484 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 31, 1900, 
represented by the pictures of Daffodils in 
the grass at Huntercombe Manor, Maiden¬ 
head ; gathering wild Roses; Himalayan 
single Rose; a group of China Roses; a 
colony of Cyclamens ; Ferns on rockwork, 
&c. The latter are associated with water. 
Rockeries are decidedly a feature of modern 
gardening, and many of them are here re¬ 
presented. Bold masses of rock are often 
subtended by pools of water, and the back 
ground is very frequently filled in with 
masses of shrubby and arboreal vegetation. 
The picture entitled “ A well-constructed 
rock garden,” represents a style of alpine 
garden that might be more frequently imi¬ 
tated than it is. A bold mass of Cerastium 
Biebersteini shows what should be the aim 
of gardeners in the planting of rockeries for 
pictorial or spectacular effect when viewed 
from a more or less distant part of the 
grounds. A broad patch of any bright 
plant has all the effectiveness of a flower 
bed without its formality. 
The chapter on flowers for all sorts of 
purposes is dealt with by various writers 
at considerable length, and numerous 
illustrations of them are interwoven with 
the text. Ferns get their share of attention, 
and amongst them the figure of Polystichum 
angulare plumosum densum is worthy of 
mention, as the very wealth of greenery 
and fineness of cutting represented by a 
single frond make it very difficult to repre¬ 
sent in black and white. Hardy Ferns, 
mostly natives, come in for a great share of 
attention. Arboreal vegetation is strongly 
represented in the chapters devoted to “trees 
and shrubs in garden and woodland,” the 
manuscript in this case being from the 
pen of Mr. W. J. Bean, Royal Gardens, 
Kew. The habit of many favourite or 
popular trees is well represented and their 
general characteristics recognisable. The 
trees at “ The monk’s walk, Compton 
Beauchamp,” must be veritable giants of 
their kind. 
The culture of vegetables is in the able 
hands of Mr. Edwin Beckett, who has al¬ 
ready well earned respect for his opinions 
in the matter. He passes under review the 
whole subject of vegetable culture dealing 
with the matter in a practical and masterly 
way. He is a strong believer in the 
necessity for deep trenching and heavy 
manuring of vegetable ground. In this re¬ 
spect we can endorse his opinion ; for all 
good vegetable gardeners owe their success 
to thorough and deep cultivation. The 
young men at such places are also 
thoroughly aware of the fact, judging by 
the hard work they have to perform, each 
succeeding winter ; but they have no reason 
to regret it in after life. 
-- 
Weather in London.—The weather of the past 
week has been very cold, and at times rain or snow 
threatened to fall. So far, however, dryness has 
prevailed. Growth is in the meantime very slow. 
Grass cutting has commenced. 
Blue Primroses.—Our correspondent, J. C., F., 
Chard, sends us a bunch of a very beautiful variety 
of the blue Piimrose. The flowers are of a rich 
blue, of that particular shade now familiar to those 
who grow or have seen this strain of Primroses. 
Around the golden-yellow eye was a bright crimson 
zone, making a bold contrast with the blue of the 
rest of the flower. Very frequently a decided tint 
of purple runs through the blue of many varieties of 
the strain ; but in this instance the narrow band of 
crimson above mentioned was all that showed itself, 
not mixed with, but quite separate from the blue. 
The late and cold spring is by no means favourable 
to the growth of flowers, but the Primroses sent us 
were both fresh and beautiful. Evidently a pure 
atmosphere, remote from the smoky conditions pre¬ 
vailing in the vicinity of large towns, is highly 
favourable to the blue Primrose. 
Ealing Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Society.—The annual dinner and distribution of 
prizes of this society will take place on Tuesday, 
April 3rd, at 7.30 p.m , at the Drayton Court Hotel, 
Ealing, W. The chair on that occasion will be taken 
by R. D. Preston, Esq. 
Ladywell, Lewisham and District Cottagers.— 
The report and balance sheet for the year ending 
October, 1899, wild the schedule of prizes offered at 
the forthcoming annual exhibition on August 16th 
and 17th, are now published. The society's finances 
are good, a sum of £24 being placed to its credit. 
The officers and the schedule of prizes stand much 
the same as in previous years. Mr. H. J. Jones, 
amoDg nurserymen, offers a Silver Gilt Medal, in 
addition to first prize of 10s., in the class for a group 
of plants arranged for effect. Numerous other 
special prizes of a strictly utilitarian nature are 
offered. 
National Carnation and Picotee Society: 
Southern Section.—The report for the year 1899 
of the above society is now to hand. The finances 
of the society are on a very sound footing, as much 
as £229 ns. iod. being the amount of the balance to 
be carried to the credit of 1900. The society has 
enrolled a number of members during the year, and 
the committee rest satisfied with their year’s pro¬ 
gress. The annual show held at the Crystal Palace 
was in most respects entirely successful. The 
extreme heat was the only drawback. The exhibition 
this year will be held at the Crystal Palace, Syden¬ 
ham, London, S E., the probable date being 
Wednesday, July 25th, igro. About /300 and four 
silver cups will be awarded in prizes. Mr. T. E. 
Henwood, Auricula Villa, 16, Hamilton Road, Read¬ 
ing, is the hon. sec. and treasurer. 
National Auricula and Primula Society: 
Southern Section.—The twenty-third annual report 
for the year 1899 is now to hand. Sixteen new 
members have been elected duriDg the year. The 
committee, while thanking those who have contri¬ 
buted their services to the society duiing the year, 
still express a hope and desire for greater and more 
widely spread influence. All lovers of the flower are 
cordially invited to become members of the society. 
The advantages which members secure are that they 
can exhibit at the annual shows, they receive tickets 
of admission to the exhibitions, and a packet of 
choice *• Alpine ” seeds, saved from the collection of 
Mr. James Douglas and Mr. Charles Phillips, who 
generously present this seed as an encouragement to 
g'owers to join the society. Two classes have been 
added to those open to gold-laced Polyanthuses,with 
the view of encouraging this section. The report of 
the society (which is desirous of spreading its influ¬ 
ence abroad) may be had from Mr. T. E. Henwood, 
Auricula Villa, 16, Hamilton Road, Reading. The 
annual sho v will this year be held on Tuesday, 
April 24th, in the Drill Hall, James Street, West¬ 
minster, S.W, 
Supply of Shamrock for the Queen.—Mr. W. B. 
Hartland, 24, Patrick Street, Cork, Ireland, sent 
several beautiful packets of Shamrock to the Queen, 
at Windsor Castle, for St. Patrick's Day, and re¬ 
ceived the following reply :— 
'■ The Private Secretary is commanded by the 
Queen to thank Mr. W. B. Hartland for his letter 
of the 14th inst , and for the Shamrocks he has kindly 
sent to Her Majesty. 
i6.h March, 1900. 
“ Buckingham Palace." 
Mr. Hartland also offered seeds of Shamrock to 
the Secretary of State for War, and in return re¬ 
ceived the following reply: 
11 War Office, London, S.W. 
16th March, 1900. 
"Sir—I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of 
your letter of the 12th inst., and to acquaint you in 
reply that the Secretary of State for War accepts 
with very many thanks your kind offer of a gift of 
1,000 packets of Shamrock seed. 
" I am further to state tint if you will be so good 
as to send the seed to this office it will be despatched 
to South Africa, and distributed among the Irish 
regiments.—I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient 
servant, 
" W. A. Dunne, A.Q M.G. 
" W. B. Hartland, Esq." 
Bees consume large quantities of water especially 
during spring and summer months. 
Clematis Yitalba, with its list of common names, 
among which that of Virgin's Bower is very popular, 
has derived this from the habit the plant has of 
forming cosy bowers wherever it grows. 
Death of Admiral Fairfax.—Admiral Sir Henry 
Fairfax, of Ravenswood, Melrose, Roxburghshire, 
died suddenly while driving with Lady Fairfax at 
Naples, on Tuesday, March 19th. The deceased 
will be sorely missed by residents in the district 
around lovely Ravenswood. The superb collection 
of Orchids, too, which he had amassed will now 
have fewer additions to it in the way of fresh plants 
brought from foreign countries. The Admiral him¬ 
self used to collect abroad. This Orchid collection 
is probably second to none of any in the North. Our 
sympathies go out to all who were dependent upon 
and related to the late Admiral. 
Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual.—Mr. J. Fraser, 
F.L.S, Editor of The Gardening World, 
lectured most interestingly on the subject of “The 
Cabbage Tribe ” before the members of the above 
association on Thursday, the 22nd inst. The lecture 
was paramountly scientific, but every point was 
carefully explained or compared. The derivations 
of the various generic or specific names was ex¬ 
haustively discussed, showing that he has a strong 
bent to linguistic erudition. By means of numerous 
wood cuts, and by well prepared dried specimens of 
some of the British members of the tribe, Mr. 
Fraser was able to portray the forms of all the vary¬ 
ing species or varieties. The uses of the different 
members were pointed out. There was a good 
attendance, and hearty thanks were accorded at the 
conclusion. 
Sweet Pea Bi-Centenary Celebration.—Sub¬ 
stantial progress is being made towards the celebra¬ 
tion of the introduction of the Sweet Pea into Great 
Britain two hundred years ago. The celebration, as 
already announced, is to be held on July 20th and 
2 ist, at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, and will take 
the form of a grand exhibition of Sweet Peas shown 
in bunches, in vases, in pots, in pans, in baskets, in 
bouquets, in wreaths, in table decorations, and in 
other ways that may suggest themselves to the 
gardener and florist; at the same time a conference 
will be held at which papers will be read and dis¬ 
cussed. The work of arranging for this conference 
occupied the attention of the executive committee 
which met at the Horticultural Club, Hotel 
Windsor, on Friday, the 23rd inst., when it was 
decided that the conference proceedings be held 
during the afternoon on each of the show days. 
Broadly speaking, the subjects for consideration 
upon the first day will be the history, evolution, and 
improvement of the Sweet Pea, also an American’s 
view of this popular annual. On the second day it 
is proposed to deal with the decorative uses of Sweet 
Peas. Sweet Pea cultivation, and classification. It is 
probable, however, that other matters relative to 
Sweet Peas will be discussed, but a further meeting 
of the committee will be necessary ere titles and 
authors can be announced and the final arrangements 
made. The desire of the executive body is that the 
largest possible amount of information regarding 
Sweet Peas shall be brought into reasonable limits 
of time and space, for it is hoped that the funds will 
admit of the publication of the papers read and dis¬ 
cussion elicited, together with classification, &c., in 
the form of authoritative report. The executive 
committee reports that the actual income up to the 
date of meeting is, in round figures, /250, this in¬ 
cluding subscriptions and special prizes. The hoD. 
secretary, Mr. R. Dean, Ranelagh Road, Ealing, 
stated that, owing to the immense demand, he had 
practically distributed the whole of the two editions 
of schedule and circular ; consequently, it was 
decided to have a further 550 of each printed. 
Letters from several Continental and American 
gentlemen were read, and in each case the writer 
expressed his sympathy with, and interest in, the 
movement, and his intention of being present at the 
celebration. Mr. N. N. Sherwood’s generous offer 
to place at the service of the committee, for the 
purposes of classification, the immense trial of Sweet 
Peas bis firm—Messrs. Hurst and Sons—are this 
season conducting at Kelvedon, was unanimously 
accepted, and Mr. Sherwood's thoughtful generosity 
in this matter was heartily applauded. 
