garden of Groningen for Cirsium Velen- 
owskyi; and to Messrs. Joh. van den Berg & Son, 
of Amsterdam, for Russelia juncea. Botanical 
Certificates were granted to Messrs, de Graaff Bros., 
for Comanthera bifolia and Gladiolus quadrangu- 
laris. 
First-class in Botany.—Teacher : " Bobby, what is 
moss?” Bobby: ‘‘It's what rolling stones don't 
gather, ma'am.”— Scraps. 
A Huge Fuchsia grows in the front garden of a 
house in Ramsey, Isle of Man, and is said to be the 
largest Fuchsia in the world. The dwelliDg-house, 
only 30 yards behind the Fuchsia, is completely 
hidden from the eye of the visitor entering the 
garden. 
Garden Allotments in the suburbs of Birmingham 
were formerly fairly numerous, but they have mostly 
disappeared owing to the enhanced value of the land 
for building purposes and similar reasons. Small 
gardens used to be numerous in the vicinity of Edg¬ 
baston, also at Balsall Heath and other places. 
Some land at Soho has recently been converted into 
small gardens, as if by way of compensation for 
others that have been lost. They are on the Win- 
son Green side of the Great Western Railway from 
Soho to Handsworth. 
Royal Bolanic Society.—At the annual meeting to 
be held in the Gardens, Regent's Park, on Tuesday 
the ioth August, Mr. J. S. Rubinstein will, pursuant 
to notice bring forward motions recommending the 
Council (a) to establish classes in the gardens for the 
study of botany to be open to all students (b) to invite 
the Royal Horticultural Society to confer as to the 
feasibility of effecting a union of the two societies (c) 
to increase the facilities for the holding of exhibitions, 
garden parties, or receptions in the gardens by local 
authorities and by leading societies and institutions. 
The meeting will be held in the gardens at 1 p.m. 
J. S. Rubinstein, Hon. Auditor R. B. S. 56, West 
Cromwell Road , S.IF., August, 1897. 
Royal Agricultural and Botanical Society of Ghent, 
—This society is organising its fourteenth inter¬ 
national horticultural exhibition for the 16th April, 
1898. The schedule of prizes is about to appear. In 
case anyone has not received that which has been 
addressed to him, he should advise Mr. Fierens, the 
secretary of the Society, Coupure, 135, a Gand, who 
will see that a copy is sent. Since the printing of 
the programme two new prizes each of 500 francs 
value have been created. One has been contributed 
by M. le Comte de Germiny, the great French 
Orchid amateur. This is for 100 exotic Orchids, 
comprising species and varieties of most merit from 
a horticultural point of view. The other prize 
offered to commemorate Comte Charles deKerchove 
de Denterghem, the former president of the society, 
is meant to recompense the 100 most remarkable 
annual or biennial hardy or cool greenhouse plants 
in bloom. The society counts upon the assistance 
of all those who have the development of horticult¬ 
ural industry at heart, to give the flower show of 
1898 the richness and eclat of grand former 
exhibitions. 
Fruit and vegetables at M anchester.—The district 
around Manchester, taking a radius of fifty miles, is 
more populous than London, and the food supply is 
enormous. Market gardening is carried on exten¬ 
sively, yet it merely contributes to the support of 
the inhabitants. Land lets at from £2 10s. to £8 an 
acre. The Corporation lands let at from 5s. to 
£2 ios. an acre for the first year after draining, in¬ 
cluding as much town manure as is required. Two 
railway companies estimate that they carried 33,000 
tons of fruits and vegetables into Manchester last year, 
while 3r,8ig tons of green and dried fruits were 
brought to the markets by the Ship Canal, besides 
5,539 tons of Potatos. The Fruit Brokers'-Associa¬ 
tion estimates that 351,450 boxes, cases, and 
barrels of Oranges, Lemons, Apples, Tomatos, 
and similar fruits were disposed of, mostly at one 
saleroom, during the past year. For the next season 
(1896-97) the number of packages was increased to 
500,000, at an estimated value of /195,67c. Daring 
the first three months of the year Cauliflowers and 
Broccoli are brought in from Cornwall at the rate of 
200 tons a day or thereby. There are 91,000 cases 
of Onions from Valentia and 25,000 bags from 
Egypt. These consignments were carried through 
the Ship Canal. At one time hothouse Grapes at 
the beginning of the season fetched 163. a pound; 
now he is a lucky man who gets 6s. for that quantity. 
In like manner new Potatos from the Scilly Blands 
fetched 2s. 6d. a pound, but now they never exceed 
6d. a pound. 
