December 23, 1899. 
THK GARDENING WORLD 
261 
The American Peach Crop was heavy this year 
and new plantings are now likely to be heavy for a 
time. 
Dwarf Lilacs are those budded on the Privet. 
Such a stock dwarfs them, and causes them to bloom 
earlier than they would do if they were on their own 
roots. 
Wood Hyacinths at Christmas.—The wild Wood 
Hyacinth or English Bluebell (Scilla nutans) may be 
seen in buttonholes at this time. The question arises. 
Are these forced or not ? where do they come from ? 
Shirley Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association. 
—The monthly meeting of the above society was 
held at the Parish Room, Shirley, Southampton, on 
the i8th inst., there being a very good attendance of 
the members presided over by Mr. B. Ladhams, 
F.R.H.S. Mr. H. J. Jones, F.R.H.S., Ryecroft 
Nursery, London, gave a lecture on " Raising and 
Producing the most useful Chrysanthemums,” the 
lecture being a splendid selection of the most useful 
hints for the successful culture of the most popular, 
useful, and interesting flower. Space forbids much 
more than this brief epitome of one of the most use¬ 
ful and interesting lectures of the season, and a 
hearty vote of thanks is due to Mr. Jones for having 
spent so much valuable effort in crowding into so 
small a space of time such valuable information. 
An Example Worth Imitating.—At a local Chry¬ 
santhemum show in the suburbs, where a prize was 
offered for two bunches of black Grapes, the gar¬ 
dener, who exhibited them at the request of his 
employer, met with a pleasant surprise, arising 
from the action of the gentleman, who at the 
close of the show put them up for sale by 
mock auction, the proceeds to be devoted to the 
Widows and Orphans Fund for the benefit of those 
who through the war have been deprived of their 
natural protectors. The first bid was some twenty 
odd shillings for the two bunches, about 4 lbs, 
weight in all. The purchaser at that price 
generously devoted them to the same purpose, and 
so on, till with the prize money over £6 was 
handed over to the fund in question, a record price 
as things go at the present time. I think this worthy 
of record, as showing the patriotism and sympathy 
for the suffering ones this national calamity has 
aroused, and at the same time as an example that 
might well be copied in other directions. I may be 
permitted to add that the gardener was no 
loser through his employer’s generosity in other 
directions.— W.B. G. 
National Dahlia Society.—A committee meeting of 
this society was held (by kind permission of the 
Horticultural Club), in the Horticultural Club 
Rooms, Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, West¬ 
minster, S. W., on Tuesday, December 19th. The 
business discussed was that of the report of the 
shows held during the year, and the items connected 
with them, such as the number of blooms certificated 
with one or two suggestions in passing One of 
these hints was that the adaptation of the Dahlia to 
purposes of decoration was not half realised yet. 
Both in the press and in their shows, more might 
be, and more ought to be, done A reference was 
made as to what form the memorial to the late Mr. 
Girdlestone’s memory should take. It was agreed 
to strike a die for silver and bronze medals. Medals 
of the size of a halfcrown were recommended. The 
die for the medal will cost £15, the medals them¬ 
selves being ns. for the silver medals, and 5s. each 
for the bronze medals. Mr. Mawley is open to re¬ 
ceive subscriptions toward this fund. The treasur¬ 
er’s report was favourable seeing that there was a 
balance of £6 less to start the present year with. 
The donations during the year were also £g less ; 
while prizes were- increased £y more. The 
Aquarium show, however, really brought back £6 ; 
advertisements had been more. However, there 
is a balance of £5 still, and the society is satisfied. 
Officers were nominated and elected, these of course 
to be confirmed at the annual general meeting by 
the members. A code of by-laws was fixed upon. 
These are in all respects similar to those of the 
National Rose Society. Mr. Mawley occupied the chair. 
The following gentlemen were present:—Messrs. H. 
A. Needs, Maxwell T. Masters, M.D., F.R.S., C. E. 
Wilkins, J. R. Tranter, S. Mortimer, J. Walker, T. 
W. Scale, C. S. Wyatt, J. T. West, W. T. Frost, R. 
Dean, and J. F. Hudson, Hon Sec. 
“ The San Jose scale is not dead,” says The Ameri¬ 
can Flotist, “ it will still bear watching.” 
Messrs. Hurst & Son’s Annual Dinner. — Messrs. 
Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch, again invited their 
employees and friends to dinner at the Holborn 
Restaurant on Saturday, the 16th inst., under the 
chairmanship of N. N. Sherwood, Esq. Mr. Hugh 
Aiton occupied the vice-chair, while Messrs. F. W. 
Locke, T. N. Cox, J. Bray, and V. F. Cummings 
acted as croupiers. Amongst the visitors were : 
Messrs. Longhurst, F. Wood, W. G. Innes, N. Van 
Lessen, G. D. Hadler, J. H. Veitch, G. J. Ingram, 
J. Scruby, C. H. Inglis, A. Wolton, G. Fagg, 
G. Townsend, G. Waugh, W. Titt, C. Carter Page, 
R. Dean, W. B. Parkyn, B. Wynne, W. Louden, 
R. Cuthbert, Geo. Gordon, Huggett, and J. Fraser. 
Independently of the visitors, about 100 of the 
employees sat down to dinner in the capacious King’s 
Hall. After dinner the chairman proposed the usual 
loyal toasts, which were most heartily responded to 
by the assembled guests. Mr. W. G. Innes pro¬ 
posed " Success to the firm of Hurst & Son,” saying 
that he could carry his mind back for two genera¬ 
tions, to a small room in Leadenhall Street, where 
the business was then carried on by the late Mr. 
Hurst. Competition was as keen then as now, but 
the business had made a remarkable growth since 
then. By analogy he reasoned that Britain was at 
the head of the nations because of her integrity, and 
that some such principle animated the breast of Mr. 
Sherwood, the head of the firm to-day. He had 
dealt with the house for 18 years and nothing unfair 
had happened all that time. To be honest, he said, 
was to earn the gratitude of one’s fellow men, and 
he took everything emanating from Mr. Sherwood 
as gospel The energy and activity of Mr. Sherwood 
was also known to all in the house He concluded 
by wishing the head of the house long life and, the 
best of all prosperity. Mr. Sherwood, in replying, 
said he could remember going to the room at 6, 
Leadenhall Street, about 40 years ago; that his 
father-in-law was respected throughout the land ; 
that he was the finest example of a good old English 
gentleman, and to him the success of Hurst & Son 
was due. The staff then numbered only 20 to 25 
In conclusion, he hoped to meet his employees often 
on such a festive occasion, pointing out that to be 
straightforward and honourable was the best way of 
supporting the house. Competition had always 
been, and would be, but so long as they did their 
duty they would succeed. Mr. T. N. Cox then pro¬ 
posed “The Visitors,” to which Mr. A. Wolton 
replied that he was surprised to see the King’s Hall 
so well filled, and hoped that 1900 and every year 
after would be a record for the firm. Mr. Van 
Lessen also responded, saying that the gathering 
was the outcome of the feeling that all were part of 
one house. Mr. Hugh Aiton proposed “ Mr. 
William and Mr. Edward Sherwood,” the sons of 
the chairman, who were present. Three years ago 
they met to celebrate the majority of Mr. William 
Sherwood, and on this occasion Mr. Edward 
Sherwood had attained to man's estate. In the name 
of the staff he presented him with a silver mounted 
ivory baton and two music books. Both the young 
gentlemen replied, hoping that they would earn the 
gratitude and friendship of their father's staff, Mr. 
E. Sherwood assuring them that he would prize the 
gifts all his life. Other toasts were “ The Press,” 
" Representatives, Heads of Departments, and 
General Staff,” and " The Cricket Club and Musical 
Society.” The proceedings were enlivened through¬ 
out the evening by songs, solos, recitations, and 
selections by the orchestra, under the conductorship 
of Mr. Edward Sherwood. The siDging of “Auld 
Lang Syne” concluded a most enjoyable evening. 
— »l» - 
SALVIAS. 
I thank Mr. Harris for his kind remarks re the 
above. Another reader of your valuable paper has 
written to me, saying, he used to gtow the above 
some twenty years since, and is again most anxious 
to get a fresh start with them, and, of course, I hops 
to come to the rescue with a batch of cuttings for 
him later on. 
Your correspondent is fortunate to be able to 
flower S. patens during winter. As for myself, I 
cannot chronicle any good results with this variety 
after the middle of October. No pruning of any 
note is practised on S. splendens and S. rutilans 
after their first bloom is past, merely removing the 
old flower spike, when new growths at once start 
ahead, and soon come into flower again when more 
light and sun are with us, S. splendens behaving by 
far the best in this respect. There is one drawback 
with them which I failed to note in my first remarks, 
and that is the plants lose a good percentage of their 
leaves owing to the red spider attacking them rather 
badly when one, of course, cannot ply the syringe 
among them. Especially is this case with S. 
splendens ; but we tide over part of this difficulty by 
using them as back row plants, placing in front such 
as Marguerites, Deutzias, Genistas, and such-like 
plants with good foliage. I may add, the cooler the 
plants are kept after their first flowers are over the 
better the display at the date given in the first 
article (p, 197 )■—£■ Maync. 
FORCING ASPARAGUS BEDS AT SYON. 
A correspondent has written to ask me whether 
there, must not be some error in your note on p. 249 
respecting the forcing beds of Asparagus, outdoors, at 
Syon House, as being original or of recent origin. 
He writes that those beds, or at least others identical, 
were there very many years ago, when as a youth he 
first went to Syon as a garden learner, under the late 
John Woodbridge. Of course, the writer of the 
note in question must have misinterpreted the in¬ 
formation given him I saw those beds in Mr. 
Woodbridge's time also, and no doubt were his old 
friend, Mr. Barron, appealed to he could tell pretty 
well whether they were of Mr. Woodbridge’s making 
or of one of his predecessors. The writer to me 
mentions that he knew of similar beds at Isleworth 
thirty years ago, certainly a long time, that is, re¬ 
planned by the late Mr. James ; but which of these 
beds were the original ones few now living possibly 
can tell. I am sure Mr. Wythes would be the last 
man to take to himself credit that was not his, and 
could not be held responsible for a statement that is 
incorrect. I can say with assured certainty that I 
saw those beds at Syon Gardens more than twenty 
years ago, and I have often wondered since that, 
seeing how successful they seemed to be there, that 
such sunken or pit beds were not found in all high 
class gardens ; whilst almost any leafy matter [? is suit¬ 
able. Ed.] especially when mixed with long manure 
packed into the trenches formed between the beds. 
I think the brick walls are pigeon-holed A nice 
heat is formed which is greatly retained when 
shutters are placed over these fermenting linings. 
Of course, beds have to be renewed from time to 
time.— D. 
AN APPRECIATION OF 
ALFRED OUTRAM. 
As an old friend of the late Mr. Alfred Outram, in 
fact, a friend of nearly thirty years’ standing, I 
should be glad if you would allow me a small space 
in your valuable columns to write one or two .remarks 
about this gentleman. 
Having made acquaintance with our late friend 
while I was connected with the firm of Messrs. B. 
S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, London, his 
geniality of character and many other good qualities 
soon endeared him to me, as, indeed, they must have 
done to all who cams in contact with him. 
It was in a great measure owing to his advice that 
the Abbey Park Flower Show, Leicester, was 
started, and he has always taken a great interest in 
this show, which he invariably attended as a judge. 
There was no gentleman more popular at this 
gathering, and he will be greatly missed by all who 
exhibit there. 
Mr. Outram was always willing to give his valu¬ 
able advice to amateurs, or, indeed, to further horti¬ 
cultural pursuits generally. 
No doubt he will be missed by a large circle of 
horticultural friends and others, and by none more 
than by his sincere friend of many years' standing.— 
John Burn, Abbey Park, Leicester, December 18 th, 1899. 
THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE. 
At the base of the Mount of Olives there is a small 
enclosure surrounded by a white-washed wall. It is 
the reputed Garden of Gethsemane. The Franciscan 
Monks possess it, and admit all visitors to it with 
courtesy. There are now seven venerable Olive 
