September 23, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
55 ' 
Reptile Killed at Ipswich—An excellent specimen 
of the ringed snake (Tropidonotus natrix), has been 
killed at Ipswich. Alfred Podd, the keeper of the 
public Arboretum, was removing a heap oftwigs 
which he had cut from a fence, when a snake darted 
out and was promptly dispatched with a stick. The 
reptile was 26 in. long, and is being preserved for the 
local museum. 
Fruit Show of the Royal Horticultural Society.— 
The Royal Horticultural Society’s great show of 
British-grown fruit will take place at the Crystal 
Palace on Thursday, September 28th, and the two 
following days. Entries should reach the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s office, 117-, Victoria Street, 
S.W., not later than September 21st. On each day 
of the show, after 10 a.m., Fellows of the society (on 
producing their tickets), will be admitted to the 
Palace free. 
The Evesham Fruit Growers and Insects.—In the 
Vale of Evesham there was recently a committee for 
the consideration of coping with insect pests, but 
which dissolved itself after having conquered the 
attacks of the winter moth in the district. But why 
this committee should have lapsed has lately been 
under consideration ; for though there may not be a 
serious infestation now, such conditions may not 
for long prevail. It would be wise if all great fruit 
districts had a representative body whose duty it was 
to keep abreast with invention, or knowledge, and 
experiment, so that in the case of serious outbreak 
the best remedies for the occasion would, with the 
greatest dispatch, be employed. 
Insect-Trapping Orchids.—"The Story of the 
Orchids ” is a theme on which the Rev. Alexander 
S. Wihon, M.A., B.Sc., discourses in the September 
issue of Knowledge. " One of the Australian Orchids, 
Pterostylis longifolia, has a sensitive labellum which 
acts as a spring trap. When an insect alights it in¬ 
stantly flaps up, and the unwary visitor is entrapped 
in the flower. There is only one opening above by 
which escape is possible, and, as happens in CyprL 
pedium, the stigma and anther are encountered on 
the way out. An irritable labellum also occurs in 
species of Megaclinium, Bulbophyllum, Drakea, and 
others. In the Vanilla Orchid, the pods of which 
supply the well-known flavouring, an arrangement of 
hairs, somewhat resembling the mouse-trap hairs of 
the Birthwort, induces visitors to enter and depart 
in the manner most favourable to cross-fertilisation." 
Fruits and Vegetables —Fruit is always beneficial 
to the well-being of human bodies. Potash salts, 
magnesia, lime and iron are largely present in all 
vegetables and fruits, more so in some than in others. 
In Spinach we have iron in a very marked degree, 
says a writer in a contemporary, and also in Black 
Currants, Raspberries, Blackberries, &c. Those 
who suffer from poverty of blood would do well to 
make Black Currants their standard fruit. In 
Cabbage, Peas, green Gooseberries and Greengages 
we have more phosphates and lime than iron. In 
Mushrooms, Beans and well cooked Potatos we find 
an abundance of nourishment, which is easily 
digested. All sappy fruits or vegetables are benefi¬ 
cial in hot weather because they do away with the 
necessity for so much drink. 
Labeling Plants.—Time goes by so fast and work 
comes along so thickly that one can excuse busy 
gardeners for not using more permanent labels at 
the time or soon after planting of trees, shrubs, plants, 
&c. Roses, fruit trees, and most other nursery stock, 
come from the growers, labelled no doubt, but gener¬ 
ally the labels are those easily defiled or soiled ; 
card-board slips, sometimes wooden tallies, are sent, 
but in any case they are only meant for the 
present guidance and security in transmitting the 
names. At the planting time they are of course 
deemed enough. But, somehow, time goes on and 
they are not substituted. They become unreadable, 
the name is lost, and then in many cases how much 
bother and waste of time and patience, money and 
all else, is needed before the title can be again found. 
Those who own gardens and do not know the names 
of the plants contained in them, must bs ignorant 
also of the proper value of the stock, of its history, 
and of many or most of those hidden references, 
probably legends, and the inner value or heritage of 
the plant or plants. It becomes all growers then to 
see to it that blame in this respect may not be 
charged to their account. 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Mr. Thomas George Swales. 
This gentleman is at present more particularly 
known amongst London horticulturists, but the im¬ 
portant post of Honorary Secretary to the “ Gar¬ 
deners’ Charity Guild,” which he has recently been 
pressed into accepting, will shortly make his name 
known all over the kingdom. 
Born in the historic village of Hatfield, in 1869, it 
is no wonder that the famous gardens belonging to 
the Marquess of Salisbury should have instilled a 
Mr. T. G. Swales. 
very eatly love of flowers and plant culture; there¬ 
fore, we presently find Mr. Swales becoming a mem¬ 
ber of the National Amateur Gardeners’ Associa¬ 
tion, and receiving Awards of Merit and prizes. 
His courteous and genial manner to everybody, 
combined with an innate love of work, soon brought 
him prominently forward as an officer of the associa¬ 
tion ; and as assistant secretary for three years he 
was so successful that promotion to superintendent 
of the N.A.G.A.’s shows then followed. This posi¬ 
tion Mr. Swales still holds, and the interests of 
members and exhibitors are consequently in real 
good hands. In 1896 he was elected as a bellow of 
the R.H.S. 
For some time past Mr. Swales has been a patron 
of and exhibitor at the Lewisham Horticultural 
Society’s shows, where his great love of the Chrys¬ 
anthemum was particularly recognised by Mr. H. J. 
Jones, who, in 1898, named one of his new Japanese 
varieties after him. He is also a member of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society. 
Professionally, Mr. Swales has for twelve years 
been connected with the South African Exploration 
Company, but the recent purchase of this under¬ 
taking by the De Baers Co. has turned all the staff 
adrift. 
The subject of these remarks has also made him¬ 
self known as a vocalist, being in much request on 
the concert platform, and doing well in oratorio 
work. As a working steward for the concert so suc¬ 
cessfully carried out last spring, for the benefit of 
the Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund, Mr. Swales 
certainly earned the right to be first approached to 
hold high office when the Gardeners' Charity Guild 
gave itself a title and constitution. 
“ LILIUM BATEMANNAE.” 
I would like to advocate the merits of this free 
flowering Lily. The colour is of a most pleasing 
apricot, the plant itself reaching to about 20 in. high. 
The flowers are cup-shaped and erect, showing 
themselves well in beds or borders, and are most 
valuable when cut and placed in water, and last a very 
long time if the water is constantly changed. The 
spikes carry from eight to ten flowers, and bloom 
during July and August. This Lily appears to 
thrive well with us in our sandy loam, and I may 
note that good bulbs can be purchased for 7s. per 
dozen. It is of recent introduction, for I do not find 
it mentioned in Nicholson's Dictionary of Gardening, 
nor in Robinson’s Flower Garden, '895 edition. 
Perhaps you, Mr. Editor, will inform your readers 
when it was sent out, also where it comes from. 
I was pleased to see your notes a few weeks back 
upon Lilium testaceum (L. excelsum isabellianum) 
which is a grand Lily for the back row of a border 
and is sweetly scented. It flowers with us in June 
and July, and the whole spike keeps fresh for a long 
time when cut and placed in water.— J. MBicton. 
JONQUIL CAMPERNELLE. 
To many who see and have grown Jonquils for 
years, they are nothing more or less than Jonquils. 
And this is no doubt good enough, but in a sentence 
let us locate their position botanicaliy. 
Mr. Baker, of Kew, gave an admirable classifica¬ 
tion in 1884. By this we find that Jonquilla is a 
species of the sub genus Hermione (parvicoronata), 
under Narcissi, which itself, of course, belongs to 
Amaryllideae. So there, Narcissus Jonquilla is the 
Sunday appellation for our Jonquils. The variety of 
which our note treats, is one of the strongest and 
most beautiful for spring decoration. Its use in 
murky, smoky cities, is much appreciated, and in 
such places it is at home. To relieve a stiff ted of 
Hyacinths, so loDg as the colours “go well,” nothing 
is more adaptable. For this purpose the superin¬ 
tended of Hyde Park, London, uses it largely. The 
yellow is no undecided yellow, but very deep. The 
bulbs are ovoid and just about 1 in. thick. So going 
by the fairly accurate rule of planting them the 
depth of three times their diameter, we shall find 
this to suit their liking. A rich open soil suits them 
well. 
For pot culture nothing is sweeter or more fra¬ 
grant in spring. Five-inch pots are large enough, 
and these should be clean. Crock them well, laying 
over the drainage some rough sphagnum or turf. 
Place in about six bulbs, letting the apex of them just 
appear half an inch from the level of the rim. Any 
friable loamy compost may be used, the potting be¬ 
ing fairly firm. Place the pots out of doors, and 
plunge them overhead in coal-ashes (riddled cinders). 
They force very well, although their truest grace and 
qualities come best under only gentle pressure. It is 
over 300 years ago since the specific form, N. Jon¬ 
quilla, was introduced to this country. The com¬ 
mon double and single Jonquils, and the J. Cam- 
pernelle and J. C. regulosus are much used for various 
ornamental purposes.— D. 
~— —- 
LILY OF THE VALLEY FOR 
DECORATION. 
This little flower is a chief favourite with all classes 
of the community, rich man or poor man, the lady 
and her servant, are all united in their regard when 
the small white belled spikes are used as the truce. 
It is the mediator between distinct affections, and 
none can disregard it. The growers, like true men 
of business, have put their minds to work. The 
result is seen in that now we need never be without 
this sweet flower, at one time only a plant of early 
summer. How lovely the pea-green beds are when 
glistened over with the morning rain drops and the 
little white beads are seen sparkling amoDg the 
forest of green stalks and blades. Also how we 
enjoy the Lily of the Valley fragrance. We love the 
meekness which seems part and parcel of this plant. 
But there is perknessin it too. It may be symbolised 
in our imaginations to the tingling bells which the 
wedding carriage horses are decked iD. So with this 
plant’s blooms we sparkle the bride’s bouquet, and 
put them around the altar and gracefully clothe each 
prominence within the church. Then the droopiDg 
heads are like unto ours when we sob, so again the 
wreaths upon our dear ones’ biers never lack this 
cosmopolitan little loved thing. The Lily of the 
Valley lends itself almost without any skill on our 
part, to the most pleasant arrangements in decora¬ 
tions. For vases all alone, with plenty of its own 
foliage or interspersed below the crimson Lobelia 
cardinalis or other rich-hued flowers, nothing we can 
think of could be more tasty 
But it is the utility of the plant and the adaptation 
of the leaves and flowers when used by itself that 
the greatest worth is seen. No other small plant, 
not even the Violet or Primrose are quite equal to 
Lily of the Valley for decorations, and decorations 
of any sort.— J. 
