May 18, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
001 
Cricket—Hurst & Son C. C. v. St. Mildred’s, 
played at Walthamstow, Saturday, May nth, and 
won by Hurst & Son by nine wickets. Score : St. 
Mildred's, 57 ; Hurst, 72 for 1 wicket. 
Daphne Cneorum in a Station Garden. —Some 
people seem to consider this a difficult subject to 
grow, and occasionally plant it in peat, when they 
take that risk in hand at all. It seems to me that a 
friable loamy soil and a cool bottom will meet all its 
requirements. A fine patch of it has been flowering 
for some time past in the small garden at Shepperton 
station, where it is regarded with great favour. No 
special treatment is given it, except that it has been 
planted on the north side of the garden fence and may 
be slightly shaded during the early part of the day. 
— P. C. 
Spiraea prunifolia flore pleno.—Gardeners often 
speak of this as a fine thing, though many of them 
only know it as such by repute. There seems to be 
an impression that it is tender, and it is often 
planted against a wall to protect it. The result is 
that the flowers open too early in some seasons and 
get injured with the frost and cold winds of March 
and April. This year it has flowered splendidly io 
the garden at Shepperton station. Here it forms 
a free growing bush in the open,every arching branch 
being covered with a mass of white blossom. I fear 
also that the pruning, nailing and tidiness supposed 
to be necessary on a wall causes a great deal of the 
flowering shoots to be destroyed.— P. C. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society.—The monthly committee meeting of this 
society was held at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi 
Terrace, Strand, on Monday evening last. The 
chair was taken at 8 o’clock by Mr. C. H. Curtis. 
The minutes of the last meeting were read and con¬ 
firmed. Messrs. Pollett’s tender for printing agenda 
forms was accepted. Ten new members were elected 
and three others nominated. The secretary an- 
' nounced the death of Mr. Michael Davis, and it 
was resolved that the amount standing to his credit 
in the books of the society, viz., £55 os. 8d., be paid 
to Mrs. Davis, and that a vote of condolence be also 
sent her. The sum of 7s. per week from the 
Benevolent Fund was granted to Mr. H Saunders 
(No. 14), until his case demands further consideration. 
Mr. G. Clinging was granted 10s. per week for three 
weeks from the Convalescent Fund, for change of 
air, in addition to his sick pay. It was resolved 
that 1,000 copies of ihe rules be estimated for, and 
submitted to the committee at the next meeting. 
Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society.— 
Vol. xxv., Part 3, of the R.H.S. Journal contains 
several very interesting chapters on various horti¬ 
cultural topics, including a concise history of the 
society from the time it left South Kensington and 
started on its present more energetic career. Several 
chapters relate to the cultivation of various subjects 
abroad, and will no doubt prove serviceable to those 
interested in the same. The account of the fruit 
show at the Crystal Palace last autumn will serve to 
put the matter on record for those preparing for the 
next contest. Chapters on Figs in pots, mistakes in 
orchards, the Black Currant Mite, mistakes 
in fruit culture, and heating and ventilating 
of hothouse', will all appeal more or less 
directly to gardeners in various parts of 
Britain There are also some interesting papers 
on several phases of the scientific side of horticulture. 
We refer to such articles as "The Law of Separa¬ 
tion of Characters in Crosse 3 ,” " On Crosses with 
Dissimiliar Heredity,” "Fumigation with Hydro¬ 
cyanic Gas,” " Cherry-leaf Disease " and "Meteor¬ 
ological Observations at Chiswick.” The reports on 
the various trials at Chiswick should also be of ser¬ 
vice to gardeners and cultivators in general, if for 
nothing else than the descriptions of the various 
plants on trial, and which serve to show the leading 
characteristics of the respective varieties, thus giving 
the readers an opportunity of selecting for them¬ 
selves what will suit their own requirements. The 
fumigation of plants with hydrocyanic acid gas is 
more practised in America than in this, country, for 
the purpose of destroying insect pests; but the 
description of the method of proceeding to work will 
enable the practice to be taken up more freely by 
cultivators in this country, with a view to combatting 
plant enemies. 
Cup for DafFodils.—For some time past Mrs. R. 
O. Backhouse, of Sutton Court, Hereford, has been 
very active in the cultivation of this popular class of 
plants. She also makes a point of getting new, rare 
and choice varieties. At the recent Manchester 
spring show she won the cup in the Amateurs’ Class 
for thirty bunches of Narcissi. 
ardening fjfisGetag. 
APPLE EDGAR. 
The fruit of this new variety of Apple bears a close 
resemblance to Cox’s Orange Pippin, which was in¬ 
deed the pollen pareht. The seed bearer was 
Cornish Aromatic, so that two Apples of first-rate 
quality were concerned in the production of this new 
Apple. The size is very similar to that of Cox’s 
Orange ; while the skin is russety and shaded with 
red in places. The flesh is yellowish-white, soft and 
pleasantly sweet like that of Cox’s Orange, but 
without its aroma, at least in the latest stage of its 
ripening. The fruits towards the end of March 
become soft and slightly shrunk just in the same way 
as the last named when exposed for some consider¬ 
able time to a dry atmosphere. In a properly ap¬ 
pointed fruit room the sound and perfect samples 
could no doubt be kept good to the end of April at 
least. In any case the variety makes pleasant eating, 
and when properly tested may prove to be a useful 
variety for dessert purposes. It was raised by Mr. 
Charles Ross, gardener to Captain Carstairs, Well- 
ford Park, Newbury, Berks, who has raised several 
fine varieties within recent years. 
BRUNFELSIAS. 
The merits of these beautiful stove shrubs are not 
sufficiently known or they would be more extensively 
cultivated. They produce their large blue flowers 
in the autumn and spring in great profusion. They 
do best when planted out, as they seem impatient of 
cramped roots. They delight in a light, rich soil 
and a moist atmosphere. They are easily propa¬ 
gated by cuttings which should be inserted in sand 
and placed under a bell-glass in a moderate heat. 
Pruning should be accomplished just before they 
make their new growth to keep them compact. 
Whilst growing they require a very moist atmo¬ 
sphere, but after growth is completed they should be 
subjected to drier atmospheric conditions to ensure 
the new wood becoming well ripened. The genus 
takes its name from a Carthusian monk named Otto 
Brunfels, who published the first good figures of a 
species of Brunfelsia as long ago as 1530. Some¬ 
times it is known as Franciscea. 
CYCADS. 
The plants of the interesting order Cycadeae, says 
Dr. Masters, are actually the same now as those that 
existed when the world was young. They create a 
large amount of interest, but not so much as if some 
of the antediluvian beasts which rambled amongst 
them then could be found and exhibited with them, 
especially such beasts as were represented at the 
Crystal Palace as belonging to that age. 
BULBS. 
Year by year flowering bulbs are becoming more 
popular. They make a very effective display all 
through the winter at a comparatively small cost, 
and require very little attention. They are invalu¬ 
able in establishments where large quantities of 
bloom are required, for the majority of the spring 
flowering bulbs will bear hard forcing and can be 
had at almost any time of the year. What can 
surpass the Roman Hyacinth for purity and 
fragrance in the depth of winter ? They are in 
great demand for Christmas decorations. To obtain 
them at this season they must be potted up the last 
week in September, placed in a batch and covered 
by a few inches of sifted ashes. They will immedi¬ 
ately start to make roots, and by the time they are 
required for placing in the forcing bouse the pots 
should be well filled. In this manner a succession 
may easily be kept up. As they start into growth at 
the top, they should be removed from the ashes and 
s’ood in a cool house only just protecting them from 
irost. They can then be pushed on as required by 
placing in warmer houses. Doubls Hyacinths will 
not stand the amount of forcing that the Romans 
will bear, for if hurried along too quickly they do not 
produce a robust growth. They should be potted in 
September ard then brought along gradually. 
Water culture is very popular with Hyacinths, as 
the roots form au attractive feature. Narcissi, es¬ 
pecially the single forms, may be grown in water 
also. They are more often grown in a bowl filled 
with stones and water, after the Chinese style, than 
in glasses. When they are grown in water care 
should be taken that it is frequently changed. 
SPARROWS. 
Europe possesses four distinct species of sparrow, 
viz., the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), the 
Italian sparrow (Passer Italiae) and the Spanish 
sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis). It is found in most 
temperate countries in the Old World, and wherever 
it is found we think it is safe to say that the agri¬ 
culturists could do without it. Many people of a 
sentimental turn of mind are raising an outcry 
against the wholesale slaughter of the vermin. They 
contend that it does not do so much harm as it does 
good, and that it is a mistake to consider it 
destructive as it is almost omnivorous. 
It is evident that these people do not write from a 
knowledge of the subject, or from investigations 
which they have themselves made, but assume that 
all animals, &c., are created for the express use of 
man. These people who pray for the protection of 
the sparrow would not hesitate to kill a mouse, or a 
rat, or a cockroa.h, therefore it is unreasonable to 
expect a farmer to withhold his hand when sparrows 
are doing damage to crops often amounting to thou¬ 
sands of pounds. It is often stated that sparrows 
feed on the eggs and grubs of cockchafers and on the 
mature insects themselves. One has only to con¬ 
sider the habits of the two and it is soon found how 
ridiculous the whole theory is. Dealing with the 
eggs—these the female generally carries about with 
her in a case; next, the grubs inhabit the ground 
and the sparrow is not a bird adapted to picking in 
the soil; and finally, cockchafers do not leave their 
haunts until after dark and the sparrow is by no 
means a nocturnal bird, being one of the first to go 
to roost. 
Another old excuse brought forward in favour of 
the sparrow is that whenever the pouch of a young 
bird is examined it is always found to contain only 
insect substances. The statement is true enough, 
for sparrows feed their joung exclusively on soft 
food which is generally of an insect nature. It can 
hardly be expected that a parent bird would feed her 
young on hard grain. Unfortunately it increases 
more rapidly than most other birds and if left alone 
for a few seasons it absolutely swarms. They have 
a peculiar liking for Crocuses and Primroses and 
complaints are being made more this year than at 
any time about the wholesale destruction. They 
also evince a special taste for green Peas when the 
pods are full, or before that, 
As man travels and opens up new agricultural 
districts so the sparrow follows and annoys him. 
American farmers are suffering extensively through 
their enormous increase. It is not a native of that 
continent but was introduced by colonists, and the 
result has been about the same as that iu Australia 
when someone introduced rabbits. Not only is it 
very destructive to crops but it drives away many 
birds that are purely insectivorous. The martins 
seem to be persecuted more than aoy others, being 
turned away from their nests as soon as they have 
completed them in many instances, and their place 
taken by the marauders. If one is killed it will 
mate again often within the hour; they will often 
mate three or four times if either are destroyed. 
ROSES. 
It is curious to note that there are no yellow Roses 
in the beddiDg section. For the best yellow Roses 
we must go to the climbing Teas, or Marechal Niel, 
one of the most beautiful of all Roses, and a Noisette 
to boot. It would be a great acquisition, however, 
if we could get a robust, free-flowering yellow bed¬ 
ding Rose after the style of La Fraicheur. What a 
splendid contrast would a bed of this crimson variety 
and a similar growing yellow Rose make! Some of 
the Teas, such as Medea, Marie Van Houtte and 
Mdme. Hoste may be selected as the best yellow 
