292 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 6, 1900 
would ripen ; Victoria there was a late 
variety, bearing heavily, but ripening only 
a few fruits and that imperfectly. Small 
fruits and soft fruits all do well under such 
conditions as was admitted by the late Mr. 
W. E. Gladstone, when on his jam-making 
campaigns. The lists of good market 
varieties of Apples and other fruits should 
prove serviceable to the beginner, and even 
to those who have been accustomed work¬ 
ing according to the older school of market 
gardening. The same would apply, of 
course, to cultivators in private establish¬ 
ments in so far as mere supplies of good 
fruits are concerned. Individual tastes 
have more or less to be catered for in such 
places. Blenheim Orange is regarded or 
stated to be a culinary Apple ; but a case 
occurred last autumn of an exhibitor being 
disqualified for showing it in that capacity. 
We merely refer to the matter to show the 
diversity of opinion that prevails on the 
matter. Classification of Apples is entirely 
arbitrary. Ribston Pippin is delightfully 
sour in the North; and many, even in 
London, take delight in the tartness of 
Dumelow's Seedling, better known as 
Wellington. Eighteen varieties of Plums 
are here tabulated for market use, inde¬ 
pendently of the Gages ; yet we have heard 
speakers reducing the profitable and useful 
varieties to a number countable on the 
fingers of one hand. Thirty-one Pears are 
described ; and twenty-five Cherries. The 
author’s firm has tested 150 varieties of 
Gooseberries, yet he gives only eight of 
them as the very best in cultivation. Red, 
White and Black Currants run to nine 
varieties. Fay’s Prolific is said to be of 
the Versailles race, and Comet and Walker’s 
are identical with the same. They are red 
sorts producing large, sweet berries. Cobs 
and Filberts number half a dozen varieties 
as the best of their kind. Of the seven 
varieties of Strawberries, old and new, here 
recorded, Royal Sovereign takes the premier 
position even for market work, as it “ com¬ 
pletely eclipses all others for the first crops.” 
Five of the varieties recommended are very 
old. Newton Seedling is given as the 
“ best for late crops.” British Queen or 
the better form of it, namely, Dr. Hogg, is 
only recommended where the soil is suit¬ 
able, as they do not pay except where a 
first-class trade is done. With this we en¬ 
tirely agree, for in many private establish¬ 
ments they entail a large amount of labour 
merely to make the mouth water without 
satisfying the craving they create. A vast 
amount of valuable information is crammed 
between the boards of this book, which we 
consider more than worth the money asked 
for it. 
Royal Horticultural Society. — The first meeting of 
the committees of the Royal Horticultural Society 
in 1900 will be held as usual in the Drill Hall, James 
Street, Westminster, on Tuesday, January 9th, from 
1—4 p m. The Scientific Committee will meet in the 
library on the same day at four p.m. 
FiresideClub, Bucklebury. —The President and Mrs. 
Sutton (Reading) have invited tne members of this 
club to tea on the evening of Monday, January 8th. 
Each member who is not in arrears with payment of 
his subscription receives a ticket for himself and wife 
or lady friend. After tea Miss Gertrude Bacon has 
kindly consented to give her extremely interesting 
lecture, entitled “ Voyages by Balloon in Cloudland." 
This will be illustrated by limelight views, specially 
prepared fcr this lecture. A tournament of games 
is at present being played off by the members of the 
Fireside Club, but these are to close on March the 
20th. We should like to record the doings of other 
Fireside Clubs, or hear of their institution, especially 
where such amicable relations exist as seem to at 
Bucklebury. 
Bucklebury and Marlston Horticultural Society — 
The following dates have been selected fcr the three 
concluding lectures by Mr. Wright, at the Club- 
room, Bucklebury Place:—Wednesdays, January 
3rd, ioib, and 17th. The lectures commence at 
eight o’clock, and will be illustrated by models and 
diagrams. These lectures should be of much value 
to all who are interested in the village shows. 
Peas in Flower and Fruit in December.—Mr. A. 
McDonald, who is gardener and steward to H. St. 
Maur, Esq., Stover Park, Devon, says, “While 
going my rounds over the estate I came across a 
grand row of Peas in pod and flower. They re¬ 
minded me more of spring than the 14th December. 
I was unable to get the name, as the farmer did not 
have it.’’ Surely the climate of Devon must have been 
a great deal more favourable to vegetation than that 
of London during the past two months. 
Trichonema Columnae in Peril.—The storm on 
Friday last, December 29th, burst through the Warren 
at Exmouth, and about one quarter of it I understand 
is washed away. The breach is nearer to the Mount 
Pleasant side of the river, where the little plant 
Trichonema Co’umnae used to grow, its only habitat 
in the three kingdoms, though I believe it is to be 
found in the Channel Islands. All lovers of wild 
flowers will wish that there may be a sprinkling of I 
the little bulbs left as devoutly as J. C. S. 
New Year's Honours —We are delighted to note 
that the Queen has been pleased to confer the dignity 
of a Peerage of the United Kingdom cn the Right 
Hon. Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., High Elms, 
Farnborough, Kent. For many years Sir John 
Lubbock has been known as a politician, banker, 
scientist, and man of letters, his works on various 
subjects being voluminous. For the last twenty 
years he has been the representative of the London 
University in the House of Commons, where he has 
had a seat for nearly thirty years. For a great 
length of time he has been associated with scientific 
and educational societies, some of his titles beirg 
P.C., M.P., D.C.L , LL.D., F.R.S , F.L S , F.G.S., 
&c. He has done a great deal to popularise science, 
as those know who have read his " Ants, Bees, and 
Wasps," " Seedlings,” “ Flowers, Fruits and 
Leaves," “ British Wild Flowers considered in rela¬ 
tion to Insects," "The Beauties of Nature,” "The 
Pleasures of Life," "Buds and Stipules,” "The 
Scenery of Switzerland," " Prehistoric Times," 
and many other books on popular as well asscientfic, 
including natural history, subjects. Many of these 
are full of interest for gardeners, and all others 
interested in natural history generally. The honour 
is certainly well deserved. 
Bristol and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.- The fortnightly meeting of the society 
was held at St. John's Parish Room, Redland, on 
Thursday, 28th ult. A large number of members 
was present, and the chair was taken by Mr. Cary 
Batten, Junr., in the absence of the president of the 
society, H. Cary Batten, Esq., who had been called 
out with his Militia Regiment. The subject for the 
evening was : " Mistakes in Gardening," introduced 
in a racy and exhaustive manner by Mr. Chas. Lock, 
of Keynsham. Dealing with the subject generally, 
he suggested that a good many gardeners erred in 
judgment when they decided on the profession as a 
means of livelihood, and whilst the same might be 
said about any trade, he concluded that no one who 
was not an enthusiast should adopt a vocation that 
claimed so much of the time and thought of the 
worker as did horticulture. He went very fully into 
a great many mistakes amateurs and professionals 
made in all branches of their work, giving many 
useful hints as to avoiding pitfalls into which so 
many seemed to fall, and concluded by pleading for 
more sympathy between gardeners and their em¬ 
ployers. A short discussion followed, and Mr. Lock 
was heartily thanked fcr the paper. The president 
(H. Cary Batten, Esq ) kindly offered three prizes 
for three plants in bloom in pots not more than 5 in. 
in diameter. For this there was a good competition, 
the awards being:—First, 10/-, Mr. McCullock; 
second, 7/-, Mr. Raikes ; third, 5/-, Mr. Ross. Mrs. 
Cary Batten, who was present, kindly distributed 
the prizes, and in responding to a vote of thanks, ex¬ 
pressed her regret at the absence of the president, 
her pleasure in being present at such an interesting 
gathering, and wished the society every possible 
success, 
Weather in London.—The "tail-end” of last 
week was dull and muggy. The same conditions, 
varied only Dy a bracingly clear day on Sunday, and 
a heavy fog on Monday, have been our persistent 
portion since then. Heavy rain prevailed on 
Wednesday. 
End of the Century not yet—Dear Sir, I houp ye 
winna cut aff a twalmonth frae the fag end o' the 
cent'ry, as a lot 0’ itherwise able men are tryin to 
dae. Shurely the warld began wi’ the year 1, and 
the end 0’ the first cent’ry was jist 100 years, nae 
mair an’ nae less. Hoo then is that 1900 sidna hae 
the full compliment o’ nineteen hunder years ? To 
cut aff the cent’ry at the end o’ 1899 wud mean that 
the warld commenced in the year o, that is a year 
afore it began. Noo, ye ken that a hunder times 
naething is simply naething, and asaxpence is worth 
a hunder times that, or as muckle mair as ye like. 
This is nae gairdenin’, but I’m only writin' tae 
warn ye, because the loss 0’ a haill twalmonth’s pro¬ 
duce oot o' the gairden, and a twalmonth’s waages 
tae ilka gairdener wud mean a micbty lot. By the 
bye, that was a bonnie splatter at Edinbro’ the ither 
week wi’ the Dubblyjock and the haggis. A’body at 
the feast will noo be strong eneuch to turn ower the 
dew leaf W6’re aye hearin’ aboot.— Tam. 
When Does the Furze Bloom ?—I am aware that 
there is a popular notion that the Furze or Gorse is 
in flower all the year round. I do not dispute that 
it is just possible that a chance bloom or two may 
be met with in most months, but I cannot follow 
your correspondent, who writes about Bucklebury 
Common in Berkshire, in his statements with regard 
to “ the third week in November.” In and about 
Epping Forest where it grows in great abundance I 
know that it is practically over in July and is succeeded 
in August by “ Ulex nanus," the dwarf Furze. The 
writer speaks of it as “ lighting up the common as 
with a lantern ” and then of its being a " pyramid 
of bloom." Now in the beginning of November 
even the dwarf species was practically over, but about 
the middle of the month the true Furze (to which 
anyone who reads his article would suppose him to 
refer) began here and there to show a few blossoms. 
They had, however, to be searched for, but they 
were only in one’s and two’s—certainly there was no 
pyramid. From that dale to this no progress has 
been made and it is difficult to find any blooms. I 
should, therefore, be much interested to hear what 
you or any of your correspondents have to say on 
the subject.— Sigma, December 31st, 1899 
Sutton’s Angling Association—We feel sure that 
to our larger nursery and seed trade firms it is a 
profitable investment to cater carefully for those by 
whose united work the success of the house is made. 
As qualifying ihe statement we need make no further 
search but take the name of Messrs. Sutton & Sons, 
of Reading. They have for their employees'benefit a 
Cycling Club, a Mutual Improvement Association, 
and the club which we now make note of, and which 
may include the steady-headed minority with a bent 
for quiet recreation. The officers who have guided 
the club during the past year were again elected at 
the Annual General Meeting, held in the Firm’s 
Reading Room, on December 22nd, for 1900, and 
the same rules, &c., passed without any change. 
Prizes to the amount of 18 guineas are given 
annually. The following is the list of prize-winners 
for 1899:—!. W. R. Smith—1st pike, 2nd chub, 3rd 
roach (specimen), 1st roach (gross), 1st and 2nd 
roach (matches), and 4th perch. 2. S. Warrilow— 
5th chub, 7th roach (specimen), 4th roach (grcss). 
Four firsts and one second roach (matches). 3. W. 
W. Albury—rst chub, 2nd perch', 3rd roach (gross), 
2nd and 3rd (matches). 4. W. T. Bartholomew— 
1st perch, 2nd roach (specimen), 4th chub. 5. W. 
H. Stacey—5th roach (specimen), 2nd (gross), two 
thirds (matches). 6. C. W. Goseltine—5th perch,' 
6th roach (specimen), 2nd (match). 7. J.H. Sharpe 
— 1st roach (specimen). 8. R. Bowsher—2nd mis¬ 
cellaneous (match), 2nd and 3rd roach (matches). 
9. J. Wicks—1st roach (juniors’ specimen), 3rd 
perch (juniors’ specimen). 10. E. Tufnail — 3rd 
chub. 11. H. Belcher—1st miscellaneous (match). 
12. G. Critcher—3rd perch. 13. G. Taylor— 1st 
miscellaneous (specimen). 14. E. H. Leaver—5th 
roach (gross), 3rd (match). 15. A. Knight — 1st 
perch (juniors’ specimen). 16. C. Cooper — 4th 
roach (specimen). 17. E. W, Dormer—2nd perch 
(juniors’ specimen). 
