372 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 10, 1900. 
fectly practised in Great Britain. The 
secretary of the society is Mr. John David¬ 
son, Estates Office, Haydon-Bridge-on- 
Tyne. 
Apples make cider, but " Pears ” make soap 
Winter Aconites are now in full bloom in London 
gardens. Stray Primroses are also to be seen. They 
furnish food for the slugs. 
Gardeners' Charity Guild.—The annual concert 
of the G.C.G. (for the purpose of raising funds for 
our gardening charities) has been arranged for. This 
will be held in the Great Hall, Cannon Street Hotel, 
on the evening of Wednesday, March 14th. Tickets 
(is. each) will shortly be on sale. 
Hop Picking Machine.—A correspondent who 
signs himself Hereford, bewails the fact that a 
machine for picking Hops is likely to be manu¬ 
factured. He evidently is not a Hop grower, or he 
would hail with pleasure such a desirable invention. 
Probably, if on 40 acres of Hops, he had paid, for 
simply picking them, £700, as I did last season he 
would view the matter in a different light, and think 
that the English farmer cannot always be a national 
philanthropist.— A Kent Hop Grower. 
Weather in London.—On Friday night and Satur¬ 
day a heavy and bitter snowstorm raged over 
London, as indeed it did over all the country. For 
a London snowstorm; it was heavy, and some 
amount of damage was done to broad-leaved, 
spreading Laurels, &c., and to the gutters and roofs 
of houses. The snow falling from the roofs annoyed 
the house-folks, and in cases crashed through lean-to 
glass-houses. Cleaner conditions have since pre¬ 
vailed. On Wednesday morning twelve degrees of 
frost were registered at Kew. 
Glasgow Corporation.—We have to hand the year’s 
report on the doings of the Corporation of the City 
Glasgow by the Hon. Sir David Richmond, Lord- 
Provost, for the year ending November, 1899. The 
whole report shows the city to be vigorously advanc¬ 
ing. Its area covers 12,688 acres, so that to provide 
" lungs," that is parks, for so large a city, the Parks 
Department are kept continually active. They have 
furnished two new parks during the year, and in 
many ways have increased the amenities of those 
previously existing. The good-keeping and the plans 
of some of the more important of the parks under 
Mr. Whitton’s charge, have frequently been described 
in The Gardening World. The street trees have 
now come under the Parks Department. From the 
Lord-Provost’s report it is made evident that as much 
time, thought, money and care is being spent on 
these healthful areas as should amply satisfy the 
city's populace. 
Dundee Horticultural Association. — This 
northern gardeners’ mutual improvement association 
has published its syllabus for session 1900, and 
nineteenth annual report. The following is the 
syllabus as printed :—January 9th, ‘‘Japanese Gar¬ 
dens” (with lantern illustrations), by the patron of 
the association, J. Martin White, Esq , Balruddery ; 
February 6th, a paper by Mr. F. M. Michie, M.A., 
High School, Dundee; March 6th, "Tea Roses in 
Scotland,” by Mr. Robert Simpson, Dalhousie Nur¬ 
series, Droughty Ferry ; April 3rd, “ Ferns,” by Mr. 
Wm. Holman, Vinebank Gardens, West Ferry; 
May 1st, " Vine Culture,” by Mr. Robert Linton, 
Ballindean Gardens, Inchture; June 5th, ‘‘Horti¬ 
cultural Questions,” by the members; July 3rd, 
“ Cultivation of Small Fruit for Profit,” by Mr. Wm. 
Williamson, Tarvit Gardens, Cupar, Fife; August 
7th, “Tuberous Begonia,” by Mr. James Halley, 
Rosemount Gardens, Newport; September nth, 
Conversational Evening, members are requested to 
bring meritorious exhibits to this meeting ; October 
2nd, Tomato Conference, to be opened by Mr. James 
Beatts, Duncraig Gardens, with a paper entitled 
“Tomatos for Profit”; November 6th, “Judging 
Vegetables," by Mr. T. Fender, Cultoquey Gardens, 
Crieff. The annual general meeting is to be held on 
December 4th, 1900. Abstracts of all last year’s 
papers are given, and notice made of awards and 
exhibits. The membership of the association remains 
much about the same. The abstract of accounts 
proves a balance in hand of £3 is. 8d. 
“ British Invention.”—Such is the title of a new 
illustrated paper whose aims are “ to help busy men 
by providing them with a concise and accurate 
record of what is advancing, altering, or improving in 
the particular industry with which they may happen 
to be connected.” The paper, printing and numerous 
illustrations are clear and good. An important 
feature is the weekly list of new patents applied for. 
The paper will be published weekly from 55 & 56, 
Chancery Lane, London, W.C , price id. 
Origin of McIntosh Red Apple.—Among the 
hardiest Apples grown in the Dominion of Canada, 
is the above named variety. The Canadian Horti¬ 
culturist in its first issue for 1900, figures the original 
McIntosh Red Apple tree, not a beauty to look at, 
because of having been nearly burned down, but 
famous and Interesting for a’ that. Beside it stands 
its raiser, Allan McIntosh (of Scotch descent), clad in 
his Canadian gear. The father of Allan, having 
settled in Matilda, in clearing away some surround¬ 
ing growth for a building, came across some young 
Apple trees which he spared. One of these was the 
original McIntosh Red. Allan, some thirty years 
ago, began to propagate it, and the nursery is still 
carried on by his son, named Harvey. The original 
tree has now ceased to stand ; Allan McIntosh, also 
has “ shuffled off this mortal coil ” a year ago. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association.—On 
Thursday, February 1st, Mr. G. Camp, gardener to 
E. Byrom, Esq., of Culver, gave an essay before the 
above association on “ Gardening as a profession.” 
The subject is a difficult one to handle, and it requires 
much thought to state the case or formulate any plan 
for the alleviation of the gardener’s complaints. The 
various ways and means whereby the gardener’s 
health is exposed to invalidations, the many worries, 
long tacks of duty, the small wages, the uncertainty 
of retaining or of securing situations and other items, 
formed a rather gloomy tale, but one only too true. 
Until the remuneration of gardeners was adequate 
to their worth, the vaunted pleasures of gardening 
would only be a fairy-tale to many workers. One of 
Mr. Camp's concluding remarks was a strong ad¬ 
vocacy for the advisability of gardeners as a body, 
while health and security was with them, to sub¬ 
scribe, even in a small way, to the Gardeners’ Royal 
Benevolent Institution. It does some amount of 
good with the limited funds at present at its disposal. 
Yet if each of the 20,000 (set down as 27,000 really) 
gardeners throughout the land gave one day’s wage 
in the year, there would be provision enough for all 
needful cases, and if a subscriber never required the 
Institution's aid, though he could not get his money 
back, he would have the hope of definite security. 
This really is our one solution to guarantee help 
when infirm. 
Scottish Arboricultural Society.—The annual 
general meeting of the above society was held at 5, 
St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, on Thursday after¬ 
noon, the 1st of February. The Right Hon. the 
Earl of Mansfield occupied the chair. In his annual 
address, the president dealt with the practical train¬ 
ing of foresters. Too little discrimination was made 
between the mere labourer and the young man whose 
aim and end was to be an efficient forester. Noth¬ 
ing was more disheartening or less emulative to the 
stock of would-be foresters. Something of the 
garden system of training was required, i.e., after 
serving his “ time,” the young man should be a 
qualified and distinctive journeyman forester. His 
lordship strongly emphasised the fact of a need for a 
society if it were in a position to be looked upon as a 
central registry or office where foresters were con¬ 
cerned. Office bearers for the ensuing year were 
elected. The Raith Bursary was awarded to (won 
for the first time) Alex D. Crombie. The proposed 
French excursion of next year was abandoned as in¬ 
advisable. Owing to a difficulty in obtaining ac¬ 
commodation at the Glasgow Exhibition of 1901, the 
proposition to exhibit was abandoned. After the 
business had been transacted, Mr. M. J. Nesbit, 
D.Sc., F.S.I., addressed the meeting on " The present 
condition and future prospects of forestry in Scot¬ 
land.” The epoch of cheap timber was now almost 
at an end, and a few years must see a rise in the 
price. We were courting a timber famine, and the 
present condition of British forestry was most un¬ 
satisfactory. In the great majority of our forests, 
considerations of timber, were subordinated to 
sport. 
Birdlime is prepared from the bark of the Holly 
and the berries of the Mistleto. 
Preservation of Fruit Nets.—Au answer to a 
correspondent in a back number of The Field states 
that to preserve herring nets they might be steeped 
in a strong decoction of Oak-bar. This is not 
always easy to get. Immersion in oil would cer¬ 
tainly help them. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society will take place in 
the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, on Tues¬ 
day, February 13th. The various committees will 
assemble at noon as usual, and at 3 o’clock the 
annual general meeting of the society will be held at 
the society's offices, 117, Victoria Street, Westmin¬ 
ster, S.W. The Council of the R.H.S., at its last 
meeting, unanimously requested the President, Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart., to allow himself to be 
appointed to the vacant Victoria Medal of Honour. 
“ One and All ” Garden Annual.—Again has the 
indefatigable E. O. Greening, Esq., published a 
booklet of clear, concise and useful hints on gardening 
and its benefits and pleasure. The rules and explan¬ 
ations laid down in the text are more pointedly 
demonstrated by means of very fine and well shown 
illustrations. The portraits of prominent men be¬ 
longing to various of the learned professions and 
their views on gardening are compiled in the fore 
part of the work, while the practical hints by old and 
well experienced garden journalists, &c., follow on. 
It is a useful book. 
Ealing and District Gardeners’ Association.—The 
fortnightly meeting, and third for the present 
session, of the above horticultural association was 
held on Wednesday evening. The meeting was, as 
usual, held in a room of the Municipal Buildings, 
Ealing, Mr. C. B. Green presiding over a moderate 
turn-out. The paper for the evening was by Mr. 
Geo. Gordon, entitled “ Roses in the Garden,” upon 
which we shall furnish a few notes in our next issue. 
The competition for a dozen table plants, flowering 
or foliage, brought forth some pretty specimens. 
The prizes fell to Messrs. Hogg, Roberts, Edwards, 
and Holloway in the order given. 
Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual.—A meeting of the 
above association was held on January 25th, at 
8 o'clock. Mr. John Fraser, F.L.S., occupied the 
chair, and a fair attendance listened to an interesting 
lecture cn “ Onions,” by Mr. A. Dean, of Kingston, 
The lecturer primarily classified the Onion tribe, and 
during his hour's discourse he embraced many points. 
A good Onion baked and taken at bed-time was cited 
as having been recommended with efficacy in a case 
of gout. As a nutritious heat-giving and blood-aidiDg 
vegetable this esculent bulb received the highest 
encomiums. By means of coloured diagrams, Mr. 
Dean was able to depict various types, such as the 
Tree Onion, the Potato Onion, the old Blood-red, the 
Cocoanut, and a selection of improved and more 
widely cultivated types. Hints on the early growing 
and various methods of treating Onions, as for exhi¬ 
bition, pickling, &c., were passingly referred to. 
Guanos were recommended as dressings or to be 
applied in the liquid state during growth. Liberal 
use of farmyard manure was advocated, and a capi¬ 
tal thing it is for large bulbs. The abolition for 
autumn sowing of soft Onions, as the Tripolis, Giant 
Roccas and others was strongly emphasised, Mr. 
Dean declaring that these were far more adaptable 
for spring sowing, and vice-versa, than those so used. 
Experience and practical test had demonstrated the 
soundness of his views. Remarking upon Leeks, 
these being among the Alliums (A. Porrum) Mr 
Dean held the belief (which was corroborated) that 
the aboriginal type of Leek was a distinctly bulbous 
plant, having been developed to its present form by 
methods of culture and selection. He threw forth a 
hint to the young men present to experiment with 
the Onion (A. Cepa) for the purpose of demon¬ 
strating whether the bulbous habit would not by 
rigid selection evolve a permanently thick elongated 
“stem-usable” vegetable such as the Leek is. 
Through inattention a few would-be critics con¬ 
strued Mr. Dean’s remarks to mean that Onions 
should be grown according to a bottle-shaped 
pattern. This was not so. The subject of diseases 
and insect pests and their prevention or eradication, 
also the commercial aspect of Onion culture were 
points which time seemingly did not permit Mr. Dean 
totonch upon, more’s the pity. A very warm discus¬ 
sion by many of lhose present was indulged in at 
ihe conclusion of the lecture. 
