568 
THE GARDENING \Y O RED. 
Trilliums.—These are supposed to be one of the 
transitions between monocotyledons and dicotyledons 
as they have a flower of a monocotyledon, but have 
the reticulate venation which is characteristic of a 
diocotyledon. 
Floral Decorations at St. James’ Hall.—The 
platform at St. James’ Hall on Tuesday, April 23rd, 
was tastefully decorated with cut Narcissi, Ferns, 
Spiraeas, and Palms by Mr. A. J. Brown, of the 
School of Handicraft, Chertsey. The flowers seen 
were brought from the school gardens, the occasion 
being a concert by 500 children from various 
homes. 
British Ferns.—In a paragraph on abnormal 
types of British Ferns in our issue of February 9th, 
1901, p. 373, we merely reprinted the list from The 
Fern Bulletin. In so doing we copied several names 
that had been changed and Americanised across 
the Atlantic, and in thus reprinting these in our 
British paper It makes It appear that Mr. Druery 
has changed his mind regarding the nomenclature of 
Ferns. This he emphatically disclaims, and we 
hope this explanation may set matters right. He 
firmly adheres to the British system of naming as 
heretofore. 
Chesterfield and District Chrysanthemum 
Society.—The annual autumn show of the above 
society is to be held in the Stephenson Memorial 
Hall, on November 13th and 14th. It is a very popu¬ 
lar show, and well deserves the support it gets, as 
the proceeds are given entirely to charity. Last 
year their financial affairs were so good that they 
were able to hand over /40 to the Royal Gardeners’ 
Orphan Fund. The special objects of this show are 
to promote and encourage the cultivation of the 
Chrysanthemum, to secure as far as practicable, 
fair and open competition and to discountenance, by 
every available means, any attempt at unfair or 
fraudulent exhibiting and to help gardening charities 
and other deserving objects. 
Dutch Horticultural and Botanical Society.— 
The Floral Committee at the meeting of April 10th 
last, awarded First-class Certificates to Mr. P. W. 
Sutorius, of Baarn, for Begonia Glolre de Lorraine; 
to Mr. J. Van Stolk, Jr., of Heemstede, for Cypri- 
pedium insigne coloratum callossum; to Mr. W. C. 
Baron Van Boetzelaer, of Maartensdijk, for Laelia 
joDgheana. A Gilded Silver Medal was awarded to 
Mr. D. J. Tas, of Aalsmeer, for a collection of cut 
flowers. A Silver Medal went to Mr. H. C. Hacke, 
of Baarn, for a collection of Orchids. Bronze 
Medals were awarded to Mr. H. Hornsveld, of 
Baarn, for a collection of Odontoglossum Rossii 
majus; to Mr. C. J. Kikkert, of Haarlem, for a col¬ 
lection of Odontoglossum ; and to Mr. H. C. Hacke, 
of Baarn, for a collection of warm house plants. 
An Honourable Mentioning was accorded to Mr. H. 
C. Hacke, of Baarn, for Clerodendron Thompsoni. 
High-leYel Plants of Thibet. —At the meeting of 
the Linnean Society on the 18th ult., Messrs. W. B. 
Hemsley, F.R.S., F.L.S., and H. H. Pearson, 
F.L.S., communicated a paper on the Flora of Tibet, 
based on various collections of high-level plants 
received at the Kew Herbarium. The country 
dealt with was described as lying between 8o° and 
102 0 lat. and 28° and 29° long., and having an 
average altitude of 15,000 ft. Within this area 360 
species of vascular plants had been collected, and 
were referred to 144 genera and 46 natural orders. 
Almost all the orders represented were nearly of 
world-wide distribution, and none were really local. 
Of the 360 species, only 30 appeared to be peculiar 
to Tibet. In illustration of the paper, a selection of 
the plants was exhibited; most of them dwarf deep- 
rooted herbs, very few annual or monocarpic, and 
the only woody plant, Ephedra gerardiana, was 
described as scarcely rising above the surface of the 
ground. The majority had been collected at alti¬ 
tudes varying between 15,000 and 18,000 ft. Mr. C. 
B. Clarke, F.R S., F.L.S., in making some observa¬ 
tions on the paper, pointed out that the name 
“Thibet'' or “Tibet’’ was quite unknown to the 
people who dwelt in the country so-called, and its 
precise boundaries were even still imperfectly 
defined. It was convenient, however, to retain a 
name by which it was known to so many European 
travellers, and their explorations and collections 
were making us better acquainted with the country 
every day. 
Grape Growing in Australia.—That the Grape 
Vine would flourish so luxuriantly as it does in the 
Island Continent was discovered in a very simple 
way. A settler brought out with him a large quan¬ 
tity of cuttings which he planted on a plot. These 
were found to grow so remarkably well that many 
soon followed his example. This was about 1828, 
and his vineyard became the nursery for supplying 
the planters. They are grown principally for wine 
making. In some seasons, 260 gallons per acre is 
yielded. Large quantities are made into brandy. 
They are also being dried extensively in some parts 
of the colony for export. 
South African Agriculture.—Professor Wallace 
of Edinburgh did not speak very favourably of 
agriculture in South Africa, when reading a paper 
before the members of the Royal Colonial Institute 
at the Hotel Metropole, London. He said that 
those districts without irrigation are subjected to 
periodical droughts which at times destroy a whole 
season's crops. On the central plateau destructive 
hailstorms are prevalent, and on the common grain 
crops fungoid parasitic pests are so numerous that it 
is practically impossible to cultivate European cereals 
during the wet season of summer. 
Fruit Trees on the Table.—People with an 
abundance of money are always looking for some 
fresh means of squandering it. One of the latest 
fads is to have the dessert fruit grown on small trees 
and have them placed on the table so that the guests 
can pick their own fruit. Cherries are the fruit 
chiefly grown as they can be produced in greater 
quantities on small trees. They are very difficult to 
grow for this purpose as they have to be pruned so 
severely to keep them within bounds. They are 
allowed to grow to about 3 ft. high and are closely 
cut in. The fruit is thinned as soon as the stoning is 
over, so that their size and quality may be superior 
to other Cherries. Perhaps directly we shall hear 
of a hotbed and Melons growing on it being made up 
on the table. 
Too Much Light.—The following paragraph is 
from The Florists' Exchange :—“Daniel Gorman, the 
florist of Williamsport, Pa., who has been defendant 
for two years in a case of equity growing out of light 
reflected from his greenhouses which, it was alleged, 
annoyed the plaintiffs, is about to begin the con¬ 
struction of another big greenhouse. According to 
the settlement of the case against him, he is either 
to build a fence in front of his property or build a 
small house in front of the one which caused the 
trouble, making the angle 70 0 —when, according to 
the architect, there will be no reflection—or he is to 
change the angle of the present glass roof of 45® to 
one of 70®.” London nurserymen, we venture to say, 
would put up with a few law suits for reflection if 
they could keep their glass in a state that would cast 
one. 
Bristol .and District Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Association.—The third annual 
meeting of the association was held at St. John’s 
Parish Room, Redland, on Thursday, April 25th, 
Mr. G. Brook presiding. The report for the year 
ending April 1st was presented and adopted. It 
showed that the society was making steady pro¬ 
gress, having a present total membership of over 
100, the average attendance being about fifty. 'The 
meetings held during the year have been altogether 
of such a character as to warrant the existence in 
the neighbourhood of the association. The financial 
statement showed that though, on account of some 
extra expenditure, there was a small deficit on the 
year, the balance still in the hands of the treasurer 
amounted to £4 12s. The president of the association 
is Mr. H. Cary. Batten. The other officers elected 
were:—chairman, Mr. A. J. Hancock; vice-chair¬ 
men, Messrs. E. Binfield and E. Poole, F.R.H.S.; 
hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. W. Ellis Groves; 
assistant hon. secretary, Mr. H. Kitley. The com¬ 
mittee for the year was also elected. Prizes for two 
foliage plants suitable for table decoration were 
awarded—first, Mr. W. A. Todd (gardener, Mr. 
Sutton); second, Mr. Price; equal thirds, Mr. W. 
Howell Davies (gardener, Mr. Curtis), and Mr. 
Spry. Certificates of Merit went to Mr. W. M. 
Wills (gardener, Mr. Frampton), for Odontoglossum 
Edwardii; Mr. J. Chetwood Aiken (gardener, Mr. 
Clark), and Mr. Gardner each for Roses; and Mr. 
Ware, Dendrobi.um nobile. 
May 4, 1901. 
Grafted Crimson Rambler.—If pieces of the 
Crimson Rambler Rose are grafted on to multiflora 
roots early in January and potted into 4-m pots, 
they make nice litile plants for Easter decoration, 
bearing several trusses of bloom. According to our 
contemporary, The American Florist, this method is 
largely adopted by American nurserymen who are 
enabled to sell them at a low price and yet make 
huge profits. It is to be hoped that our British 
nurserymen may follow the example of their 
American confreres. 
Two new Genera of Chinese Trees.—At the 
meeting of the Linnean Society on the 18th ult., 
Mr. W. B. Hemsley, F.R.S., exhibited the leaves 
and flowers of two new genera of Chinese trees : (r) 
Bretschneideria, discovered by Dr. Henry in the 
province of Yunnan, lat. 23° N., in forests at an 
elevation of 5,000 ft., and bearing pink and white 
flowers like the Horse Chestnut, to which it is 
related ; and (2) Itoa, also a native of Yunnan, 
growing at a similar elevation and to a height of 
about 20 ft. The genus, named in honour of a 
famous Japanese botanist, was stated to be allied to 
Idesia, Maxim., Poliothyrsus, Oliver, and Carrierea, 
Franch., all monotypic genera inhabiting China, but 
differing from them in certain respects which Mr. 
Hemsley indicated. 
British Exhibition in St. Petersburg, 1901 - 2 .— 
This exhibition of the arts, manufactures, products 
and inventions of the British Empire, which will be 
open on November 14th, 1901, and remain open 
until February 14th, 1902, during the season of the 
year when the members cf the Russian aristocracy, 
officials, army and navy, professional and mercantile 
classes, are resident in the capital, cflers to the 
manufacturers and producers of the United Kingdom 
an admirable and unique opportunity for bringing 
their exhibits before the wealthy and intelligent 
classes of Russia. The exhibition will be confined 
to the manufacturers and producers of the British 
Empire. Messrs. S. Gorer & Son, 120, New Bond 
Street, London, W., have been appointed official 
agents, and will be pleased to furnish all particulars 
as to freight, insurance, installation and super¬ 
intendence of exhibits to any exhibitor who may 
apply for them. They also undertake all trans¬ 
lations. 
Reading and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association.—At the last meeting of the 
winter and spring session of the above association, a 
good attendance of members assembled to hear a 
paper on " Early Potato Culture’’ given by Mr. W. 
P. Lasham, a member of the association. The sub¬ 
ject was treated in an exceedingly interesting manner 
under the following headings:—the selection of 
suitable varieties for the purpose in view ; size of 
sets ; the setting up of tubers in boxes ; greening 
v. non-greening ; forcing in boxes; growing in pots ; 
forcing in hotbeds ; planting in borders against walls 
facing south ; soil, &c. Reference was also made to 
the methods adopted by the growers in the Canary 
Islands, Cornwall, Jersey, Scotland, &c., to produce 
Potatos for the English markets. The whole was 
made more than usually interesting by an excellent 
series of limelight pictures, illustrating the routine 
of work carried out in the districts named. A dis¬ 
cussion followed, in which Messrs. Neve, Lees, 
Hinton, Fry, Wilson, Gibson, Powell, Barnes, and 
Stanton took part. A splendid display of flowers 
was made on this occasion, to which the following 
contributed Mr. G. Stanton, Park Place, varieties 
of Schizanthus, Magnolia conspicua, M. conspicua 
soulangeana, Celsia gigantea, Azara microphylla; 
Mr. Exler, Redlands, two plants of Orchid, Phaius; 
Mr. E. S. Pigg, Samoa, Orchid, Cymbidium 
lowianum; Mr. F. Lever, Hillside, Cineraria 
stellata in various sized pots, and a William Allen 
Richardson Rose grown from a cutting inserted in 
August, 1899, bearing fifty-six blooms (Cultural 
Certificate); whilst Narcissi ware shown in large 
numbers; Mr. W. Townsend, Sandhurst Lodge, 
exhibiting forty-four varieties; Mr. A. G. Nichols, 
Strathfieldsaye, twenty two varieties; and Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, ten varieties. These included 
excellent specimens of Glory of Leiden, Emperor, 
Empress, Cernuus, Sir Watkin, Queen Bess, Frank 
Miles, Duchess of Brabant, P. R. Barr, Johnstoni, 
King and Queen of Spain, &c., &c. A hearty vote 
of thanks was accorded to Mr. Lasham, and to the 
exhibitors. Two new members were elected. 
