March 16, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
453 
England grows 27,000 tons of Hops, but uses 
33,000. 
Richmond Horticultural Society.—The date fixed 
for the 27th annual exhibiton of this society is 
June 26th. It is always a very popular meeting, and 
owing to its Royal and distinguished patrons, can 
always boast of many noted visitors. The show bids 
fair to become more popular than ever this year, as 
arrangements have been made with the National 
Rose Society to hold its Southern Counties show in 
conjunction with it. 
The Garden Boy.—A nobleman once insisted on 
his head gardener taking as an apprentice a young 
lad in whom be was interested. The lad was very 
lazy, and the gardener was not at all pleased at hav¬ 
ing such a youth thrust upon him. Some time after 
his lordship, walking the garden, came upon his 
gardener, and said : "Well, John, how is my young 
friend getting on with you ? ” “ Oh, he’s doin' 
fine!" replied the gardener, with a smile, “ He's 
workin’ away there at the very job that suits him. 
’Ees a-chasin’ of the snails oH’n the walks ! ”— 
Answers. 
The Netherlands Horticultural and Botanical 
Society.—In a pamphlet issued by the permanent 
committee of the Netherlands Horticultural and 
Botanical Society, we note that many plants of 
English raising have gained distinction, especially 
Dahlias. The following have gained First-class 
Certificates:—Augustus C. Hare, Cannell’s Crest, 
Mrs. Carter Page, Mrs. J. J. Crowe, Elsie, Emperor, 
Green’s White, Innovation, Lodestone, Major Tup¬ 
penny, Weston, Olive, Progenitor, Red Rover, 
Uncle Tom, and William Joweth. Bougainvillea 
sanderiana also received a First-class Certificate. 
Woolton Gardeners’ Society.—The concluding 
meeting of the present session was held at the 
Mechanics’ Institute on the 7th inst., Mr. R. Todd 
presiding. The subject for consideration was 
" Manures,” and was introduced by Mr. R. Orrett, of 
West Derby, who, in addition to his lecture, exhibited 
numerous examples of various kinds of manure. The 
specimens added considerably to the information im¬ 
parted, giving a truer knowledge than could be done 
by oral descriptions. At the outset the lecturer in¬ 
vited questions (as he proceeded) if anything was 
not made sufficiently clear. This offer was taken 
advantage of most freely, which added greatly to the 
interest and information. At the conclusion a 
hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. Orrett 
for his instructive lecture. The secretary announced 
that arrangements would be made for holding an 
examination in April, under the auspices of the Royal 
Horticultural Society. 
A National Sweet Pea Society.—With reference 
to a communication made by Mr. Richard Dean, 
and which appeared in your issue for March 9th, 
concerning an invitation to him to attend a meeting 
in the City on the 12th inst., with a view to forming 
a National Sweet Pea Society, I beg to submit cor¬ 
respondence I had with that gentleman on the 
subject. Before any steps were taken to convene the 
meeting, this correspondence was considered by the 
gentlemen with, and for whom I am acting in this 
matter, and in view of Mr. Dean’s reply of 
February 20th, comment by me on his published 
remarks is needless. —Charles E. Wilkins. 
19, Lyndhurst Road, 
London, S.E. 
February 19 th, 1901. 
R. Dean, Esq., Ealing. 
Dear Sir, — I have been approached with the view 
of assisting in the formation of a Sweet Pea Society ; 
but before doing anything] either one way or the 
other, shall be glad to know if it is your intention to 
form a society, or run a show on similar lines to the 
one held last year, as I am of the opinion that there 
is not room for two societies, and do not wish to 
interfere with any project you may have in hand. 
Yours faithfully, 
(Signed) Charles E. Wilkins. 
Ealing, February 20 th, 1901. 
I have no knowledge of any Sweet Pea society to 
be formed in London, or of any Sweet Pea show to 
be held in the metropolitan district. There is to be 
a large show in Boston during July, which I am to 
judge. 
(Signed) R. Dean. 
Lamium Galeobdolon, the yellow flowering, wild 
Dead Nettle, is a subject worthy of cultivation in all 
gardens. It is remarkably showy, but requires a 
chalky soil. It is also known as Galeobdolon, 
luteum. 
Sayed by a Portable Engine —On Sunday 
morning, December i6tb, the sixty horse-power 
boiler burst in the establishment of Ant. C. 
Zvolanek, Grand View, N.J., which comprises some 
10,000 square feet of glass. By the prompt and 
willing assistance of his many friends, an engine 
such as is used by farmers for threshing grain, was 
procured, and by 4 o’clock of the same day steam 
was being supplied through a i-in. pipe running 
from the dome of the engine, and connecting with 
the large main of the greenhonses which furnishes 
the entire place. The main return was disconnected 
rom the damaged boiler to allow the exhaust steam 
to pass out. By running in this way frost was kept 
out of the houses. The following day the second 
engine was obtained, and by means of the two 55 0 to 
70 p was kept up. The engines were in use for five 
nights, or until the damaged boiler had been repaired. 
— C. W. C., in The Florists' Exchange. 
Horticultural.—We have received from Messrs. 
Toogood & Sons, the Royal Seedsmen, of South¬ 
ampton, a copy of their 86th Annual Farm Seed 
Book, which contains full particulars, cultural 
directions, &c., of all kinds of farm crops. In a 
prefatory note the Messrs. Toogood & Sons claim 
that for nearly 100 years they have grown their own 
strains with the object of supplying their customers 
with absolutely the best of new, pure and unadulter¬ 
ated seeds procurable, and all of the highest ger¬ 
minating power of each season. Thus the world¬ 
wide and enormously increasing business of this 
house has been built up on the sterling merit of its 
produce and the kindly recommendation of its 
customers. It is interesting to note that, despite 
the much discussed scarcity of good seed, the 
Messrs. Toogood never had better stocks than this 
year. The first part of the list is devoted to the 
firm’s pasttjre seeds, which have been sown in 
almost every parish in the United Kingdom for 
nearly 100 years, and so are too well known to 
farmers to need recommendation. The process of 
selection of agricultural roots, such as Maogels, 
Turnips, &c , followed by the Messrs. Toogood for 
the last 50 years, should ensure the very best strains 
it is possible to produce. For the period of time 
mentioned the seed-roots have been personally 
selected by a member of the firm, and a'terwards 
carefully examined and approved by each of the 
partners for their great size and weight, hardiness, 
trueness of shape and colour, small top, absence of 
side roots, and, above all, for the nutritive quality 
of the flesh as shown by analysis. 
Paraguayan Fruits.—Guava is one of the most 
abundant of Paraguayan fruits. There are immense 
numbers of trees throughout the country and women 
bring the fruit in bushel baskets to Asuncion. It is 
a yellow-skinned fruit about as large round as a five 
shilling piece and contains many small seeds. The 
tree looks like a Plum tree and yields about one 
bushel and a half. The Guava season is from Janu¬ 
ary to April, and commences again in August. This 
fruit, says the United States Consul at Asuncion, 
makes a delicious jelly, clear and light red in colour. 
The fruit is also used to make paste. Naranjitas, 
or small bitter Oranges, produce excellent preserves. 
They are about the size of a Lemon. The bitter 
taste is removed by immersion in running water, and 
the Orange entire—skin and pulp—is preserved. 
This Orange is said to hold the flavour much better 
than the sweet variety. Three years after planting 
the tree is ready to bear and it sometimes bears 
twicea year. The Lemon, or Limon as it is called in 
Paraguay, is not found in as great abundance as the 
Naranjita, but is also of extensive growth. It is not 
quite as large as our Lemon and is preserved entire 
like the Naranjita. The Lemon tree produces from 
two to three bushels. Aguai is a most delicious 
fruit, the size of a Plum, with two or three shiny 
seeds. The tree is the size of a large Apple tree and 
yields about four bushels. Many are found in the 
vicinity of Asuncion, especially in the town of Lam- 
bare, also in Campo Grande. Abacaxis is a kind 
of Brazilian Pineapple that has been introduced into 
Paraguay and grows abundantly. It is very juicy 
and exceedingly sweet. It is stated by experienced 
persons in Paraguay that the Abacaxis when pre¬ 
served will retain its flavour and remain fresh fcr 
years.— Journal of the Society of Arts. 
Willow Shoots, or Osiers, if this name is pre¬ 
ferred, are very serviceable to many tying purposes, 
where a strong binding is necessary. 
Italian Orange Trees rarely yield more than 
2,000 fruits each. Florida and Californian trees, of 
40 years of age, produce 20,000 each. 
- f 
THE UNITED HORTICULTURAL 
BENEFIT AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
The annual meeting was held at the Caledonian 
Hotel on Monday, the nth inst., when the report and 
balance sheet for the past year was presented. The 
accounts show that the society still continues in a 
sound and flourishing condition. During the past 
year eighty-three members joined, nineteen lapsed, 
and four died, making a membership of 851. The 
amount of subscriptions paid by members of the 
Benefit Fund, including arrears, was £1,346 14s. 8J. 
The Sick Pay Account was £301 3s., there being a 
great amount of sickness during the early part of the 
year. But still the belance in band in this fund is 
very satisfactory, it being £13,371 os. 8d. against 
£12,190 9s. 2d. the previous year. The balance in 
hand of the Voluntary Convalescent Fund is 
£428 12s. nd. against £400 3s. id. last year. 
The Management Fund expenditure was some¬ 
what heavier than usual. It was also the quinquen¬ 
nial year for valuation, the actuary's fee being 
£12 12s. The secretary has also been paid up to 
date this year ; other years he has been a year 
behind; this made another large draw on the 
account, bringing two years' salaries into one year’s 
expenses, but the fund has still a substantial balance 
of £65 4s. 3d. The society’s accounts were audited 
by Messrs. G. Dixon, W. Gunner, and T. H. Puzey 
and found correct. Addressing the meeting, the 
chairman, W. Roupell, Esq., spoke in glowing terms 
of the society's secretary. He said he bad often 
visited him, and generally found him in deep study 
surrounded by a whole host of musty looking books, 
working hard at the accounts. He said. “ The 
society is blessed with some sound business men, men 
with a masterful way of doing business, who see 
that each matter is done thoroughly. For some 
years the society did not seem to make much 
headway until Mr. Wright gave it impetus by 
publishing the reports of the work in the Journal of 
Horticulture. It is not really a society but a bundle 
of societies, and is indeed a very complicated affair. 
Mr. Collins has grown to the work and the work to 
Mr. Collins, and should anything happen that the 
society should lose his services, I’m sure the loss 
would be greatly felt by it. Unless a man has 
grown up in the work as Mr. Collins has it would 
take an accountant and two clerks to manage the 
affair properly. The work actually shown in the 
books represents a vast amount of labour, but this 
is nothing to the amount of scrap paper work. He 
is blessed with a very good assistant in his wife who 
willingly assists in the arduous work, and the society 
ought to be grateful for her services, for by her 
inconspicuous labours the expense of keeping a clerk 
is spared. We have reason to be proud of 
the fact that the society was founded, officered, and 
brought to this pitch of gilt-edged securities by 
working gardeners. The society still goes on 
prospering, and as thrift increases so do the funds." 
He then proposed that the report be adopted. 
Mr. Hudson in seconding looked back to the time 
when things looked the reverse to what they do now. 
He appealed to members to make known the advan¬ 
tages to be obtained, and persuade others to join. 
It was proposed and seconded “ That only 3,000 
reports be printed this year instead of 5,000.” Mr. 
A. S. Galt brought the following amendment to this. 
•' That 5,000 should be printed again this year as the 
cost would not be as five to three, and 5,000 ought 
not to be too many to distribute amongst 20,001.” He 
proposed some better method of distribution. He 
askedWhy not send copies to all secretaries of Horti¬ 
cultural and Mutual Improvement Societies ? If the 
returns from this method of advertisement are not 
satisfactory then move into other fields ; if a crop does 
not do well on certain land it is shifted to where it 
will do well, and why not apply the remedy in this 
case ? • Do not hide your light under a bushel,’ and 
* Do not spoil your ship fora ha’p’orth of tar.’ Dj not 
advertise recklessly as that leads a man to the 
workhouse, but advertise judiciously and that leads 
to success. The way to get a thing done well is to 
do it yourself. It is not a practice to be recom- 
