January 27, lbOO. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
341 
“The Children’s Garden." —This is the title of a 
new publication which will form the organ of the 
children's vegetarian movement. 
Influenza—We are pleased to hear that Mr. 
Henry Cannell, of Stanley, has passed through his 
severe influenza attack. He is now convalescent. 
Mrs. Cannell is, however, severely afflicted. 
What is Snow?—In Japan, says the Revue de 
l'Horticulture Beige, an ancient empress of that beauti¬ 
ful land of flowers proclaimed that the flakes of snow 
were not sad messengers of winter. She taught her 
subjects that these flakes were the flowers cast to the 
earth by a springtime above. That is very poetical, 
but are the white flakes any the less cold ? 
Mr. John Ruskin, M.A., LL D., the author of 
“ Sesame and Lilies,” and "Lectures on Art," died 
on the 20th icst., at his residence, Brantwood, Conis- 
ton, Lake District. He was attacked by influenza 
on the i8th inst. He wanted only a few weeks to 
complete his 8ist year. Being an art critic he was 
also fond of gardening, and often superintended opera¬ 
tions in his garden and pleasure grounds. He was 
regarded as the greatest art critic of his day. 
Liverpool Horticultural Association.— The annual 
dinner of the above society took place at the Bear's 
Paw, on the 20th inst., Wm. Fletcher Rogers, Esq., 
hon. treasurer, presiding over a company of about 
100 members and friends. The tables were taste¬ 
fully decorated with plants and flowers by the kind¬ 
ness of Messrs. R. P. Ker & Sons, and Messrs. Thos. 
Davies & Co. The arrangements were of a highly 
pleasing character, Messrs. Ker & Sons and the sub¬ 
committee doing their utmost for the comfort and 
enjoyment of those present. Songs, recitations, and 
sketches were ably contributed, and during the even¬ 
ing a collection was made on behalf of the Lord 
Mayor of Liverpool's War Fund, which realised the 
sum of £3 3 s. 3d. 
Mr. Jones’ Seed Catalogue.—From the Ryecroft 
Nursery, Lewisham, comes Mr. Jones' pioneer seed 
catalogue, he having added bulbs and seeds to his 
flourishing business. The publication runs to fifty 
pages. Its strong feature is the "collections'' of 
seeds offered by the Ryecroft House, these 
embracing vegetables, flowers, lawn and ornamental 
grasses, &c. All classes of gardeners will find it to 
their advantage to study these, and to the inex¬ 
perienced but enthusiastic amateur gardeners, they 
should prove invaluable. A tyro can choose a selec¬ 
tion, and the cultural notes appended to all sections 
will enable him to cultivate successfully. Only the 
creme de la creme of the varieties have been chosen, 
but these supply an ample selection. Being strictly 
alphabetical, the catalogue affords facility for refer¬ 
ence. Full descriptions of the plants and their 
natural orders are given and it is sufficient commen¬ 
tary to state that these are accurate, embracive and 
clear. Everlasting flowers, flowers for bees, selec¬ 
tions of fragrant flowers, and lists of climbers unite 
to form a booklet which all interested in their gar¬ 
dens should secure. 
Decision concerning the Selling of Poisons— That 
the Pharmaceutical Society is on the war-path 
and in action against horticultural sundriesmen, 
florists, and others, who sell solutions containing 
poisonous principles as an article of their trade is 
very evident. Cases lately brought to notice de¬ 
monstrate the fact. Why they have only awakened 
to the conviction of their grievances at this late hour 
is puzzling to those whom they are annoying. In 
the Queen’s Bench Division of January 16th, the 
case of the Pharmaceutical Society v. White came 
before Justices Grantham and Channeil. The former 
had lodged an Appeal against the judgment of the 
County Court of Worcester. Mr. Crump, Q C., and 
Mr. Gray appeared for the Pharmaceutical Society, 
and Mr. Cavanagh appeared for the respondent. 
The Society's case was for the recovery of a penalty 
(^ 5 ) which, by Act of Parliament, any person who 
is not a qualified chemist is liable to. Mr. White 
admitted the charges of his being a florist, and of 
the seed-killer containing poison, but also showed that 
he only acted as an agent of the Boundary Chemical 
Company, Liverpool. He was not within the mean¬ 
ing of the Act. The plaintiff's counsel were contra¬ 
dicted by the Judge, and the decision of the County 
Judge upheld. Motion of appeal was asked, and 
accorded. 
The earliest forced Azalea mollis are now in 
flower. 
Machine for Hop picking.—A Mr. Winans recom¬ 
mends the use of a machine for the picking of Hops 
in this country, and thinks that American ingenuity 
will be equal to the task of inventing a machine for 
the purpose. 
Naturalists and Botanists at the Front.—According 
to a contemporary there are many keen naturalists 
and botanists at the front in Natal. Many of the 
soldiers have been studying the native plants there, 
so that, if the story is true, we shall have many 
mementoes of the campaign turning up in bloom at 
the Drill Hall meetings after the bulbs, tubers, or 
seeds sent here have bad time to reach the flowering 
stage. 
The Baobab Jree (Adansoniadigitata), a native of 
Africa, used to be designated the patriarch of vege¬ 
tation. Adanson and Humboldt estimated one to 
be 5,700 years old. The trunk is short, only 12 ft. 
to 15 ft. before the tree branches out into a broad 
head 40 ft. to 70 ft. high. The trunk varies from 
70 ft. to 90 ft. in circumference. The Eucalyptus 
amygdalinus, of Australia, and Sequoia gigantea 
reach the greatest height of any known tree. 
Richmond Horticultural Society Annual Report.— 
Richmond, Surrey, is a beautiful place, and is 
favoured with a vigorous horticultural society, whose 
annual show is an event of importance. The report 
of this society is now issued, and the first thing we 
look for is the balance of money. The society is 
secure in this respect, the balance in hand being 
£36 2s. 8d., which is healthy, especially when one 
turns the page to view the long list of wealthy and 
generous subscribers and members. H.H. the Duke 
of Teck, G.C.B., whose death is announced to day 
(January 22nd), was president of the society, and it 
is with much regret that we here refer to the loss 
which this society and many other bodies will feel. 
Many members of the Royal Family are connected 
with the society, these lending their gracious pres¬ 
ence at the show. This year’s show will be held on 
June 27th and 28th, iu conjunction with an exhibi¬ 
tion and committee meetings of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society. Prizes to the amount of £207 7s. 
were awarded last year, besides medals, &c., to the 
further total of £22 9s. The schedule follows much 
the same lines as hitherto. Mr. C. R. King, 61 & 
6>, George Street, Richmond, has succeeded Mr. A. 
Algernon Chancellor in the position of honorary 
secretary, whose resignation they regret, and con¬ 
sider themselves fortunate in securing Mr. King. 
Reading and District Gardeners’ Association.— The 
eleventh annual report t of the above Mutual Im¬ 
provement Association has come to us. The society 
has to report steady success, having enlisted fifteen 
new members. The annual summer outing held on 
Thursday, July 20th, to Gunnersbury House, Gun- 
nersbury Park, and Kew Gardens, was an unqualified 
success, and a capital educational treat. We learn 
from the report that a fund has been opened for the 
purpose of perpetuating the memory of the late Mr. 
James Martin. This is proposed to take the laud¬ 
able form of placing a child on the Royal Gardeners’ 
Orphan Fund, to be known as the James Martin 
Memorial Orphan. The Association has a balance 
in hand of £8 12s. rd. The following is the list of 
papers up till AprilJanuary 15th, First prize 
essay—" The Planting of a garden with hardy fruit 
trees and bushes,” by Mr. G. Hinton, “Walmer" 
Gardens, Reading; Junuary 22nd, Annual Tea; 
January 29th, "Chemical Manures in Kitchen and 
Market Gardens," Mr. F. W. E. Shrivell, Thomp¬ 
son’s Farm, Tonbridge; February 12th, “ The re¬ 
novation of fruit trees, especially Apples," Mr. T. 
Neve, Sindlesham House Gardens, Wokingham; 
February 26th, "Horticultural Buildings,” Mr. G. 
H Parsons, Oxford Road, Reading; March r2th, 
" The formation and arrangement of a hardy border 
with a list of plants suitable for same," by Mr. D. 
Harris, Munstead House Gardens, Godaiming ; and 
March 26th, "An evening in a Surrey garden" 
(illustrated with lime light views), Mr. Alex. Wright, 
Bucklebury Place Gardens ; April gih, " Vegetables : 
the sorts I grow and why I grow them," Mr. John 
House, Winchester ; April 13th, " Spring Bediing,” 
Mr. J. B. Stevenson, Superintendent Municipal 
Gardens, Bournemouth. 
“Life and Beauty” is the name of a journal just 
launched on its career, whose object is to expose the 
fallacies of vegetarianism. It has been collecting and 
recording the opinions of real live beauties on the 
subject, and none of them are vegetarians. 
The Swedish Turni o for South Africa.—A correspon¬ 
dent of the Field gives it as his opinion that the 
common Swede would makegood food for the horses 
in South Africa, because they keep a long time, and 
being juicy would furnish both food and drink. 
Might it not serve as a good vegetable for the 
soldiers, seeing that it retains its good qualities till 
the beginning of summer ? 
Tne Native Guano Co , Ltd.—This company, which 
supplies such large quantities of its well-known 
guano to all parts of the kirigdom, and beyond it, 
has issued a pamphlet detailing the practical results 
gained from applications of the fertiliser in farm and 
garden crops. It also contains page after page of 
varied testimonials from users everywhere. Full 
directions for the use of the guano—prepared from 
sewage—on such crops as the Brassica tribe, the 
root-crops, Celery, Grape Vines, Strawberries, fruit 
trees, and general and farm crops, are compiled, and 
should be useful. The testimonials from every 
county show the quantities used and the success 
attained. The company caution buyers that their 
product can only be had from themselves, at 29, 
New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London, S.E., or 
their agents. 
Ealing and District Gardeners’ Society. —The first 
fortnightly meeting of this society—since the altera¬ 
tion of the weekly rule—was held on the 16th inst., 
when Mr. George Cannon presided over an excellent 
attendance. The subject on the programme was 
“ Carnations and Carnation Culture," by Mr. J. F. 
McLeod, of Dover House Gardens, Roehampton; 
but as, unfortunately, he, through illness, was unable 
to attend, the reading of the paper devolved upon 
Mr. C. B. Green. Mr. Green regretted the circum¬ 
stance of Mr. McLeod’s absence and explained that, 
although he could not hope to imp-ess his hearers 
with the value of the subject, he would endeavour to 
do his best to present the writer's views. The 
writer excused himself, at the outset, for being a 
devotee of such a fascinating subject as the Carna¬ 
tion ; which, he pointed out, possessed charms pecu¬ 
liarly its own and ranked, in his estimation, above 
many of our garden flowers. He then dealt with 
Souvenir de la Malmaison and its beautiful varieties, 
describing, at some length, the characteristics of the 
flower, its special culture, and the success he had 
attained in combating that dread disease known as 
" Helminthosporium echinulatum." This fungus 
pest, at first, caused him much trouble and many 
losses; but, by persistent attention to the require¬ 
ments of the plant, by cutting away the affected 
parts, by giving plenty of air on all favourable occa¬ 
sions, by keeping the plants in ignorance of the 
watering pot, so to speak, in the winter months, &c., 
he had, he hoped, overcome the difficulty of Mal¬ 
maison culture. Certainly for the last four years 
his stock had been quite free from the fungus in 
question. The compost he recommended was tough 
fibrous loam (two parts), peat (one part), broken 
roughly with the hand, and one part each of coarse 
silver sand, lime rubble, charcoal and potsherds; 
and to each barrowful of this mixture, a 6-iu. pot¬ 
ful of Thomson’s Vine and Plant Manure. After 
copious cultural details concerning this plant, he 
passed on to the section known as Tree Carnations 
which are so popular for autumn and winter work. 
Mrs. Leopold de Rothschild was selected as the 
premier flower, while Winter Cheer was highly 
recommended. Uriah Pike, Mrs. J. G. Muir and 
Mrs. Moore were also placed high up in the list. 
The border varieties were next treated with a liberal 
hand, and only those which had been found to 
succeed at Dover House were recommended for 
suburban culture. Some of these were Raby Castle, 
Ketton Rose, Walter Ware, Crimson Clove, Lincoln¬ 
shire Clove, Corunna, Amy Herbert, Gannymede, 
Duchess of Fife, Gloire de Nancy, Ossian, Duchess 
of Portland and many others. The soil at Dover 
House is a light loam and rests on a gravelly subsoil. 
The paper was well received, hearty votes of thanks 
being given to the writer, the reader and the chair¬ 
man. The eihibits were meritorious, Mr. Newell 
receiving the Society’s Certificate for the collection 
of Apples. 
