52 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 22, 1900. 
three-fourths of their length, are handsome 
and distinct. The variety is still very rare 
and valuable, practically invaluable to con¬ 
noisseurs, because unobtainable. Bulbo- 
phyllum umbellatum is a gem, with its 
crimson and violet spotted flowers arranged 
in a semi-circle on the stalk. There is a 
fine collection of Phalaenopses in the same 
house, suspended in baskets close to the 
glass. There is not a bad plant in the col¬ 
lection, the leaves ranging from 12 in. to 
16 in. in length, and 4 in. to 5 in. in width. 
A rival to Bulbophyllum barbigerum is B. 
exaltatum, with longer spikes and smaller 
flowers. Cirrhopetalum vaginatum has 
long tails after the style of C. Medusae. 
The black movable tongue of Trias disci- 
florum is also a very curious thing in its 
way. A plant of Vanda sanderiana, which 
has been on a raft for the last four years, 
was showing its flower spikes. Very lovely 
were the various species of Anoectochilus 
under bell glasses. A. concinnum had terra¬ 
cotta lines on a black velvety ground, while 
the singularly arranged lines of A. petola 
were like gold thread. A. Rollisoni and A. 
xanthophyllas have also been here lor the 
last eight or nine years, so that their culti¬ 
vation must be well understood by the 
grower. The other side of the house was 
mostly occupied by Dendrobiums making 
splendid growth. Eulophia guinensis had 
long pink spikes of blossom. Dendrobium 
Phalaenopsis schroderianum, grown here 
for six years past, has been making splendid 
stems, while those of D. Clio, already com¬ 
pleted, were 4 ft. long. The house every¬ 
where was crowded with plants ; while 
Eucharis grandiflora was flowering beneath 
the stages where it has been planted and 
left undisturbed and without fresh material 
for the last twenty years or more. The 
resting house was gradually being filled 
with Dendrobiums to ripen up the excellent 
growths they had made. They included the 
many fine hybrids raised here and collected 
from other sources. A seedling Cypripe- 
dium, namely, C. sanderiano-laevigatum, 
had petals 6 in. long, and spotted all over 
with crimson. Barkeria spectabilis was 
making good growth upon a raft in this 
cool house. In the stove close by, the 
Lattice Leaf Plant, in fine condition, was 
flowering. The miniature deep rose flowers 
of Saccolabium Hendersoni, on an erect 
spike, are charmingly sweet as they are 
rare. The Calanthes, Aerides, and Sacco- 
labiums have done well. One side of a 
small house was filled with Catasetums, 
Mormodes, and Cycnoches maculata, all 
great favourites with Sir Trevor Lawrence, 
Bart. Calanthe Veitchi, C. sanderiana and 
C. Victoria have made and finished excel¬ 
lent growths. 
Cool Odontoglossums on a north aspect, 
in an isolated house in the garden, are the 
picture of health, showing that they can be 
grown with success even under such 
unfavourable conditions. Some rubbishy 
plants were brought here and made decent 
plants in the course of two years. The 
whole collection shows that the conditions 
are to their liking. The Masdevallia house 
is always full of interest, as it is crammed 
full of an extremely varied collection of little 
gems belonging to this and other genera. 
Two plants of Angraecum falcatum were 
laden with their fragrant white flowers. 
The sepals and petals of Prominea stape- 
lioides were handsomely streaked and lined 
transversely like a Stapelia. The yellow P. 
citrina was also in bloom. Comparettia 
macroplectron, a very uncommon plant, 
carried long spikes of its lovely flowers on 
the point of expansion. The two brown 
bards cn the petals of Odontoglossum 
madrense make this species very distinct. 
O. bictonense album and Pleurothallis 
macroblepharis were also in bloom. 
Amongst the Masdevallias several were in 
flower even at the beginning of September, 
including M. velifera, M. melanoxantha, M. 
infracta (the oldest introduction in the 
genus), M. i. purpurea, with darker purple 
flowers; and M. deorsa, having leathery, 
rigid leaves of a strange metallic blue 
colour beneath. For the period of the year 
the amount of flowers in the collection 
generally was certainly wonderful, proving 
that there is no dead or off season amongst 
this section of the favourites at Burford. 
The Nova Scotia School of Horticulture,says the 
Canadian Horticulturist, had sixty-nine students last 
year. The expenses of the school were 1,843 47 
dollars. 
Gardening Appointment.—Mr. William Haddow, 
for the past two years general foreman at Castle 
Bars, Co. Wexford, has been appointed head 
gardener to Lord Ardilaun, Ashford House, Cory, 
Co. Galway .—John McLennan. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
flower show will be held on Tuesday, September 
25th, in the Drill Hall, Buckingham Gate, West¬ 
minster, 1-5 p.m. At 3 o'clock a lecture on "Saving 
and Using the Rain” will be given by Mr. Peter 
Kay. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society.—The annual dinner of the above society 
will take place at the Holborn Restaurant, W.C., 
on Wednesday, October 10th, at 6.30 p.m. George 
Monro, Esq., will preside on this occasion.— W. 
Collins, Sec. 
Fruit Show of the R.H.S.—The great show of 
British grown fruit will take place at the Crystal 
Palace on Thursday, September 27th, and the two 
following days. On each day of the show Fellows 
of the Society, on producing their tickets, will be 
admitted free to the Palace at 10 a.m. The com¬ 
mittees of the society will not sit at this show. All 
fruits for certificate must be exhibited at one of the 
fortnightly meetings at the Drill Hall, Westminster. 
Farm women of Canada.—Mr. G. C. Creelman, 
the Ontario Provincial Director of Farmers' Insti¬ 
tutes, has begun to establish women’s institutes in 
connection with the regular farmers' institutes 
throughout the province. During the last season 
five women have been farmers’ institute lecturers, 
and have proved so acceptable that communications 
have been received from various quarters asking 
that women's institutes be formed. The govern¬ 
ment by law is already pledged to an annual grant 
of ten dols. to each district for women's institutes, 
and the farmers' institutes are empowered to do the 
same. At the women's institute meetings farmers’ 
wives and daughters discuss branches of farm work 
in which they necessarily engage, more particularly 
in the dairy line. 
The Rose and the Oak. 
A red Rose one day in a thoughtful way 
Remarked to an ancient Oak tree, 
" I seem to have powers beyond other flowers 
That attract everyone to me. 
But why this should be I never could see 
And so, sir, if you're in the mood, 
I wish you'd make clear a matter I fear 
I’ve never yet quite understood.” 
The jolly old Oak thought it all a joke 
And rustled with laughter and glee, 
“ See here,” then he said, " my sweet rosy-red, 
Don’t you try jour fine games on me. 
You know well enough such talk is all * stuff,’ 
Or else you're too modest, by half; 
Howe’er this may be, you can’t humbug me, 
And that is the reason I laugh.” 
The Rose hung her head, until the Oak said, 
" My beauty, you surely are blind, 
For you cannot see what is plain to me, 
And known to the whole of mankind— 
That no flower grows, like you, my sweet Rose— 
None other with you can compare ; 
And this is the key to what you can’t see— 
Of the fairest, you are most fair.” 
—Boston Transcript. 
Weather in London.—The weather of the past 
week has been thoroughly enjoyable, having been 
bright and warm. 
Appointment.—Mr. T. H. Quin, from Dickson's, 
the Royal Nurseries, Chester, and late head gardener 
at Bushey Park.Enniskerry, has been appointed head 
gardener and manager to Colonel Cosby, Stradbally 
Hall, Queen’s Co. 
Thistle Plague.—Writing to The Farmer's Gazette, 
Mr. Toler R. Garvey suggests some mild form of 
legislation to make indolent and negligent farmers 
keep their lands clear of Thistles, or at least to take 
measures for the suppression of the Thistles. It is 
impossible for the more industrious and intelligent 
neighbours to succeed in their efforts if others allow 
Thistles to flourish indiscriminately all over their 
farms. 
Scottish Horticultural Association.—On Tuesday, 
the nth inst., at a meeting of this association, Mr. 
Alexander Mackenzie in the chair, there was a good 
attendance of members and others to hear a paper by 
Mr. J. S. Eckford, of Wem, Shropshire. The meet¬ 
ing bad been postponed from the 4th to the 1 tth inst., 
in order to meet the convenience of the reader, who 
had a good audience notwithstanding. Mr. Eckford 
read an interesting paper on the Sweet Pea, dealing 
chiefly with its history and development under 
cultivation. The show at Edinburgh had drawn 
many thither. 
Utility Poultry Club.—The fourth annual laying 
competition will begin on Wednesday, October 17th, 
1900, and end on Tuesday, February 5th, igor—a 
period of sixteen weeks. The pens will be under the 
management of Mr. G. C. King, The Manor Poultry 
Farm, Gerrard's Cross, Slough, Bucks. The houses 
are 5 f(. x 3 ft. x 5 ft., with shelters 5 ft. x 3 ft., 
and grass runs 20 yds. x 15 yds. on well drained 
gravel soil. Two pens will be in each house, one 
laying white eggs, the other brown. The following 
cash prizes will be given First prize, £3 and silver 
medal, value £1 ; second prize, £3 ; third prize, £2 ; 
fourth prize, £1. The following special prizes are 
also offered :—Dairy Outfit Co.’s " Cosy ” Brooder, 
value 15s., as fifth prize; Mr. P. Percival’s, value 
10s. 6d., as sixth prize ; Mr. J. Dunn's, value £1, for 
pen making highest score; Mr. S. Hunter’s, value 
15s., for best pen of non-sitters; Mr. S. Hunter's, 
value 15s , for best pen of sitters ; Mr. G. C. King's, 
£1 is., for best pen of Langshans or Buff Orpingtons; 
Mr. J. W. A. Pedley's, value 10s. 6d., for best pen of 
Leghorns; Mr. J. W. A. Pedley’s, value 10s. 6d., for 
pen making highest score in first month ; Mr. Caleb 
Bird’s, value 15s., for the best pen beating his 
present record of 446 points (1899-1900 competition); 
Mr. T. Garnett's, value 10s. 6d., for the best pen 
judged from show standard; Mr. Jas. Robinson’s, 
value 7s. 6d., as consolation prize Should twenty 
pens compete, an additional cash prize of 15s. will be 
given as fifth prize, and specials first and second to 
sixth and seventh respectively. First-class certifi¬ 
cates will be given to all pens laying 240 eggs, and 
second-class to those laying 200 eggs. Finding that 
birds were often sent immediately before the trial 
began, thus spoiling the chance of a good start, it 
has been decided that all pens must be at the farm 
by October 5th, giving twelve days in which to settle 
down. Also to check the entry of very young birds, 
a rule has been made that the owner of a pen which 
does not commence laying in the first month of the 
competition shall pay 5s. towards the expense of 
maintenance. Should there be more than twenty 
entries the places will be given to as many varieties 
as possible in order that the competition may be of 
greater interest as regards feeding different sorts on 
similar food, weight of eggs, susceptibility to climatic 
influences, &c. It should be noted that the competi. 
tion is not to determine the best laying breed (since 
laying is largely a matter of strain), but to demon¬ 
strate the great number of eggs fowls will lay (under 
good management) during the four months wht n a 
vast number of fowls do not lay at all. Progress of 
the competition will be reported at monthly intervals 
to the poultry papers. Particulars and forms of 
entry (which closes September 25th) can be had of 
the hon. assistant secretary, L. W. H. Lamaison, 
Southwold, Kenley, Surrey, to whom all communi- 
crti-ns respectinc the competition must be addressed. 
— B, W. Horne, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. 
