268 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 23, 1899. 
burgh. Probably his masterpiece in Grape growing 
was seen at Glasgow International Horticultural 
Exhibition. The Golden Champions and Muscat of 
Alexandria in his first prize collection of fruit were 
of great excellence and much admired. We need 
not revert further to the great Grape growing in the 
north ; but cannot pass by southern exhibits of 
fruits. 
Pineapples have generally held a higher position 
in English gardens than in the north. The fine 
fruits of this class which came to London from 
Bicton, Bowood, Dowlais and other noted gardens 
and other noted gardeners have not often been 
equalled for years past. Then the Grapes, Muscats 
especially from Blenheim, by Mr. Turnbull; from 
Stanmore, by Mr. Tillyard ; Mr. Sanders, in Wilt¬ 
shire, who wrote his practice and published it in a 
small volume; and many others were equal to the 
best seen at the present time. Probably the finest 
fruits ever seen at any London exhibition were 
tabled at the International Exhibition of Fruits in the 
year 1862 at South Kensington, and it was the only 
great show which I could call “ International ” in 
its true sense. The large surface of tabling covered 
with Grapes in immense variety gave the exhibition 
something more than a merely nominal title. 
The exhibits of the great fruit salesmen from 
Covent Garden and elsewhere were truly marvellous 
in every sense. Such Pears and Apples of size and 
colour raised the excitement of admirers to the 
highest pitch. 
Perhaps the greatest feature of a cultivator’s skill 
was in the Grape classes. Mr. Drummond brought 
from Sussex (I do not remember the name of the 
place), such Muscats as (it was said, as well as 
written in the gardening papers) never had been 
seen in London. The deep bronze colour and large 
berries called forth many enquiries as to how they 
had been produced. The grand bunches tabled by 
Mr. Tillyard (about eighteen inches in length) were 
overshadowed by Mr. Drummond’s somewhat 
smaller bunches, but larger berries of splendid 
colour. The latter had Black Hamburghs (some¬ 
what oval in form and about in. in depth), which 
were on a par with his Muscats. Some other first 
prize exhibits went to Mr. Drummond for Grapes 
which would hold their own with any Grapes seen 
at the present time. 
The Apples and Pears which filled the long tables 
at that great October show would compare favour¬ 
ably with any examples I have seen since then. As 
to the atmospheric influence on Grapes in the north 
nothing could be more untenable. In the south 
many of the finest exhibits have been from the valley 
of the Thames in close proximity to London, smoke 
and fogs leaving them uninjured. In Scotland many 
of the leading exhibitors are closely associated with 
chimneys and smoke near to their gardens. Mr. Kirk, 
Alloa ; Mr. Leslie, Perth ; and Mr. Boyd, Callendar 
(who has had cups, Yeitch Memorial prizes, and 
other trophies), are each under the smoke nuisance, 
yet their Grapes are of the highest order.— M. Temple, 
Canon, -N .B. 
THE JOBBING GARDENER. 
With so much reliable literature on the art or prac¬ 
tice of gardening, and with so many examples to 
copy from in the labours of the best equipped gar¬ 
deners everywhere, it comes as a matter for surprise 
in the first instance and regret in the second case, 
that the “jobber” should persist in many of his 
barbarous practices. I do not classify the whole 
army, because I know well that in their ranks are not 
a few who are fit to teach good professional men a 
wrinkle or two. 
The practice which I mostly kick against when 
considering the jobber's work, is that of pruning. 
Only about a month or so ago imagine my surprise, 
and disgust, I may add, to see a jobbing gardener 
calmly, but persistently, shearing off all the glori¬ 
ously tinted leaves of an Ampelopsis which formed 
a beautiful covering to the walls of a villa. Pro¬ 
bably, he had orders to do so; then if so, alas for the 
owners taste! Just after the fullest beauty had 
been matured, then it was destroyed in one fell 
hour, and nothing but a host of leaf stalks left. Then 
how regularly persistent are many jobbers in prun¬ 
ing shrubs and trees into all sorts of stucco, formal, 
and miserable shapes. Deciduous trees are pollarded 
after they have grown too high, and receive annual 
visit, ever after, from the jobber with his saw and 
secateurs. There is a medium in all things, and why 
good taste should be so outraged by persons who will 
not take the trouble to study, or read, or think 
before they go forth to deface beauty beats me to 
tell. If topiary work is to be the aim, let it be 
attempted in a proper and skilful manner, putting 
some genius and strength of conception into the 
work ; but away with the pollarded Lime and other 
deciduous trees. There are plenty of trees which do 
not require this very unpleasant and unnatural 
shearing.— C. S. 
XL ALL VAPORISING COMPOUND AND 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
The Gardeners’ Chronicle, in its issue of December 
gth, dealing with the recent case of the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Society versus Messrs. Jacob Wrench & Sons, 
Ltd., says : — “ There is an impression prevalent that 
the restrictions we have mentioned are maintained 
as a monopoly for the benefit of the Pharmaceutical 
Society or its members. This is altogether a mis¬ 
taken view, &c." 
I beg to submit that in the eyes of thousands of 
traders this is not a mistaken view at all. It is, in 
fact, just what they do think, and what they believe 
to be the fact. 
Without imputing mercenary motives to the 
council of the P.S. in protecting the interests of its 
members, to say the least, it is strange that the XL 
All Compound should not have been attacked before 
now. 
How is it that they have left it alone until it has 
become known to practically every horticulturist in 
the kingdom, and has become all but indispensable 
for use in the garden as an insect destroyer ? 
It has been suggested that had not the trade in this 
gardeners’ requisite developed to its present propor¬ 
tions, the attention of the council of the P.S. would 
not have been drawn to it by its members. 
Why this- sudden discovery of the fact that the 
XL All Compound is a preparation which contains 
a percentage of nicotine ? And why are they so 
fearful that someone will drink it when it is manu¬ 
factured and sold expressly for fumigating green¬ 
houses ? 
Why has it taken six years for them to discover 
that this is so dangerous, after it has been sold by 
nurserymen, seedsmen and florists for this length of 
time without a single accident ? 
To all unbiassed minds the answer suggests itself. 
It appears that neither the Pharmaceutical Society 
nor its members have any control over the sale of 
carbolic acid or its preparations, and these can be 
freely purchased anywhere for domestic use, and 
seem to stand about some households quite un¬ 
guarded. 
If this and other poisons of a similar character 
can be, and are sold, without any restrictions, for 
household purposes, surely the horticultural trade 
may claim the right to sell a preparation of nicotine 
for use (quite apart from the dwelling house) in 
greenhouses, which in nine cases out of ten would 
be stored in an out-house in the garden. 
It is the opinion of many that all interested 
traders who have suffered from similar jealous and 
needless interference at the hands of the P.S. should 
organise a society of their own to watch over their 
interests, and to bring their grievances before Parlia¬ 
ment at the earliest date possible, with a view to 
getting the Act of 1868 amended so as to enable 
agents other than Pharmacists to sell poisonous pre¬ 
parations for technical purposes (in the manufac¬ 
turer’s original packages) to the trades and pro¬ 
fessions, which in the ordinary course of business 
it should be their legitimate right to supply; of 
course, under necessary restrictions. 
The Pharmacy Act of 1868 as affecting the sale of 
poisonous preparations for technical purposes, does 
not appear to be understood by one and all alike. 
It must be clear to all but the most nervous people 
.that the skill of a pharmacist is not at all necessary 
to sell a farmer a tin of “ Sheep Dip.” 
Why, then, should he not be able to get it from 
the same source of supply as his other farm require¬ 
ments ? 
Again, why should a gardener not be able to order 
his ■' Fumigator ’’ or “Weed Killer" from his 
nurseryman or seedsman together with- his bulbs or 
seeds, thus saving the expense and annoyance of 
having to obtain one requisite from one source and 
one from another ? 
Next we shall hear of nurserymen and seedsmen 
being prosecuted for selling any kind of insecticide, 
and bulbs and seeds containing poison may not go 
exempt. 
I shall be glad to receive communications and 
suggestions from anyone who is willing to join such 
a movement as is above indicated.— G. H. Richards, 
128, Southwark Street, London, S.E. 
- »t — 
SMALL DECORATIVE PLANTS. 
Every available space in the propagating pits, and 
places which are not, and never were intended to be 
propagating pits, but which necessity compels one to 
fashion out for this purpose, is at this time crammed, 
and during the next three months very little laxity 
can be expected. This is just the proper thing; it 
shows that fresh stock is preferred in these gardens, 
rather than worn out, bare, and leggy plants. It is a 
good plan, of course, to get the rooting process 
through quickly. After this the plants can be grown 
on in positions near the glass, so as to make short- 
jointed and stout specimens. Newly divided plants 
of Isolepis gracilis may, for a short period, be plunged 
in a case, to cause the roots to start without the 
chance of delay. The small Ferns which one finds 
everywhere between the chinks of the bricks in the 
wall and along the paths, may well be saved and 
grown on for future use. Little pockets made from 
zinc or other material may be arranged like swallows’ 
nests, fastened against all the buttresses and in the 
convenient parts of the low walls in the house. For 
this, it would be well for builders, or owners of 
gardens who propose to build, and who wish to have 
the greatest return either of pleasure or of profit, to 
stipulate for much wider pathways. Not only do 
wide pathways make a conservatory or other plant- 
house more substantial and luxurious in appearance, 
but they allow the gardener to add beautiful wall 
plants, that the additional attractiveness of the wall 
so covered really verifies the statement, for substan¬ 
tiality and luxuriousness do Lhen exist. Pterises and 
Gymnogrammes, Pilea muscona (the Artillery Plant), 
Panicum variegatum, now known as Oplismenus 
Burmanni variegatus, Tradescantias, Fittonias, 
Begonias, and Ficus repens are all perfectly adapt¬ 
able. — J. Harris. 
MY GARDEN AT CHRISTMAS. 
Some may like to say of themselves “ my mind to me 
a kingdom is,” and it is a happy fact for those who 
are entitled to say so. I shall not go so far, but by 
coupling my garden with myself I would put it, that 
gardening is all in all to me, the purest of human 
pleasures, and the greatest refresher which man’s 
spirits ever received. Though we may roam 'mid 
pleasures and 'mid palaces, the truth still rings out 
startlingly clear,that there is no place like one’s own 
home. The emigrant abroad, more especially the 
true hearted Scottish emigrant, never fails to remem¬ 
ber and yearn for the " auld hame ” with its severe 
simplicity and inexperience, but which seems a hal¬ 
lowed spot, a quiet haven of love and peace, com¬ 
pared with the foreign haunts wherein his lot is 
cast. 
Sentiment runs herewith too high, however, but 
let me tell you of my garden at this, the anniversary 
season of our Saviour's birth. The greenhouses are 
filled with all manner of plants, many of them not 
in frequent occurence in up-to-date gardens. The 
golden flower, Chrysanthemum, has gone rather 
quickly past. Till within a week ago I had loads of 
the Golden George Glenny, Mr. Bunn, Mrs. G. 
Rundle, and Mary Anderson, which form a quartette 
of the sweetest varieties of Chrysanthemum I have. 
The cuttings are already being put in. Then the 
Cyclamen, Cinerarias, Primulas, Zonal Pelargon¬ 
iums, &c., are in full show. The scented “ Gerani¬ 
ums ” are lovely to behold, and great plants have 
developed from those struck from the cutting and 
pruned back after the season’s growth last year. 
The Ericas and Epacris also lend a charm which is 
not even equalled by the Roman Hyacinths or the 
Freesias ; the latter plants with me are showing well 
this year. On the wall, Tibouchina macrantha 
(Pleroma or Lassiandra), fairly covers one of the 
walls with its violet-velvety blooms, while on the 
other side Lapageria rosea has a few stray 
flowers. 
The weather is and has been phenomenally mild, 
the thermometer, on and off, ranging between 55 0 
