212 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 1, 1900. 
than on a small scale, unless a frugal 
peasantry Avere to take up the work and live 
contentedly on a smaller profit than at 
present as they do in many Continental 
countries. In either case it remains for the 
parties concerned to help themselves, as all 
such work to succeed must have personal 
attention and direct interest in working out 
the same. 
The Technical Education Committee of 
the Kent County Council seemed deter¬ 
mined at one time to go thoroughly into the 
subject of experimenting with evaporating 
machines for the drying of fruit. On the 
strength of that supposition the above- 
named writer attended an auction on the 
banks of the Thames and bought a brand- 
new “ Ryder ” evaporator of the largest 
size and removed it to his neighbourhood. 
From that time the Technical Education 
Committee Avould seem to have walked in 
an opposite direction, and the evaporator 
remained unheeded at a rental in a neigh¬ 
bouring barn. Experiments were com¬ 
menced, however, with the cold storage of 
fruit, some of which have been mentioned 
in our pages a few years ago. The Tech¬ 
nical Education Committee were also urged 
to undertake experiments in cyder-making 
when there was a superabundance of Apples 
in 1895 ; but they threw cold water on this 
scheme. Private enterprise, however, came 
to the rescue, under the title of the Swanley 
Cyder Co. ; and we are informed that they 
have made 100,000 gallons of cyder since 
1895. Mr. Till happened to attend a fruit 
conference organised by the Technical 
Education Committee of the Worcester¬ 
shire County Council, in Worcester, during 
October last, and he was surprised to find a 
small evaporator at work. This Avas oper¬ 
ated by Mr. J. Harper, of Ebley, Stroud, 
whose machine Avas entirely intended for 
domestic use, by being placed on a 
kitchener. Mr. Till told him of the disused 
“ Ryder ” evaporator, and in the course of 
a few days he journeyed into Kent, inspected, 
purchased and removed the whole apparatus. 
Kent is so much the poorer, we were going 
to say, but it may yet take the lesson to heart 
and thus profit by the example set by 
another and possibly more enterprising 
neighbour. It has been reported that the 
u Ryder ” apparatus is successfully worked 
by electricity in Switzerland. 
The above refers to the commercial aspect 
of fruit culture in a year of superabundance, 
which is almost as disastrous as a year of 
scarcity, simply because no means have yet 
been devised for dealing with fruit (chiefly 
stone fruits and soft fruits) except for imme¬ 
diate consumption. To private gardeners, 
, on the other hand, a heavy fruit harvest is 
always a source of much gratification. 
There are few gardeners, we presume, but 
rejoice to see the shelves of the fruitroom 
heavily laden with what is always in great 
demand for the household in proportion to 
the extent of the family. In addition to the 
gardener’s gratification of being able to 
supply the requirements in this respect, his 
employer is saved rhe expense of making 
good the deficiency from market, it may be 
with foreign fruit, which becomes a neces¬ 
sity in years of scarcity. Much of the 
foreign fruit that comes to our shores is of 
poor quality compared with the homegrown 
article, particularly if used in its proper 
season. Market fruit is also lacking in that 
variety which every well stocked garden is 
able to supply in the way of early, mid¬ 
season and late sorts, as Avell as those differ¬ 
ing in flavour, and suitable for dessert pur¬ 
poses, on the one hand, or culinary pur¬ 
poses on the other. Where the family is 
small, it may be that the surplus fruit has 
to be sold; and this custom is much more 
prevalent at the present day than formerly, 
the object generally being to keep down the 
expenses incurred in the upkeep of the gar¬ 
den in places where agricultural depression 
and the consequent depreciation in land 
have been making themselves felt. In any 
case a heavy fruit crop is almost everywhere 
if-not universally appreciated in private 
gardens both by gardener and proprietor. 
This Avould also be the case Avith the market 
grower provided there Avere adequate means 
for turning a superabundant crop to ade¬ 
quate account. 
Rose manures.—Guano and superphosphates are 
favourable to Rose growth. Pig dung, as a natural 
manure stands first, and night soil for Roses comes 
second. 
Wargraye Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.—At the meeting of November 14th, 
Mr. Jas. Caswell, gardener to Rev. H. M. Wells, of 
“ Scarlett's,” read a practical paper on ” Crotons and 
their culture.” Full cultural details were given. 
Some shapely plants were exhibited. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit 
aod flower show of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, December 4th, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Westminster, 1-4 pm. A lecture 
on “ The Heating and Ventilation of Glass Houses,” 
will be given by Mr. A. Donald Mackenzie, at 
3 o’clock. 
Walsall and Distrct Gardeners’ Mutual Im¬ 
provement Society.—The members of the above 
society met on Tuesday. Novembar 13th, in the 
Victoria Temperance Hotel, under the presidency of 
Mr. G. H. Thompson. A lecture on the “ Culture of 
Chrysanthemums ” was delivered by Mr. W. 
Shingler, of Wolverhampton. The lecturer was 
interestedly followed; he exhibited some splendid 
blooms of Chrysanthemums. 
Beckenham Horticultural Society.—On Friday, 
November 25th, Mr. A. Hemsley gave a very 
interesting paper on the cultivation of Ferns in 
general. Ferns, Mr. Hemsley said, were getting 
more popular every year, especially the choice 
varieties. Ferns make, as a rule, much better plants 
raised from the spores. When saving spores for 
sowing—should you not be ready for sowing at once 
—place them in a paper bag. When you find the 
spores escaping he advised the meeting not to rub 
the fronds, but let the spores drop naturally. Fill 
pots with good loam and place charcoal or sphag¬ 
num on top. After sowing place in a light position 
with a sheet of glass for covering. Soil for potting 
should consist of loam, leaf-soil, and manure, not 
much peat A good discussion followed, after which 
a hearty vote of thanks was given for the interesting 
paper. Messrs. Peed exhibited a choice collection 
of Ferns, including several varieties of Gymno- 
grammes, Platycerium, Davallias, Nephrodiums; 
also a group of flowering plants, Cypripediums, in 
variety, Cattleyas, and Begonia Gloire de.Lorraine. 
Shop Window Exhibition of Chrysanthemums. 
—Messrs. B. Shearn & Son, 234, Tottenham Court 
Road, London, recently offered a Silver Cup valued 
10 gs., with one Gold and one Silver Medal as 
awards in a competition for twelve vases of Chrys¬ 
anthemums, four blooms in each. There were four 
competitors. Messrs. W. Wells & Co, Ltd., Earls- 
wood Nurseries, Redhill, Surrey, were first; Mr. G. 
Hunt, gardener to P. Ralli, Esq., Ashstead Park, 
Epsom, second; Mr. R. C. Pulling, Monkhams Nur¬ 
sery, Woodford Green, third; and a consolation prize 
was awarded to Messrs. Cragg, Harrison, & Cragg, 
Heston, Middlesex. All of these showed fine blooms, 
though the first prize collection was exceedingly 
strong and very superior. This entry contained the 
varieties Chas. Davis, Mdme von Andre, Janet Lady 
Clarke, Lord Salisbury, Lord Ludlow, C. J. Salter, 
Mabel Morgan, Mrs. Barkley, Mr. Louis Remy, W. 
R. Church, and Mdme. A. Capitante. Most of 
these are new. Judging from the public com¬ 
ments on this show one must conclude that 
similar shop exhibitions are very much needed in 
order to familiarise the people with Chrysanthe¬ 
mums. 
Weather in London.—The London weather still 
continues free from the pernicious fogs. Rain, some 
sunshine, and a general, even mildness has prevailed 
during the week. The rain has at times fallen 
heavily. 
Nurserymen of the United States, America, are 
takiDg full advantage of the opportunity to send 
stock into Canada. The only ports of entry are St. 
John, Windsor, Niagara Falls, Vancouver, and 
Winnipeg. The traffic must cease by December 
15th. 
The Workmen’s Compensation Act.—A case 
which we think of some importance to gardeners was 
instanced in the legal query colums of Gardening 
Illustrated last week. A workman (gardener) wanted 
to know if he could claim compensation for a certain 
injury. This occurred while he was standing on a 
ladder sawing the thick bough of an Apple tree, and 
just as the saw got through the bough it flew up, 
hitting him on the elbow, and the ladder slipped, 
and he fell. He has now left hospital, though the 
arm is far from well, and the part where the bone 
was taken out has not yet healed. The lawyer’s 
answer to him was, that the Workmen's Compensa¬ 
tion Act does not apply, and nothing in his state¬ 
ments show any liability on the part of his master 
under the Employers’ Liability Act. The latter 
cannot be said to be in default, and the injured 
gardener is not entitled to compensation from him. 
“ Wall Fruit Trees.”—This was the subject of a 
paper read by Mr. T. Turton, the well-known fruit 
exhibitor, of Sherborne Castle Gardens, Dorset, at 
the fortnightly meeting of the Reading and District 
Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association, and 
as Mr. Turton was one of the originators of the 
society, it is needless to say the attendance was very 
large. The paper given was an exceedingly practical 
one, touching upon Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, 
Pears, Plums, Cherries, Currants, and Gooseberries, 
also soil, situation, training, pruning, &c. An 
interesting discussion followed, in which the follow¬ 
ing took park;—Messrs. Stanton, Hinton, Neve, 
Powell, Lees, Chamberlain, Exler, Townsend, 
Turner, Alexander, Baskett, and Lever. A hearty 
vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Turton for his 
paper. The exhibits were not so numerous as usual 
but were of excellent quality, viz. :—A large heap of 
Sutton's Selected Ailsa Craig Onion, each of the 
thirty bulbs staged being typical of this noted Strain. 
Mr. Stanton, of Park Place Gardens, showed a 
basket of Coe's Golden Drop and Blue Imperatrice 
Plums. Two new members were elected. 
The Retirement of Mr. John Baxter.—Some 
little time ago Mr. John Baxter, who has served as 
gardener to Colonel McCall, Daldowie, Broomhouse, 
Glasgow, for the long period of forty-one years was 
presented with a walking-stick and a purse of 
sovereigns, in recognition of his services. At the 
same time Mrs. Baxter received an umbrella. 
Again on the 21st of November, at the 
annual meeting of the Scottish Pansy and 
Viola Association, in Glasgow, and after the 
usual business was settled, Mr. Stewart, the chair¬ 
man, made a few graceful and well chosen remarks, 
and in the name of the members, presented Mr. 
Baxter with a handsome umbrella, bearing a suit¬ 
able inscription ; and Mrs. Baxter with a fur necklet 
as a token of the respect fn which they are held, on 
the occasion of leaving Daldowie, after forty-one 
years service, and what he had done for the advance 
of Violas during the last twenty-five years. During 
his long and active life Mr. Baxter has been a ve.ry 
enthusiastic cultivator as well as a raiser of Violas. 
Up till 1893, at least, he always took the first prize 
for seedling Violas, open to all, at the Scottish Pansy 
Society's annual meeting in Edinburgh. One of his 
proudest feats was the taking of the first prize for 
twenty-four bunches of Violas, open to the United 
Kingdom, at the great International Exhibition in 
Glasgow. We have been cognisant of his notoriety 
as a raiser of Violas for many years; and have 
grown a number of his finest varieties, including 
Duchess of Fife, White Duchess, York and Lan¬ 
caster, Blue Cloud, and others. White Flag, 
Ravenswood, Gipsy Queen, Ada Adair, and Countess 
of Elgin were also varieties sent out bearing the 
name Baxter in brackets after the new varieties 
labelled as above. Many of them are still very 
popular amongst growers and for bedding purposes 
generally. 
