September 8, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
21 
Stirling Horticultural Society held its eighty- 
ninth successive show on Thursday and Friday, 
August 30th and 31st. This is a wonderful record. 
Royal Aquarium, Westminster: A Cacti Show 
of over 200 varieties of Cacti and Succulents from 
South America, California, Mexico, Cape of Good 
Hope, and various Islands will be on exhibit at the 
Westminster Aquarium, from Wednesday, the 5th 
September, and following days. The collections are 
the largest and rarest ever seeD in London, and 
include many growths of great value: Cereus, 
Echino-Cactus, Echino-Cereus, Euphorbias, Mamil- 
larias, Echinopsis, Opuntias, Yuccas, Aloes, Agaves, 
Dasylirions, Rhipsalis, Echeverias, Sempervivums, 
and Paper Spined Cacti—the latter a very great 
novelty from South American and very rare even to 
Kew Gardens. Some of the varieties are of 150 
years' growths and weigh as much as six tons. 
There are also varieties of the “ Old Man " Cactus, 
Pin-wheel Cactus, Rock of Ages, Living Rock, Turk’s 
Head, Fish Hook, and a series of growth of Cacti 
from 1 in. to 5 ft. The Cacti and Succulent Plants 
Exhibition, which is organised by Messrs. Cannell Sc 
Sons, of Swanley, and Eynsford, will be followed by 
a Dahlia Show on the 18th, 19th and 20th inst.; 
and the National Chrysanthemum Society will hold 
at the Royal Aquarium its first show of the year on 
the 9th, 10th and nth of October. 
Messrs. Barr’s General Bulb and Daffodil 
Catalogues.—The annual autumn bulb catalogues 
sent out by Messrs. Barr & Sons, King Street, 
Covent GardeD, W.C., are as complete and correct 
in their many points as nurserymen’s catalogues 
could well be. It is the study of this firm how best 
to make others love and cultivate hardy bulbous 
plants, and much of their success is due to the 
pains bestowed by them in making their catalogue 
what it is—easy for reference, fully descriptive, 
helpful in its supply of cultural hints, and jottings 
of individual interest about the ge nera and species. 
The Gardening World has endeavoured to illus¬ 
trate the qualities of the numerous sections of 
Tulips and the opportunity may here be embraced 
to point out the lists of collections to be found at 
P a g e 54 °f- the general bulb catalogue. Amongst 
the new Daffodils which are described in the special 
Daffodil catalogue, we would call attention to Duke 
of Bedford, Hillside Daffodil, Lucifer, Maggie May, 
Stella Superba, The Twins, Una and Willie Barr, 
all of which we have seen and have been described 
in our columns. Daffodils and Narcissi are the 
finest of all hardy spring flowers. The other spring 
flowering bulbs, as Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocuses and 
the summer flowering Gladioli, &c., are fully 
described. 
-- 
TO YOUNG GARDENERS. 
How often we hear of young men leaving their 
places for no very good reason; all they vouchsafe 
is that it was a “ rough shop,” all outside work, or 
such like. I need hardly point out that there is not 
half enough good places to go over all the budding 
horticulturists. Some of us must get the " middling ” 
or " bad” places. It is very doubtful, however, if the 
really bad places are so plentiful as we are led to 
suppose. I quite admit that the great majority of 
places might with advantage be made much more 
comfortable for the gardeners. At the same time, 
if we can only bring a contented mind to bear on our 
circumstances, it is wonderful how well we can get 
along in this world. I know as well as anyone the 
pleasure of working in a place where there is a large 
amount of glass. There one is somewhat independ¬ 
ent of the elements. There is also, no doubt, that 
nowadays the chief gardening honours are gained by 
those who have the command of large ranges of 
glasshouses. To take a common-sense view of the 
case, however, it should, I think, be clear to most 
people that the gardener who has the ability and 
patience to provide a full supply of flowers, fruits, 
and vegetables in season in the outdoor garden is at 
least as much entitled to praise as the more fortunate 
neighbour with his hot-water pipes and glasshouses. 
I would, therefore, counsel all young gardeners to 
give the utmost care to all outside work, for there is, 
no doubt, that the great majority of us will not be 
able to secure places where glass is the most impor¬ 
tant feature.— Chas. Blair, Binny, Vphall, N.B. 
THE FRUIT GARDEN 
Calls for especial attention just now, as a good 
deal of fruit (stove and other) is on the verge of 
ripening and too much care cannot well be bestowed 
upon it. Early Apples should be gathered when ripe, 
and if possible consumed within a week or so, for if 
kept long they loose a good dealof^their flavour. Where 
it is possible nets should be placed over Apples and 
Pears to prevent birds from sampling the same. We 
were obliged to take this precaution some few weeks 
back, as these marauders abound far too plentifully 
around here. Peaches and Nectarines require extra 
care in gathering not to bruise the delicate fruits 
more than can be helped or decay soon sets in. 
These can be placed in the fruit room where a day 
or two will improve matters; and if wasps and flies 
are troublesome put small mouthed bottles on the 
trees, three parts filled with beer, or cider, with a 
good quantity of treacle in, keeping it strained every 
day or so, burying the prisoners so captured. The 
earliest Plums too must be gone over every 
other day, removing the ripe ones, which gives those 
remaining a chance of swelling up a trifle larger. 
We have cleared Early Favourite, Orleans, Washing¬ 
ton, Czar, Kirkes, and Old Greengage.— J. Mayne. 
“ ALLAMANDAS” 
Are all bold growing and very free flowering plants. 
I think it a great mistake that they are not more 
grown and used for mansion-house decoration. They 
form splendid objects trained on a balloon-shaped 
trellis, or upon the rafters or pillars of the stove, 
their rich golden flowers keeping up a display for 
several months. I am sure nothing would look 
more attractive in a vase in the drawing-room than 
a nice flowered plant of Allamanda Hendersonii or 
A. nobilis. Their dark green foliage shows off their 
large, bell-shaped, yellow flowers to advantage. If 
used in a cut state for table or room decoration, 
they will last much longer if a few drops of water 
are placed inside the flowers, the hot dry atmosphere 
of rooms being very trying on cut bloom. The soil 
best adapted to their wants is a mixture of equal 
parts loam, leaf mould, peat, and sand. They enjoy 
strong heat and moisture when growing, always 
spraying them overhead twice a day which helps to 
keep them free from pests, which would otherwise 
attack them in a dry atmosphere. Give occasional 
waterings of strong liquid manure, which will be of 
great assistance to the plants, as their roots very 
soon fill the pots, being all vigorous growers. 
After the flowering season water must in a great 
measure be withheld, and early in spring before new 
growth commences, cut the shoots back to within a 
few eyes of the old wood .—Walter Hogarth, North 
Gardens, Ratho, Midlothian. 
-- 
PROFITABLE WORK 
Includes planting out good breadths of Cos and 
Cabbage Lettuce for autumn as well as for spring 
use. In the former case Sutton's Dwarf Perfection 
and Veitch's Superb Cos, with Sutton's Favourite 
Cabbage, we hope to have in plenty towards the end 
of this month. For early spring and summer use we- 
rely chiefly upon Hicks' Hardy White Cos and Lee's 
Hardy Green. Choose an open position, planting 
9 in. apart in rows, 12 in. asunder. The same 
remarks apply to Endive, which comes in most use¬ 
ful where Lettuce cannot be had after November. 
We planted out ours the last few days of August, as 
the weather proved showery. We also pricked out 
our earliest batch of Cabbage which will make nice 
sturdy plants by the time the Onions are harvested, 
which ground comes in for this crop. If the late 
fruiting Raspberry canes have not been cut out, lose 
no time in doing this, as well as some of the weaker 
young growths where too thick ; and the Strawberry 
beds or plots ere this should have been divested of 
all runners, rough leaves and weeds, working the 
flat hoe well amongst all the above at every oppor¬ 
tunity, not omitting the water pot, if dry weather 
prevails, among the salads and young Cabbages.— 
Groiver. 
— «! ■- 
AUTUMN SOWN ONIONS. 
There are many points to be advanced in favour of 
the autumn sowing of Onions. They are seldom 
attacked by the dreaded " maggot.” They require 
very little more work, and they are larger and finer 
that the spring sown ones. They can be used before 
the latter, and are good keepers. The land best 
adapted to the requirements of this fine bulbous 
vegetable is a rich, well drained, friable garden soil, 
inclined to a sandy, rather than a heavy character. 
Deep digging is necessary to ensure the most perfect 
samples. Liberal dressings of soot and wood ashes 
are always advisable, and good farmyard manure 
should be supplied at the rate of ten tons per rood. 
This is heavy manuring, but Onions enjoy rich feed¬ 
ing. The ground must also be firm, and in a fully 
exposed position to light. A sandy soil requires 
more manure and greater persistence in firming it 
than any other soil. Indeed, when the soil is light 
it ought only to be sur.’ace cleaned at this time, for 
the firmer the soil is during the winter, the drier 
and warmer it is reckoned to be. In the earlier days 
of spring the young crop will be benefited by light 
dressings of superphosphate applied between the 
rows and hoed in. Almost any variety of Onion will 
succeed as a winter sort, but the Tripolis and white 
Spanish varieties are generally sown.— D. K. 
-- 
THE BULB SEASON. 
To have bulbs in flower at Christmas, a start at 
potting must be made. The Hyacinths take the lead 
in bulbs. Hyacinths are not particular as to soil, 
but what suits Hyacinths best is, rotted cow dung 
one part, leaf mould one part, heavy loam three 
parts, with enough coarse sand to make it porous, 
also some charcoal broken up in pieces about the 
size of hazel nuts. Turn it all over several times. 
Use it in a rather rough state. Crock a number of 
6-in. pots, which will hold three bulbs. Fill up the 
pots with the compost to within 2 in. or so of the 
top. Place a layer of sharp sand over that, then fix 
your bulbs in position. Fill in between with soil, so 
that the crown of the bulb is on a level with it, 
leaving at least £ in. clear space for wateriug. After 
the first batch is potted off place them in a frame or 
any spare corner. Cover the pots with fine 
ashes, cocoa-nut fibre or such like material to the 
depth of 6 in. The object for plunging is to let the 
roots get in advance of the stem ; it also keeps the 
bulb from rising out of the pot. In five or six 
weeks' time, the stem will be up about a £ in. They 
should then be removed to the forcing pits, vineries, 
greenhouse, or wherever desired. Do not expose 
them to the full light fora day or two .—Adam V. 
Main, Morton Hall Gardens. 
• -—-9-- 
BEGONIA GLOIRE DE LORRAINE. 
This has now become quite interesting. In the first 
place let me point out to Mr. Mayne that the subject 
under discussion was the successful propagation of 
this plant, and I was only tempted to send in my 
article through a desire to show that it can be most 
successfully propagated from the leaf, and especially 
when so much doubt has been expressed as to this 
method of raising it. All I have seen goes to prove 
that they root and break freely in this way, while on 
the other hand your correspondents confess failure. 
My friend has doubts as to being able to send a good 
specimen to place on the editorial table (it would be 
rather a bulky package to send 400 miles), but if Mr. 
Mayne should have any doubts as to his ultimate 
success I refer him to Mr. Jones, of Ryecroft Nur¬ 
sery, Lewisham, or Mr. Logan of that firm. Let him 
ask these gentlemen their opinion of the plants they 
saw in the Waverley Market last November, and if 
they do not satisfy him as to results he will be ill to 
please. These were struck and grown in one season, 
were shown in 5-in. pots, and it was freely admitted 
that nothing like them for cultivation had ever been 
seen in the market. Should all go well with my 
friend's stock this year, he will again, most likely, 
have a batch in the market in November, when I 
hope Mr. Mayne may honour our ‘"Mum" show 
with a visit, and he will be able to see for himself. 
— W. Dick, Rosehall. 
- - 
LILIUM BROWNII. 
There are few gardens in which the true Lilies are 
really well represented. That under notice is said 
to have been named after Mr. F. E. Brown, a 
nurseryman of Slough, near Windsor. It is a native 
of China and Japan, and is really one of the most 
handsome of the long-tubed section. The plant 
grows only 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, and for many years 
was believed to bear only a solitary flower on a 
stem ; but strong bulbs will give rise to two, three 
