December 23, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
266 
and 6o°. The birds are to be heard sweetly singing 
in the now leafless old Pear trees, and the Prim¬ 
roses, Auriculas, Polyanthuses, are still flowering 
quite freely. Many of the herbaceous plants besides 
open-air Roses, as Jessamines, are bearing blooms 
just as though it were in the month of May. The 
shrubberies are looking very fresh now afier they 
have been cleaned up, many of the specimens indeed 
are still growing freely, which will not be in their 
favour should a sharp frost come upon them. 
The vegetables have surpassed my expectations 
after such a long droughty summer, especially on a 
soil such as mine is. They picked up wonderfully 
after the rain came, the result is I am now cutting 
nice heads of late Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Cab¬ 
bage, which " the Missus ” finds very acceptable 
just now. The Apple trees are well set with 
fruit buds, even after having yielded a record crop 
of fruits this year ; not a tree in the garden missed 
bearing. Every place and everything has a freshness 
and an inner beauty which with such mild weather 
one almost expects to see developing even before 
Nature has had her rest. It is with great pleasure 
that I look around my garden and meditate therein, 
at this the Christmas season.— D. Me., Edinburgh. 
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Hardening Miscellany. 
GONIOPHLEBIUM SUBAURICULATUM. 
This lovely and very valuable Fern, like so very 
many others, is now included under Polypodium, but 
though many of the Polypodiums are very rag-tag in 
appearance this species before us is a great excep¬ 
tion. The fronds alone are four or more feet long, 
and their breadth, colour, and the crimpled leaflets 
of the compound fronds are all items in its favour. 
In a rough estimate, or to give the stranger a con¬ 
ception of this, one might say that it resembles a 
broad-fronded pendulous Nephrolepis. The rhizomes 
are small, but they produce a large number of these 
fronds whose nature is to grow straight down. It 
makes a handsome basket Fern, only that it requires a 
goodly height to grow from. It may be increased by 
division of the rhizomes. A compost to suit its 
needs must be somewhat heavy, but yet free. 
Turfy loam, with the addition of charcoal, sand, and 
some leaf mould will do well. The plant likes a 
warm house, a moist atmosphere, and a plentiful 
supply of water. 
POLVPODIUM VULGARE, 
We all know how serviceable and how ornamental 
this Polypodium is in outdoor rockeries, especially 
in the moist, sheltered nooks of the gardens. But it 
is as a stove basket Fern that I wish to speak of it. 
Under the influence of a steady heat, with moisture, 
and every attention from the cultivator, the foliage 
loses its coarser character, and becomes very highly 
refined. The leaves are, of course, much larger and 
paler. The pale colour may not be an advantage, 
but the increased polish and cleaner structure does 
seem more acceptable. It may be pointed out that 
we have basket Ferns with far more merit for a 
place in the stoves. We have the Davallias, the 
Nephrolepis, and others which are so used, but pro¬ 
bably only Cardiochlaena scandens approaches the 
Polypodium in general effect, though very different 
in outward morphology from that of a stove-grown 
Polypodium vulgare. It is worth the adopting even 
if only in small baskets. 
SOME FINE ERICAS FOR WINTER. 
The Erica hyemalis, of course, has long been looked 
upon as one of the indispensables for winter decora¬ 
tions. It is an ornament to the dinner table quite as 
much as the flower of a draughty ball, being equally 
tasteful in both places. E. melanthera is a bushy 
species, tinged with a mauve colour. Epacris Rose 
Perfection is a graceful cerise, while E. The Bride 
is a splendid greenhouse form. These are all for a 
cool house. 
MISTLETO. 
Druidism was the early religion of the people of 
Britain. The priests of this religion were called 
Druids. A characteristic of the Druids was their 
reverence for natural objects, such as running 
stieams, trees, serpents, wolves. The tree which 
they most honoured was the Oak, and still more 
than the Oak, the Mistleto which grew on it. 
Though Mistleto often grows upon Apple trees it is 
not often found upon Oaks, and whenever a plant of 
it was found upon an Oak tree there was a grand 
ceremony. We read that a solemn procession was 
generally formed, a couple of white bulls sacrificed, 
and the sacred plant forthwith cut with a golden 
knife. It was believed to be a curative of disease, 
and to possess wonderful mysterious powers. 
BASKET OF AUTUMN BERRIES AND 
FOLIAGE. 
Miss C. B. Cole, of the Feltham Vineyards, had 
certainly a very tasty basket in the competition for 
such a thing arranged with foliage and autumn 
tinted sprays, fruits, &c., at the N.C.S. Show lately. 
Holly shoots with scarlet berries were there; 
Asparagus with its red beads and Crataegus 
Pyracantha on loDg shoots. The seed capsules of 
Iris foetidissima when burst show a full equipment 
of red fruits; these, too, were nicely disposed. 
Then as a tracing up and along the framework of 
the ornamental basket beautifully clean, cut leaved, 
dark green, and chocolate brown Ivy shoots were 
fastened. Purple Barberry, dried Honesty, dark 
Pampas plumes, Shield-Fern fronds, coloured 
Ampelopsis Veitchii, Vine leaves, Physalis of sorts, 
long slender shoots of the Snowberry bush with the 
waxy globes at the ends were one and all used in 
the composition of this the first prize entry. 
SOCIETIES. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. —December 19 th. 
The meeting on Tuesday last was the smallest we 
have had for a long time. There were a group of 
Chrysanthemums, several small lots of cut flowers, 
and numerous small lots of Orchids. The collections 
of Apples were the most conspicuous feature. 
Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, exhibi¬ 
ted Cypripedium Euryades splendens, a magnificent 
hybrid variety, Laeliocattleya wellsiana ignescens, 
equally splendid in its way. A Cultural Commenda¬ 
tion was accorded to Messrs. Charlesworth & Co., 
Bradford, Yorks, for a fine plant of Cypripedium 
insigne Sanderae, carrying six large flowers. They 
also showed C. Lord Roberts. C. Goodhart, Esq. 
(gardener Mr. W. E. Padbury), Langly Park Farm, 
Kent, staged Cypripedium Antigone Padbury's var. 
G. W. Low-Schofield (gardener, Mr. E. Shill), New- 
Hall Hay, Rawtenstall, near Manchester, staged 
Cypripedium conco-callosum. 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, Herts, ex¬ 
hibited two plants of Zygo-colaxamesiana. Messrs. 
Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill Park, Enfield, showed 
Cypripedium, Wm. Lloyd var., giganteum, a very 
fine thing, and C. Seron. Reginald Young, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. Pointz), Linnet Lane, Liverpool, ex¬ 
hibited Cypripedum Minos, Young’s var., C. Belus, 
C. callosum, C. Lochesis, and C. Endymion. 
J. T. Bennett Poe, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Downes), 
Holmwood, Cheshunt, exhibited a grand panicle of 
Oncidium tigrinum, and a fine variety of Laelia 
anceps. C. L. N. Ingram, Esq. (gardener, Mr. T. 
W. Bond), Elstead House, Godaiming, exhibited a 
hybrid Cattleya named C. Elatior. J. Gurney, 
Fowler, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Davis), South Wood¬ 
ford, Essex, exhibited Cypripedium insgne fowleria- 
num. 
Major Joicey (gardener, Mr. F. J. Thorne), Sun- 
ningdale Park, Sunningdale, Berks., exhibited 
Dendrobium spectabile, the first that has been shown 
in flower. The blooms are very handsome. He 
also had Dendrobium atroviolaceum and D. 
Macfarlauei. M. Jules Hje, Ghent, Belgium, ex¬ 
hibited the beautiful Cypripedium M. Jules 
Hye. 
W. M. Appleton, Esq., Tyn-y-Code, Western- 
Super-Mare, was accorded a Silver Banksian Medal 
for a small group of Orchids, including a Cypriped¬ 
ium insigne bearing five flowers, each of which had 
three perfect lips. It is a case of peloria which has 
been constant since it first flowered in 1894. He 
also had the beautiful hybrid Laeliocattleya Golden 
Gem, Cypripedium Morteni, C. i. Macfarlanei, C. i. 
Tyn-y-Code var., and some cut flowers. 
Messrs. J. Cheai & Sons, Lowfield Nurseries, 
Crawley, Sussex, staged a collection of eighty dishes 
of Apples. To see such fine dishes of serviceable 
fruits, highly coloured, and of medium size, at this 
foggy season was quite refreshing Good samples of 
Lane's Prince Albert were shown, Emperor 
Alexander, Beauty of Kent, Newton Wonder, Annie 
Elizabeth, Castle Major, together with Fearn’s 
PippiD, Cox’s Orange, and others, formed a selection 
of capital Apples. The new Apple, Paroquet, a 
white-fleshed crimson-skinned Apple was also 
shown. This lately received an Award of Merit 
from the R.H.S. Messrs. J. Cheai & Sons are to 
send out the stock in 1900. (Silver Gilt Knightian 
Medal) 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Royal Exotic 
Nurseries, Chelsea, S.W., showed their trusses of 
the Javanico-jasminiflorum Rhododendrons, splendid 
winter flowers. 
C. Bayer, Esq. (gardener, Mr. W. Taylor), Tew¬ 
kesbury Lodge, Forest Hill, S.E., staged fifteen 
bunches of Grapes in eight varieties. These were 
one and all excellent bunches, of very fair form, and 
good size and finish in the berries. The Black Ali¬ 
cante and the Gros Colman were perhaps superior, 
but Muscats were likewise well-shown, together with 
Gros Guillaume and Mrs. Prince Muscat. (Silver 
Gilt Knightian Medal.) 
The Earl of Ancester (gardener, Mr. J. Butler), 
Normanton Gardens, Stamford, also showed a 
collection of Apples which were equal to any collection 
which anyone could wish to see. The Queen was 
shown very freshly, Barnac Beauty, Warner’s King, 
and Peasgood Nonsuch were all shown in perfec¬ 
tion. The table was staged with long trails of 
Lygodium scandens. (Silver Gilt Banksian Medal.) 
He also showed a collection of Potatos, a most 
useful exhibit, showing before the planting or seed- 
order season, a comparison of varieties of varied 
kinds. 
Messrs. W. Wells & Co., Ltd., Earlswood Nur¬ 
series, Redhill, Surrey, showed a group of the late- 
flowering decorative Chrysanthemum Letrier, a free- 
flowering introduction taking after Canning. Other 
varieties were shown in the cut state, including 
Cheveux d’Or, Mr. C. Brown, Sunset (new), Mrs. W. 
Butters, Alice Castor, Bouquetier, &c. (Silver 
Banksian Medal.) 
OBITUARY. 
Mr. Thomas Sorely, Falkirk, N.B. 
We deeply regret to record the death of the 
veteran gardener, Mr. Thos. Sorely, on December 
2nd, who was one of the best known men in the 
craft for many years by reason of his distinguished 
success as a cultivator of Orchids, stove and green 
house plants. He was head gardener to the late 
Provost Russell, of Mayfield—a Falkirk proprietor, 
widely known for his love of horticulture—and one 
who was a liberal supporter of all matters associated 
with gardening. 
Mr. Sorely was looked upon by his compeers as a 
decided authority on Orchid culture. Many 
gardeners sought his friendship (and some nurserymen 
too) to receive tuition from him on the management 
of that popular class of plant which was so much in 
evidence at Mayfield. Mr. Sorely’s exhibit of stove 
and greenhouse plants at the International Show, 
held at Glasgow nearly 30 years ago, was considered 
to be one of the finest displays of a plantsman’s 
skill ever seen in Scotland. My own recollections 
of that exhibit are very distinct, so are the laudations 
of the judges at that great exhibition. 
Mr. Sorely was 78 years of age. Ali his facultie's 
(except that of hearing) were keen to the last. The 
love of gardening and humour were in strong 
evidence. A few weeks ago we saw him busily 
engaged arranging fruit and floral stalls at a bazaar 
held in Falkirk. He knowingly remarked that 
“ Orchids had left him a legacy ’’—tapping his ears, 
which meant deafness. The deceased leaves a 
widow to mourn bis lass. Of late years he managed 
the garden of the Misses Gair, Kilns, Falkirk.— M. 
Temple, Carron House, Falkirk, N.B. 
- «#*«- 
Preserving Fencing Posts. —Lime is a very handy 
and reliable preservative of wood in any case. An 
experiment, which proved satisfactory, was once 
made with quicklime. A pit was dug and 4 in. or 5 
in. of quicklime put in. Posts were then placed 
fairly close together in the pit, and more lime filled 
into the interstices, after which the lime was slaked 
and the posts were allowed to ” season ” for a time. 
