276 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 30, 1899- 
if they are perfectly hardy, making allow¬ 
ances for those Roses which flower all 
along the wood of last year on the side 
shoots of the same. Jasminum officinale 
and J. revolution may be well trimmed in 
at the present time as they flower upon 
the wood made in summer. Lilacs, Guelder 
Roses and Mock Oranges should receive 
the necessary pruning after they have 
finished flowering in summer. The above 
are only a few examples. 
Christmas is a Hardy Evergreen, fruiting once a 
year, but its red and white berries take a deal of 
moisture to bring them to perfection.— Snaggs. 
Dishonest Florist’s Men.—From the numbers of 
warnings which one constantly sees in American 
trade papers it would seem that in the nursery and 
florist trade there is a large number of “ sharpers” 
and rogues who do much embezzling and swindling. 
Blackberries.—According to accounts, it would 
seem that this year's Blackberry crop has been 
heavy, and larger quantities of this fruit have come 
to market than in any previous season. At one 
place a middleman reports that he has forwarded to 
market fruit collected by his neighbours to the value 
of £400. This appreciation of the Blackberry by- 
people in towns has led to the suggestion that on 
many north-country farms there are patches of land 
on which it would pay well to cultivate this fruit. 
A New Vegetable —The use of the leaves of 
Rhubarb, cooked and served as a vegetable is by no 
means new, yet our contemporary Sempervirens, dis¬ 
cusses it from that point of view. Leaves for this 
purpose should be gathered while yet young and 
tender, when they will answer the same purpose as 
Spinach. Under the name of Rhuflowers the same 
journal discusses the use of the flowers of Rhubarb, 
which should be cut while the stem is yet tender and 
succulent. These heads are served on the best 
tables amongst some of our Continental neighbours 
in the same way as Cauliflowers. The rcots only of 
Rhubarb are said to be purgative. 
Rose Gruss an Teplitz —This is a Rose obtained 
from Rosa rugosa by Herr R. Geschvind, of Karp- 
fen. A coloured plate of it is given in Rosen Zeitung 
for October. It was put into commerce by Herr P. 
Lambert, Trier, Germany, in 1897, and judging from 
the plate and description it is destined to become 
better known as a garden Rose, that is, for purposes 
of garden decoration. The flowers are of medium 
size, quite double, and dark scarlet or cinnabar-red. 
Besides being useful for park and garden deccraiion 
it is highly suitable for cut flower purposes, as the 
blooms are freely produced on long stalks, so that 
they can be arranged without crowding. 
Uses of Tobacco juice in France.—The tobacco 
shops in France are all compelled to keep a stock of 
what is called “ Tobacco juice, rich in nicotine 
and guaranteed.” This is manufactured by a 
Tobacco monopoly in Paris. The following advant¬ 
ages are claimed for the article:—It does not 
ferment and it can be kept for an indefinite period 
in closed glasses. It contains no resinous matter, 
and is almost transparent, therefore it does not 
injure or clog the spraying machines and does not 
stain plants or flowers, or the wool of sheep. It has 
a Government guarantee as to the proportion of 
nicotine it contains and never varies. It is also 
claimed that this product contains from five to six 
times as much nicotine as ordinary tobacco juice, 
and that one-fifth or one-sixth of the quantity will 
accomplish the object to which it is applied. For 
spraying purposes the product is employed in the 
proportion of one part of juice to one hundred parts 
of water. It is stated that the spraying of plants 
should be done after sunset, and that they should be 
syringed with clean water on the following day. For 
fumigating hot-houses the proportion is one part of 
juice to one of water, and the method of fumigation 
s that of spraying the mixture upon heated bricks or 
sheets of iron which cause rapid evaporation. Has 
anyone tried this French nicotine solution in our 
land ? 
The Meteorological Office gives it that the past 
has been the driest summer experienced for thirty 
years. 
To attach Glass to Metal —Boil together in a 
closed vessel 1 oz. spirits of turpentine, 2 oz. linseed 
oil varnish, and 4 ozs. of thick glue. Apply this and 
fasten the parts together, after which finish off and 
let it remain. 
Protective Tariff.—We gather from an American 
contemporary that 1,000 Seedsmen and fruit growers 
in Germany have petitioned their government for 
a protective tariff against American horticultural 
products. 
Devon aid Exeter Gardeners' Association.—This 
society is doing good work gardening down on the 
south coast of Devonshire. Their winter session 
was to have closed on the 20th, but owing to the 
illness of many of its members it was agreed to post¬ 
pone the lecture. Mr. Shrivell, of Tunbridge Wells, 
who already has lectured before the society on his 
manurial experiments and his researches on this sub¬ 
ject which he has been making, was to have aga ; n 
lectured. The next meeting will be held in January, 
whence we hope to hear of a good turn out of hale 
and hearty members. 
The Christmas Catalogue, 1899 .—This publication 
is issued from the offices of the Newsagent and Book¬ 
sellers' Review as a complete guide to the book of the 
Christmas season and to the periodicals, Christmas 
numbers, stationery and fancy goods. In the pub¬ 
lishing section notices of all important new books 
are included, prominence being given to literature of a 
seasonable character. These selections are accom¬ 
panied by crowds of the best illustrations from the 
books, magazines, &c., dealt with. Thus the pub- 
cation, which is clear and altogether beautiful, will 
form a serviceable work to which purchasers of 
Christmas books, &c., might be recommended to turn 
for reference. The price is is., copies being on 
sale at the booksellers’ and stationers’ shops. 
The Blue Rose.—Hitherto, says the Nord-Horticole, 
science has not admitted that a blue Rose can ever 
exist. The daily papers reported that an exhibitor 
showed a true blue Rose at the May exhibition of 
the Paris Horticultural Society. That novelty had 
no foundation. It turns out to be simply an old 
variety belonging to a group of climbing Roses, not 
hybrid perpetual, of a purple-violet colour, assum¬ 
ing sometimes, with age, under the influence of heat 
and a bright light, a bluish reflection or tint, but 
absolutely nothing of true blue. Several other 
varieties of Roses, remarks M. H. Dauthenay in the 
Revue Horticole of June i6tb, are subject to a varia¬ 
tion of colours of the same kind, such as John 
Hopper, Reine des Violettes, and Bijtu de Conas- 
non. Similar changes may be met with in other 
classes of plants, such, for instance, as the flowers 
of certain varieties of Cyclamen, when fading with 
age. 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution—The 
sixty-first annual general meeting of the members 
and subscribers of this institution will be held at 
"Simpson’s,”* 101, Strand, London, W.C., on 
Friday, January 12th, 1900, at 3 p.m., for the pur¬ 
pose of receiving the report of the committee and 
the accounts of the institution (as audited) for the 
year 1890 ; electing officers for the year 1900, and for 
the purpose of placing sixteen pensioners on the 
funds. There are thirty-eight candidates, of whom 
twenty have contributed to the institution (some of 
these candidates are the widows really of the said 
contributors), and eighteen have not contributed to 
the institution. Ten of the candidates are in 
distress and having in every way complied with the 
rules and regulations, the committee will recommend 
that these ten applicants be placed on the pension 
list without the trouble or expense of an election, in 
accordance with Rale III., 5. An election will take 
place for the remaining six vacancies from the can¬ 
didates named on the voting paper, whose cases have 
been examined and approved by the committee. 
The chair will be taken by Harry J. Veitch, Esq., 
treasurer and chairman of committee, at three 
o’clock. The poll will b open at 3 15 o'clock and 
close at 4.30 o'clock precisely, after which hour no 
voting papers can be received. The secretary is 
Mr. George J. Ingram, 175, Victoria Street, London, 
S.W. 
The Jobbing Gardener Again.—Mr. Subbubs (just 
home from the City) : " Emily, who’s that very 
seedy-looking man in our front garden ? " Mrs. 
Subbubs: ‘‘Why, the jobbing gardener, of cour-e.” 
— Scrapps. 
Practical Instructions for Procuring Shelter.—Mr. 
James Dobbie (founder of the firm of Dobbie & Co , 
Rothesay), has issued to the world his experiences, 
experiments and conclusions upon the subject of 
shelter for plants and animals. The means of 
shelter, too, are not such as harbour insects ; they 
are rather intended to afford protection only to the 
plants and to kill the insect pests. In view of our 
having more to say on the matter contained in this 
instructive pamphlet, we need say no more at 
present. 
Messrs. Webbs’ Spring Catalogue for 1900 .—One by 
one the spring seed order catalogues reach us from 
the nursery houses over the length and breadth of 
Britain and Ireland. We have just had a glance 
through that of Messrs. Webb & Son, the Royal 
Seedsmen, of Wordsley, Stourbridge. This is one 
of the "fat ” catalogues, “ fat ” in more ways than 
one; but to discover these we would rather direct 
readers to see for themselves. The composition has 
been well planned, and the illustrations, which 
should always be found, are both better and more 
numerous than heretofore. To readers of The 
Gardening World who may recall a descriptive 
article on Messrs. Webbs’ nurseries at Kinver, the 
illustrations showing views in the same, will be all 
the more interesting. The novelties are well shown, 
particularly good being a field view of Webbs’ new 
Potato “ Motor.” But we need say no more. 
Flowers and vegetable in all classes and for all pur¬ 
poses are liberally tabulated, and the Stourbridge or 
Wordsley firm to be accurate, are too well known to 
require detailed reference. 
Entertainment to the Ryecroft Employees.—Horti¬ 
culture and militarism, such a comparison! The 
thought ushered itself upon me as I sat at the dinner 
which Mr. H. J. Jones, of Ryecroft Nurseries, 
Lewisham, S.E., provided for his employees and 
bosom friends on Thursday, December 21st, in a 
reserved saloon within the Royal Aquarium. There 
sat the genial master presiding, and all-efficient, 
with fifteen of his departmental foremen and assist¬ 
ants enjoying themselves to the fullest with the good 
things provided in an eight course dinner. On his 
right hand sat Mrs. Jones, and variously placed were 
Messrs. D. B. Crane, T. G. Swales, T. White, 
Ingamells, F. A. Cobbold, King, H. Lohrman, W. 
Logan, C. H. Curtis, Kellaway, Crouse, Humphreys, 
McKenzie, and others, to the number of thirty. 
Having such a chairman, and each in his fellow- 
worker’s company, the restraint which so mars many 
meetings of a similar nature was unobservable here. 
Toasts and speeches followed the dinner, and the 
usual loyal toasts were given and received in the 
manner which all true Britons make a custom of. 
The toasts to Mr. and Mrs. Jones, to the foremen of 
the nursery departments, to the horticultural and 
local Press, and other toasts of a kindred nature, 
were proposed and very cordially received. Through¬ 
out the whole proceedings there was a genuine ring 
of fidelity in the hopes for the future enterprises of 
the Jonesian House, and no one who participated in 
the dinner would say that the most perfect regard for 
each other’s well-being is not one of the most evident 
points between master and men of the Ryecro’t 
Nursery. Mrs. Jones' response to her own special 
toast was simplicity itself, but so graciously sincere 
that the company burst forth in prolonged applause. 
•• She thanked them very kindly for their loyalty, 
and though this party was their first, she 
hoped it would by no means be their last, but rather 
that it would be established as an annual function.” 
Cigars and cigarettes having been furnished all 
round, some of which had been kindly sent by Mr. 
A. E. Stubbs, an adjournment was made to the front 
reserved seats before the stage, whence the company 
greatly appreciated the clever exhibitions of the 
variety entertainment. The show by expert 
swimmers in the annexe was also witnessed, each of 
the company having a pass to these privileges. 
Too much praise cannot be given to such men as 
Mr. Jones, and certainly shall never be stinted in 
this country to the masters who prove that self is not 
their only interest.— D, 
