584 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 11, 1901. 
The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. 
—The Dean of Rochester. Earl Egerton of Tatton, 
and Charles E. Keyser, Esq., J.P., will be amongst 
the supporters of Lord Llangattock, who presides 
on the occasion of the annual festival of the Gar¬ 
deners' Royal Benevolent Institution at the Hotel 
Metropole, on Wednesday, May 22nd. Early intim¬ 
ation should be given to the Secretary at 175. 
Victoria Street, S.W., by gentlemen who desire to be 
present. 
Cannell and Sons’ Floral Guide.—Amongst the 
many catalogues of nursery stock that are circulated 
throughout the country, there are few that approach 
the fullness and comprehensiveness of the above. 
For information on all matters relating to floricul¬ 
ture it is indispensable. We have just received a 
copy of the issue for 1901, and on looking through 
its pages we notice several new additions of novel¬ 
ties. notably in the Pelargonium, Begonia and 
Dahlia line. The plates are very numerous and 
well selected, making the book a useful encyclo¬ 
paedia for all who are interested in flowers. 
Useful Barberry.—" Why not plant moreBerberis 
vulgaris when there is such a call for hedging 
plants for our suburban gardens ?" says American 
Gardening,. “ Hardy, handsome, easily cared for and 
protected by sharp thorns from the depredations of 
stock, it seems to be one of the most desirable 
plants for the purpose, while its fruit finds a ready 
market wherever known." If it is grown, it should 
not be anywhere near corn fields, as the dreaded rust 
fungus which attacks the crops passes one of its 
stages on the Barberry. If there are no plants handy 
for it to pass this essential period on it cannot 
exist. No doubt it is for this reason that the Bar¬ 
berry is not so much grown as formerly. 
Death of Mr. M. Davis.—We regret to have to 
record the death on Friday last of Mr. Michael 
Davis, for more than forty years gardener at Manresa 
House, Roehampton. The deceased could say that 
he had the finest Vine in his charge in the United 
Kingdom that had been raised from a cutting and 
grown entirely by one man. This was accomplished 
by Mr. Davis, who was immensely proud of his 
splendid feat in cultivation. The rods were trained 
longitudinally and carried about 1,200 bunches every 
year ; each bunch averaged about ij lb. in weight, 
and the crop was a certain source of revenue to the 
Jesuit College of Manresa. Mr. Davis actually 
built the house over the Vine as this became larger 
and larger. He was much respected and liked by a 
wide circle of friends. 
The Fatal Bloom on Fruit.—The following 
interestiug article appeared recently in the extremely 
useful publication, The Medical Record:—•' Schnirer 
reports the result of an examination showing the 
danger of eatiDg fruit without first washing it. 
While at work one day in Weichselbaum’s labora¬ 
tory he sent for some Grapes to eat. The fruit had 
been kept in a basket outside the laboratory and 
was covered with dust, so that the water in which it 
was washed was black. On examining this Schnirer 
reflected that inasmuch as the neighbouring street 
was traversed by consumptive patients going to the 
clinic the dust might contain tubercle bacilli, and to 
settle this he injected into three guinea-pigs 10 c. c. 
of the water in which the Grapes had been washed. 
One animal died in two days, the others died on the 
forty-eighth and fifty-eighth days respectively, the 
latter presenting marked tuberculous lesions, 
especially at the place of injection. The water in 
which the Grapes had been washed was taken from 
the faucet, and the glass containing it had been 
sterilised ; neither the boy who brought the Grapes 
nor the merchant who sold them was consumptive. 
This danger was recognised long ago by Pasteur. 
One day at a large family dinner he called attention 
of those present to the danger of imbibing germs 
while eating fruit, and to impress the necessity of 
caution upon his hearers, washed his bunch of Grapes 
in a glass of water. After he had finished the 
Grapes and forgotten his little speech, being thirsty, 
he drank from the glass in which the Grapes had 
been washed, thereby rousing much merriment 
amongst the irreverent youngsters present." When 
we see the fruit offered for sale in the gutters of 
London, and how it is devoured by thousands every 
day, it is more easy to understand the alarming 
spread of this and many other similar diseases. 
Glasgow Exhibition.—At the western end of the 
Grand Avenue an alcove is beautifully filled by the 
floral exhibit of Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay. 
As the flowers and plants will be renewed and 
changed with tbe season this spot may always be 
reckoned as one of the sweetest in the show. 
Beckenham Horticultural Society.—On Friday. 
April 26th, the Beckenham Horticultural Society 
bad their last meeting for tbe season, when a paper 
on Petunias was given by Mr. Robertson. After the 
discussion a meeting was held by the library com¬ 
mittee, Mr. Thornton in the chair, supported by 
Dr. Stilwell, to hear the report, by Mr. Webster, of 
the past season. It was most satisfactory, and the 
members thanked Mr. Webster for his services in 
getting such splendid lecturers. It was most gratify¬ 
ing to know that several lectures bad been promised 
for next season. Mr. Crosswell, gardener to Mr. 
Bullivant, Homewood, exhibited some wonderfully 
fine Cyclamen blooms, the individual petals measur¬ 
ing over 2\ in. in length, and 1$ in. in width. 
The Late Mr; John Thomson.—On Tuesday 
afternoon, the 30th ult., the remains of the late Mr. 
John Thomson, the last surviving member of the 
founders of the firm of Messrs. William Thomson & 
Sons, Tweed Vineries, Clovenfords, Galashiels, 
were interred in Caddonfoot Churchyard. About 
thirty years have elapsed since the business was 
established by the late Mr. William Thomson and 
his two sons, and since then Clovenfords has been a 
Mecca for interested travellers from all parts of the 
world owing to the reputation these nurseries 
attained for the cultivation of Grapes. Notwith¬ 
standing the enormous crops which these Vines 
bore, so well were they nourished and cared for that 
those in the original vinery are still in good order, or 
were so two years ago. Tourists to the land of 
Scott found their way to the horticultural centre of 
an interesting but very hilly country. Mr. John 
Thomson in addition to being an adept in his own 
profession, also took a lively interest in parish affairs, 
being a member of the Caddonfoct School Board 
and also a parish councillor, since the establishment 
of parish councils. As a result of all these and 
other engagements, he was well known and highly 
respected in the district. He had also endeared 
himself to all with whom he came in contact by his 
kindly disposition towards his fellow-men and his 
interest in their welfare, so that he will be greatly 
missed in the district. He was comparatively a 
young man, being only forty-nine years of age. The 
funeral was the largest that has been seen in the 
district for many years, thus evincing the desire of 
the followers to do honour to their departed friend. 
The Stronghold of the Nuthatch.—The peculiar 
methods by which nuthatches seek immunity from 
danger are graphically described by Mr. A. H. M. 
Cox in the May number of Knowledge. We append 
a short piece of his article:—“ Against birds no 
larger than itself, the sturdily-built nuthatch, with 
its strong formidable bill, is perfectly capable of 
holding its own, while against more determined 
aggressors like starlings it adopts the ingenious pre¬ 
caution of plastering up the entrance to its home 
with mud, and reducing it to such a size as will 
exactly meet its own requirements. This is a well 
known peculiarity; that it forms an invariable 
feature of the household arrangement cannot indeed 
be positively asserted, but from all accounts the 
exceptions to the rule must be very few indeed. 
Similarly, it is recorded that before a nuthatch 
can be induced to take possession of a nesting-box 
in a garden, its habitual cuteness leads it to detect 
the lid opening on a hinge, so fatal to privacy, a 
drawback which it will at once proceed to remedy 
by a plentiful application of clay. So skilfully is 
the work done in the first instance, that when the 
nesting season comes round again, only slight 
repairs and alterations are required ; but these 
receive the most scrupulous attention, and even in 
the depth of winter an occasional inspection is made 
and these all-important defences overhauled. I do 
not recollect ever having seen the male nuthatch 
assist bis mate in any of the actual work, but he is 
invariably somewhere at hand in close attendance, 
and ever ready in the spring to serenade her with 
his cheery, long-drawn whistle ; in the winter he is 
perhaps apt to be self-assertive, but during the time 
of courtship I ha^e watched him offering, with an 
air of the greatest gallantry, choice morsels of food to 
his mistress.” 
The Latest in American Combines.—American 
trade will soon be all combines. According to the 
Weekly Florists' Review, the farmers on Long Island 
have combined as a Cauliflower Growers’ Associa¬ 
tion. The association is to have a manager to 
attend to the business of marketing tha Cauliflowers 
judiciously and profitably. They believe there has 
been too loose a conduct of the Cauliflower industry, 
and it will be well to make the public comprehend 
how important it is that Cauliflowers should be 
served fresh and at fair prices for good specimens. 
They are issuing 1,000 shares of stock of the par 
value of $5 each. 
Temple Flower Show, May 22nd, 23rd and 24th, 
1901.—For the fourteenth year in succession the 
Royal Horticultural Society will hold their Great 
Annual Flower Show in the Inner Temple Gardens 
(by the kind permission of the treasurer and 
benchers) on May 22nd, 23rd and 24th. Every year 
the desire of growers to exhibit increases, and the 
officials of the society have a very anxious task in 
endeavouring to do justice to those growers who 
regularly support the fortnightly shows of the 
society held at the Drill Hall, Buckingham Gate, and 
yet at the same time to encourage others also to 
come forward. The space is absolutely limited by 
order of the Temple authorities ; no more or larger 
tents may be erected, hence every new exhibitor 
whose entry is accepted means curtailment of the 
space allotted to previous supporters. A catalogue 
of the show is given gratis to every visitor and will 
contain a notice of new and rare plants entered on 
or before May 14th ; it will also contain a programme 
of the music to be performed each day by the band 
of H.M. Royal Horse Guards (Blues). The judges 
will meet at the secretary’s tent at 10.30 a.m. on 
May 22nd, at which hour punctually the tents will 
be cleared of all exhibitors and their assistants. The 
Fruit, Floral and Orchid Committees will assemble 
at the secretary’s tent at ri a m, sharp, and the show 
will be opened at 12.30. All plants for certificate 
must be entered on or before Friday, May 17th. 
Address, Secretary, R.H.S., 117, Victoria Street, 
Westminster, S.W. 
Presentation of Medals.—The interesting function 
of presenting the remainder of the V.M H. medals 
took place at the last meeting of the R.H.S. at the 
Drill Hall, Westminster. At first it was only proposed 
to present sixty, but it was afterwards decided to pre¬ 
sent four more to make the number up to the number 
of years in the reign of her Majesty the late Queen 
Victoria. The first recipient on Tuesday afternoon 
was Miss E. A. Ormerod, Torrington House, St. 
Albans. Her services to horticulture and agriculture 
have been inestimable. No one has devoted more 
attention to horticultural entomology than she has. 
There is no need to write about her successes, as 
every gardener is fully aware of her good services. 
The next to receive the honour was Sir G. King, 
K.C.E.I. He is perhaps not so well known to 
British gardeners as some of the other recipients, as 
most of his work has been in the Easiern Possessions, 
chiefly India. Recently he published a very useful 
book on Orchids and is at the present time busy 
with what will doubtless be his master work, "The 
Flora of the Malay Peninsula." His chief services 
though have been in the great interest he has taken 
in the cultivation of Cinchona, the plant from which 
quinine is extracted. Through his influence this 
fever antidote can be purchased at every post office 
in India in the same way as stamps, &c. Under his 
directorship the Botanic Gardens at Calcutta have 
been brought up to the high standard of beauty and 
utility that they now possess, and many other insti¬ 
tutions connected with Indian agri-horticulture have 
been greatly improved and helped by his assistance. 
The honour was next conferred on Mr. G. Norman, 
head gardener to the Marquis of Salisbury. He has 
always held a prominent position in horticultural 
circles and his confreres will be pleased to hear of his 
selection. He is well known as a specialist on 
Strawberry culture. Mr. J. Sweet was the fourth to 
receive this distinction. The services he has 
rendered to the fruit cultivator are so well known 
that it would be superfluous for us to eulogise his 
work. Veitch's Memorial Medal was conferred at 
the same time on Mr. R Irwin Lynch, curator of 
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cambridge, and on Mr. 
W. Latham, curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens, 
Birmingham. These are both well known men and 
both graduated in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 
