340 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 26, 1901. 
pean wocdy vegetation. Some of our 
schoolmasters used to speak of trees 
dwindling and dwindling as the North Pole 
was approached until one could pull up a 
tree and put it—roots, stems and branches— 
into a pocket book. The largest trees, or 
those to whicn the name can with any 
justice be applied, are the Birches, and only 
Betula pubescens of the three native species, 
all being British. The Scotch Fir and the 
Norway Spruce have both been sown and 
planted, but they do not for long survive 
the rigours of this northern land. Other 
wood}' vegetation exists, but only of a dwarf 
shrubby character, so that the island 
possesses only one species deserving the 
name of tree. There is no evidence that 
Firs, such as are characteristic of Norway, 
ever existed since the birth of man upon the 
globe. 
It is said that excellent crops of Potatos 
can be grown in the northern parts of Ice¬ 
land (introduced by man of course), but that 
the climate is totally incapable of maturing 
a crop of corn of any kind, and very few 
products of European gardens. How then 
can the people live ? External to the island 
there is the harvest of the sea; internally 
there is good grass in extensive boggy or 
wet meadows, though more extensive tracts 
are totally barren, consisting chiefly of 
the debris of volcanos where the land is not 
covered with snow or ice. This grass is 
made into hay, and in proportion to its 
quantity and the number of live stock (cattle 
and sheep) that can be supported through 
the long, dreary winter, in like ratio can the 
inhabitants prosper. The operations of a 
gardener there, if at all deserving of the 
name, would be very limited indeed ; though 
there might be room for what the Americans 
wou\d term an ornamental gardener, that 
is, one whose object is to grow ornamental 
plants for which the demand must always 
remain very limited there, as it seems that 
the “ages” can hardly grow to that 
“ Civility and Elegancie ” implied by the 
writings of Bacon. In Britain we complain 
of the short, cloudy and sunless days of 
winter ; but in Iceland these difficulties are 
greatly intensified. It is a land of fire and 
ice, and also a land of fogs. Owing to the 
comparative mildness of the climate of the 
northern part of the island, due to the influ¬ 
ence gf the Gulf Stream, the condensation 
of moisture is very great, the rainfall equally 
so, and the skies are often so overcast as to 
obstruct the effect of sunlight even in sum¬ 
mer. This relative lack of sunlight alone 
is responsible for the impossibility of bring¬ 
ing most European garden cropstomaturity, 
and agriculture is limited by the same 
agencies. 
Having made mention of ornamental 
plants a few of them may here be noted to 
show that we already possess them and 
appreciate them in proportion to their value. 
The rock garden, with its appendages, is the 
proper place for most of them. Amongst 
the more interesting of those that are not 
British we may mention Papaver alpinum, 
Arabis alpina, Saxifraga Cotyledon, S. 
Aizoon, Cassiope hypnoides, Ledum palu- 
stre, and Diapensia lapponica, by no means 
a lengthy list. Amongst British Rosa 
spinosissima, the parent of the Scotch 
Roses, is the only species found in Iceland. 
Other plants having some pretence to 
decorative value are Caltha palustris, 
Cardamine pratensis, Viola tricolor, Par- 
nassia palustris, silene maritima, S. acaulis 
(the Cushion Pink), Lychnis alpina, Ceras- 
tium alpinum, C. arvense, Geranium 
pratense, G. sylvaticum, G. Phaeum, 
Anthyllis Vulneraria, Lathyrus maritimus, 
Spiraea Ulmaria, Alchemilla alpina, Poten- 
tilla maculata, Dryas octopetala, Geum 
rivale, Epilobium, Sedum Rhodiola, S. 
album, S. acre, Saxifraga oppositifolia, S. 
hypnoides, S. caespitosa, S. granulata, S. 
stellaris, S. aizo : des, the Ivy, Cornus suecica, 
Antennaria dioica, Carduus heterophyllus, 
the Daisy, Campanula rotundifolia, Calluna 
vulgaris, Erica Tetralix, Vaccinium Vitis- 
idaea, Pyrola media, P. minor, Gentiana 
verna, The Bog-bean, Viper’s Bugloss, 
Forget-me-not, P'oxglove, Veronica saxatilis, 
'Fhyme, Primula farinosa, Thrift, Salix 
pentandra, S. 'purpurea, S. Caprea, S. 
phylicifolia, S. reticulata, Orchis mascula, 
O. Morio, O. maculata, O. latifolia, and 
Mianthemum bifolium. Rushes, sedges 
and grasses are abundant. Some of the 
more important Ferns are the Mountain 
Parsley, common" Polypody, Beech and 
Oak P'erns, Woodsia ilvensis, W. hyper- 
borea, the Holly Fern, Bladder Fern, Lady 
and Male Ferns, Asplenium fontanum, A. 
septentrionale, A. Trichomanes, the Hard 
Fern, Moonwort and Adder’s-tongue. The 
only plants that can lay claim to supplying 
food are Fragaria vesca, the Mountain Ash 
(berries), Caraway and Dandelion. Evi¬ 
dently then there are few attractions for the 
gardener in Iceland. 
- - » b»——— 
Gardening Appointment.—Mr. D. F. Johnston, 
lately foreman in the Palace Gardens, Dalkeith, as 
head gardener to E. K. B. Tighe, Esq., of Wood- 
stock, Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
flower show of the Royal Horticultural Society will 
be held on Tuesday, January 29th, in the Drill Hall, 
Buckingham Gate, Westminster, 1 10 4 p.m. A 
lecture on " Some of the Plants Exhibited ” will be 
given by the Rev. Professor G. Henslow, M.A., &c. 
Haarlem Bulb-culture Society —Since its estab¬ 
lishment in i860, the ” Societe generate de Bulbo- 
culture de Haarlem ’’has fljurished under the pre¬ 
sidency of Mr. J. H. Krelage, the oldest representa¬ 
tive of Dutch horticulture. Having had to relinquish 
this post owing to bis advanced age, Mr. Krelage 
was presented with a portrait of himself, painted by 
the Dutch artist, Haverman, this portrait being a 
chef -d.'-oeuvre. In addition to this sympathetic 
manifestation, the subscribers presented Mr. Krelage 
with an album bearing their names. Mr. J. H 
Wentholt has been elected president. 
Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual 
Improvement Society.—The first annual meet¬ 
ing was held at the Sunflower Temperance Hotel, 
George Street. Upwards of eighty members were 
present. The committee presented their report and 
balance sheet for the past year, which were con¬ 
firmed and adopted. The members then proceeded 
to the election of officers and committee for the 
present year. Frank Lloyd, Esq., Coombe House, 
was elected president. Vice-presidents : F. W. Bur- 
bidge, V.M.H., Trinity College Botanic Gardens, 
Dublin; C. H. Walker, Esq., Falkland Park; and 
T. English, Esq , Addington Park ; treasurer, F. C. 
L. Wratten, Esq ; chairman, Mr. W. J. Simpson ; 
vice-chairman, Mr. E. Mills; committee, Messrs. 
A. Blogg. W. Bryant, A. Chipperfield, J. Dingwall, 
W. Harris, Humphreys, W. J. Jarman, W. Laing 
(Sutton), H. Lisle, C. Moore, A H. Naylor, E. 
Kromer, J. Sewell, W. Turney, W. Woodgate, W. 
Wright ; hon. secretary, John Gregory. The 
chairman called upon those present to make any 
suggestions for the future benefit of the society. The 
secretary suggested that all possible encouragement 
should be given the young gardeners, with the result 
that six members offered prizes for essays on horti¬ 
cultural subjects. The announcement met with 
most hearty applause. On the proposition of Mr. 
Boshier, seconded by Mr. E. Kromer, it was decided 
to hold a dinner, followed by a social evening, to be 
held in February. Votes of thanks to the officers and 
committee concluded a most enthusiastic meeting. 
The statement of accounts for the year ending 31st 
December, 1900, showed that the society was in a 
very sound state financially, notwithstanding the 
extra expenses incurred in founding the same, aod 
its first year of working. The balance in band 
was 19s. 4d., r not a large amoun’, but satisfactory.— 
J. Gregory , hon. secretary, 6o, Canterbury Road, Croydon. 
Mr. John Mackay.—In our notice of Mr. 
Mackay’s appointment as Orchid grower at High¬ 
bury, in last week's issue, we wroogly spelt his name 
as Machie ; whereas “ he’s the real Mackay ! ” 
Fruit Growing in Siberia —We learn that the 
Russian Government are granting subsidies to new 
settlers in Siberia to encourage the culture of fruit 
and of farming. Since 1894 £543,000 has been spent 
in this direction. 
Mr. Geo. W. Scott.—The death is announced of 
Mr. Geo. W. Scott, well known to American horti¬ 
culturists, and especially intimate among the mem¬ 
bers of the American Association of Cemetery 
Superintendents. Mr. Scott was born in Roxburgh¬ 
shire, Scotland, in 1841. 
Yeitch Memorial Fund.—At a meeting of the 
trustees, held on January 15th, it was decided to 
place at the disposal of the Glasgow and West of 
Scotland Horticultural Society two Veitchian 
Medals and two prizes of £5 each to be competed 
for at the exhibitions proposed to be held by the 
society in connection with the Glasgow International 
Exhibition of 1901. They also decided to place a 
medal and prize of £5 at the disposal of the 
Wolverhampton Floral and Cottagers' Horticultural 
Society, and the TauDton Deane Horticultural 
Society, to be competed for at their respective 
summer shows. It was further decided to offer a 
large Silver Veitchian Medal to Mr. R. Irwin 
Lynch, A.L S., Curator of the Cambridge Botanic 
Garden, and to Mr. W. B. Latham, Curator of the 
Birmingham Botanic GardeD, in recognition of the 
eminent services rendered by them to horticulture. 
Ealing Gardeners’ Society.—" Pruning and 
Training Fruit Trees " was the subject of the open¬ 
ing meeting of the new year, which was held on the 
15th inst., Mr. H. Burgess in the chair. Mr. W. 
C haffer was the exponent and practical demonstrator 
of the “ Art, which does mend Nature." He ex¬ 
hibited rough sketches of badly-trained trees and 
also some others to show the trainer’s skill. His use 
of the knife on some branches which he had brought 
for the purpose was much appreciated. As one of 
the old school of gardeners he did not deny the 
value of root pruning, but relied rather on top 
pruning and training to make fruitful trees. The 
discussion which ensued circled round the root 
pruning question, the value of which was generally 
conceded. The usual votes of thanks were duly 
accorded. 
Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society of 
Manchester and the Northern Counties.—The re¬ 
port of the council of the above society was de¬ 
livered to the seventy-third annual meeting of pro¬ 
prietors, held on Thursday, Jaouary 24th, in the 
Lord Mayor's Parlour, Town Hall, Manchester. 
After twelve years of encumbered finances, the 
society winds up the old century with the pleasant 
account of £188 6s. 6d. to the good for 1900. The 
council may well compliment themselves on the 
state of affairs at .the termination of the century. 
The council hope that the turning point in the 
society’s fortunes has been reached, and there is 
every reason to believe (as the report said) that the 
society will not only pay its way year by year, but 
will do some little toward the extinction of its old 
debt, viz., the bank overdraft. The society pre- 
motes a spring flower show, a great Whitsuntide 
exhibition, a Rose show, and a Chrysanthemum 
show, each of which affords pleasure and instruction 
to the public. Another satisfactory feature of the 
report for 1900 is in the increase of annual sub¬ 
scriptions, an increase which is being steadily main¬ 
tained, and which the council hope will continue. 
The revenue account for the year ending December 
31st, 1900, as already stated, shows a surplus 
balance of £188 6s. 61 . The council stated that 
£250 had accrued from a transaction whereby they 
gave up their right of consideration to certain land 
surrounding the society's gardens. In 1829 certain 
covenants had been entered into when the pur¬ 
chasers had been buying land for the present gar¬ 
den, to the effect that the land forming a radius of 
400 yards from the garden should not be used for 
mercantile purposes. This land has been sold by 
the present proprietor, Sir Humphrey F. de Traf- 
ford, for building purposes, he not having known of 
the afosementioned covenant, but an arrangement 
was effected between the trustees and Sir Humphrey 
by which the old covenants were released. 
