December 30, 1899- 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
277 
Weather in London.— The last week has been 
almost a repetition of that immediately preceding it. 
Saturday evening a very cold and dense fog fell, 
which greatly interfered with business and 
deliveries. Sunday was fine. Monday (Christmas 
Day) likewise was fair ; Tuesday (Boxing Day) was 
damp, raining slightly ; but cleared to five degrees 
of frost during the night. It is dul and damp as we 
go to press on Wednesday. 
Cordon trained Fruits —The simplicity of fruit 
trees or plants trained in this manner ought of itself 
to be a great stimulus and excuse for the increased 
adoption of the system. It seems as though any sort 
of fruiting plant or tree can be literally roped with 
fruits by careful culture and patience, when grown 
as cordons. Little space is needed, indeed odd 
corners can, by using cordon plants, be utilised to the 
best advantage. Pears, Plums, Cherries, Goose¬ 
berries, and Currants are amenable to this form of 
training. 
Edinburgh Botanical Society.—At a meeting of this 
body, held recently—Rev. Dr. Paul presiding — Mr. 
Rutherford Hill showed specimens of betulin or 
Birch camphor, from the outer bark of the common 
Birch tree, Betula alba. Mr. Hill pointed out its 
use, which is that of creating a film on glass and on 
metals for etching processes, also as an antiseptic 
surgical dressing. A film of pyro-betulin on lint was 
found to be fatal to all forms of pathogenic organ¬ 
isms, and a highly putrescible fluid had been effectu¬ 
ally preserved by adding 50 minims of a 2 per cent, 
solution of pyro-betulin in 4 fluid ounces. Eggs 
coated with the film remained fresh. 
Lectures on “A Cottage Garden."—The first of a 
course of four lectures on tho above subject, in con¬ 
nection with the Bucklebury and Marlston Horticult 
ural Society, was held on the 1st inst. at Bucklebury, 
Woolhampton, Reading. The lecturer was Mr. A 
Wright, gardener to A. W. Sutton, Esq., who took 
as his text " What to Grow and How to Grow It.” 
The second lecture was held in the Club Room at 
Bucklebury Place, on the 19th inst , Mr. Wright on 
this occasion taking as his subject, “ Vegetables 
their Selection and Culture.” The third lecture 
will deal with “ Fruits for the Cottage Garden, ’ and 
the fourth, “ Flowers for the Cottage Garden.” A 
concert was held at the Club Room, Bucklebury 
Place, on the 15th inst., when the sum of £13 6s. was 
obtained for the widows and orphans of the “ Absent- 
minded Beggar." 
Death of the Duke of Westminster—As all the 
world now knows, the illustrious Duke of West¬ 
minster departed this life late on Friday evening, 
December 22nd. As though we, the British people, 
had not grief enough from minor deaths, this person 
of so much distinction, one with so brilliant a career, 
is likewise removed from our sphere, his personality 
to be exercised no more. Such gentlemen as the 
late Duke become connected with every sort of 
charity and progressive institution. In horticultural 
charities, he was the head-piece to our Gardener's 
Royal Benevolent Institution, having occupied the 
presidential chair for many years, and a subscriber 
since 1879. His features may be remembered from 
a sketch of himself and the other officers which 
appeared in the Gardening Wori.d of January 21st, 
1893. The Duke died at the residence of the Earl 
of Shaftesbury, St. Giles’s, Dorset. " Grave, thou 
hast a victory ; Death, thou hast a sting." 
Farming by Formula. —The ideas of the new Board 
of Agriculture, or at least, of those gentlemen who 
expatiate in Ireland on the principles laid out by the 
Board, do not, it would seem, appeal to the consci¬ 
ence of the populace which is supposed to be gainers 
from the teaching. The Farmer's Gazette makes a 
leader upon the question. Ireland is to be trans¬ 
formed under the scientific guidance of the Board, 
from one of the most backward to one of the most 
scientifically-farmed countries in the world. The 
system of the Board " would have every farm in the 
country inspected, and a record kept of the class of 
soil in every field, so that the owner, by applying to 
the Board, could find out the exact sort of artificial 
or other manure best suited to it," and so on. We 
think the Board ought to study subtlety first, before 
they attempt to lead " backward farmers ” to such 
advanced practice. The same may be given as ad¬ 
vice to arbitrators of “ intense culture " in gardening. 
Progress must be gradual. 
Pyrus baccata is the hardiest member of the genus, 
being hardy enough to stand =;o Q ' below zero, as 
proved at Indian Head, Manitoba, Canada. 
In America tall growing Tomatos are preferred in 
the open ground because that the foliage protects the 
fruits below from the fierce rays of the sun. 
Mr. Asquith, speaking recently at the founder’s 
day of Lady Warwick’s Hostel, at Reading, said that 
the- scheme of educating ladies as farmers seemed to 
him, at first, as of Utopian flavour, but having seen 
and had the work thoroughly explained, he was now 
convinced that the scheme furnished a proper and 
remunerative employment for women, and Lady 
Warwick had assisted to dispose of a great national 
problem. 
Economising Space.—Amateurs, no doubt, eagerly 
seize upon information which directs them as to how 
to get the greatest return from a given space. Many 
of us have only a small area superficially, but we can 
say, like the old gentleman, “ the property’s my own 
to the greatest depth I care to go. and I am free to 
rise to any height." We may not be able to go to 
any height, but we can go so many feet any way. 
Make use of the fact then by training your Vegetable 
Marrows to stout and tall stakes, as has been so suc¬ 
cessfully practised by Mr. Paul Laib, of South 
Kensington, London, and in the Royal Gardens, 
Kew, where many interesting varieties of Gourds are 
trained to poles every year in the herbaceous 
ground. We should think the practice, especially 
with the smaller fruiting varieties, such as Pen-y- 
byd, might very well be adopted by anyone curtailed 
for space. 
Weybridge—Concert in aid of the Gardeners' Royal 
Benevolent Institution—A most successful concert was 
given at the Village Hall on Thursday, December 
23st, in aid of the funds of the above, under the 
auspices of W. A. Biloey, Esq., of Weybridge. The 
hall, which was tastefully decorated with Palms and 
Flags, was filled to its utmost capacity with an 
appreciative audience. Among the various items on 
the programme which call for special mention were 
the performances of the orchestra of the “ Hurst & 
Son ” Musical Society, formed of members of the 
staff of the well-known firm of wholesale seed 
merchants in Houndsditch, who gave their services 
for the occasion, and whose perf jrmance (under the 
able conductorship of Mr. Edward Sherwood), of the 
Fantasie " Der Freischiiz at the commencement of 
the programme gave great satisfaction ; their render¬ 
ing of the ” Three Dances” from Henry VIII, and 
the ” Cornelius March,” in the second part of the 
programme showed that considerable care had been 
bestowed by conductor and performers on this intri¬ 
cate music. Among the vocalists we must not omit 
to mention the admirable rendering of the “The 
Swallows,” by Miss Osborn-Rayner, " Should he 
Upbraid," by Madam Kate Cove; also " the Ould 
Plaid Shawl,” by the former, and again with “A 
Fairy’s Lullaby ’’ by the latter, both artistes, being 
warmly applauded for their efforts, responded with 
encores. Mr. W. H. Cove was highly amusing in 
the musical sketch, "A Village Concert,” his mimi¬ 
cry being really first rate. The violin solo by Miss 
Sherwood was most artistic illy rendered and met 
with the applause it justly deserved. During the 
interval, Mr. Bilney, in a few well-chosen words, 
explained the object of the Institution, and apolo¬ 
gised for the absence of Mr. H. J. Veitch, who was 
prevented, through indisposition, from deing present, 
and urged upon all gardeners in the neighbourhood 
to join the society; he also thanked his hearers for 
coming and supportfng him, also the ladies and 
gentlemen who had kindly sung and played, explain¬ 
ing that the members of the orchestra had devoted 
their own time to the study of the various pieces 
performed, and the way in which they were given 
showed that their efforts had not been in vain. 
Smoking was indulged in after the interval. The 
second part of the programme was composed chief¬ 
ly of the humorous element, Mr. Frank Harper, 
Mr. Joe Sillet and Mr. C. D. Hewitt being well 
received. Mr. J. DowdiDg-Powell contributed a 
very fine banjo solo in addition to a song, *■ The 
Burglar’s Serenade." The concert, owing to the 
untiring efforts of Mr. Bilney was an unqualified 
success, and we hope the Institulion will have bene¬ 
fited thereby. A most pleasant evening was brought 
to a close by the singing of the National Anthem. 
Trapping Mice. — Various as are the methods 
already heard of for the trapping and destroying of 
field and other mice, which are sometimes trouble¬ 
some, one always finds the list augumented. The 
plan of sinking large jars into the soil, half-filling 
them with water and greasing the upper parts has 
wa are informed been very successful down Newbury 
way. Anyone very much troubled with these vermin 
might adopt this plan. The method in some form 
or other is really a very old one. 
“ Insect Enemies of Apple and Pear —On Tuesday 
evening, December 5th, Mr. J. Fraser, F.L S. 
editor of The Gardenimg World, gave a lecture at 
Ealing before the Ealing and District Gardeners' 
Association. The “ insect enemies of the Apple and 
Pear" were discussed, the Codlin Moth, Winter 
Moth, American Blight, &c., were fully treated upon. 
The general life history of these garden insect pests 
was given in summary form, diagrams of some 
lectured upon being shown. Mr. Fraser was well 
received. 
The Country Gentleman's Catalogue. — This now 
well-known annual publication has again been issued 
in its up-to-date style, full of information upon those 
matters which squires and landed gentlemen must 
needs have knowledge. One of the strong features 
of this year's publication is Ihit by which the right 
and wrong methods wheD out shooting in parties or 
alone, are explained by letterpress and by etching. 
Notes upon the treatment which farm stock, horses, 
fowls, bees, and crops demand, are one and all 
summarised. The gist of the year’s experiments on 
spraying, manuring, &c., and the newest additions 
to agricultural or rural implements and machinery 
receive attention. So that in a moderate-sized cata¬ 
logue the country gentlemen has a store-house of 
information upon things which are just those he 
wishes to know about, and where this and that may be 
got, or which, from a number of articles, he can 
secure as being the best. The catalogue is published 
by The Country Gentleman's Association, Ltd., 49, 
Bedford Street, Strand. Price one shilling. 
— - g» -- 
THE PRUNING OF FLOWERING 
SHRUBS. 
It is most essential to bring the knife into play 
among our hardy flowering plants, such as Abelias, 
Almonds, Chimonanthus fragrans, Cydonias, Deut- 
ztas, F'orsytbia, Hydrangeas, especially H. pameu- 
lata grandiflora (cutting the latter hard back), Ker- 
rias, Philadelphus (Mock Orange), Prunus, R bes, 
Spiraeas, Weigelas, and many others. Generally 
speaking, the right time to do this is immediately 
after they have done flowering. Of course, the 
pruner must use his discretion, for while some of 
those mentioned are the better for severe cutting in, 
otbers of a weaker growth merely require a little 
thinning out, but the Weigeli, double Peach, Prunus, 
Forsythias, Kerrias, in fact, most of the strong 
growers are the better for spurring back, as it were, 
because it is on the previous year’s growths most of 
the floral display comes. Occasionally some will be 
all the better for root pruning if growing in rich soils, 
or they very soon smother ihsir neighbours, which 
soon means less flower. To give an instance, we 
have several large, well-established plants of Deutzia 
scabra against an east will, and each year, when 
gone out of flover, the old shoots are taken out and 
the strongest of the bottom shoots are trained in 
their stead. These in early summer are smothered 
with bloom, 6 ft. to 10 ft. in length, a striking con¬ 
trast to a few old spurs here and there had the old 
wood been retained .—J Mayne. 
OUTDOOR GRAPES. 
We often hear and see signs which would lead one 
to suppose that something like an eruption into out¬ 
door Vine culture was about to be witnessed. We 
have seen some very fair samples of the Reine Olga 
Grape both at the Crystal Palace show for British 
grown fruits, and latterly at a meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society in the Drill Hall. If these 
can be grown as far north as London why not 
further south in suitable spots? Of course the 
subject is a very wide one and every man in the 
south could probably give a very satisfactory excuse 
for himself against the inauguration, yet the fact 
remains that we do not try hard enough. Well, but 
after all would it pay to go in for outdoor Grape 
culture ? Would the fruits fetch any remunerative 
