arch 14, 1903 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
STL, ®he gardening World. 
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EDITORIAL NOTES. 
Imdee Horticultural Society. 
We have received the schedule of prizes 
( the Dundee Horticultural Society for this 
jar. The society seems to be in a flourish- 
ijjj condition, and bids fair to become the 
trewsbury of the North. Dundee may bei 
j fly proud of its horticulturists, who cater 
f the public so lavishly. They do not 
llieve in running in the old ruts, but are 
(ir on the alert for something new and 
1 ely to be appreciated by the general 
I blic. Last year, as an innovation, military 
i irts were introduced on the Saturday 
< ernoon with great success, and this year 
I I committee are looking forward to a better 
( play on similar lines. The success of last- 
] ir has enabled the society to offer £300 of 
] ze money. Several new and interesting 
1 .tures have been introduced. In the gar- 
(iers’ class we notice a dessertotable of 
fruit, for which the Corporation of Dundee 
give a challenge cup, and the society give 
£15. A group of plants and a display of 
hardy border flowers are also encouragingly 
held out in the same class. Fruit culture is 
also encouraged in all classes by substantial 
additions to existing prizes. Handsome 
prizes and special awards are held forth to 
nurserymen and florists, while the amateur 
section shows a decided advance. The Cor¬ 
poration Challenge Cup in this instance goes 
along with a substantial money prize to. a 
display of vegetables. The prizes in the 
honey section should also induce a number 
of new competitors to come forward. 
Altogether, the schedule compares favourably 
with others, and apart from the other in¬ 
terests of the gala should bring together a 
good display. Copies of schedule may be 
had on application from the energetic secre¬ 
tary, Mr. W. F. Hill, solicitor, 18, Meadow- 
side, Dundee. 
-O'— 
Gardeners' Royal Benevolent 
Institution. 
The promotors and supporters of the Liver¬ 
pool Auxiliary branch of the above institu¬ 
tion are again active, being about to carry 
out the second annual smoker and festival, at 
the Bear’s Paw Restaurant, Lord Street, 
Liverpool, on Friday, the 20th. The Right 
Hon. Lord Mayor (W. W. Rutherford, M.P.) 
has kindly consented to preside on that occa¬ 
sion. The charges, for admission are not 
very high, and the proceeds are to be in aid 
of the institution. We are reminded of these 
facts by the receipt of a cleverly-executed 
reproduction of a pen-and-ink sketch, form¬ 
ing the programme of the second annual 
smoker. The sketch is illustrated in various 
ways, but the pictures entitled “ Amateurs, 
Ancient and Modem,” will, we think, prove 
most interesting to gardeners. The ancient 
amateur must have been a rather primitive 
individual, if we are to believe the sketch, 
and the modem amateur evidently intends 
doing a great deal by having a hose in one 
hand and a watering-pot in the other, both 
in action at the same time; it also seems to 
he raining, yet the gardener is smiling at it 
all. The sketch was designed by Mr. J. 
Young, Floral Nursery, West Derby. 
—o— 
Weed Killers and Dogs. 
A correspondent has called our attention 
to the fact that he lias been prevented from 
using weed-killers on account of the supposed 
danger to the feet of dogs and other pet 
animals. Evidently this has been done more 
as a preventive than because any damage has 
hitherto occurred. We have never heard of 
any danger arising from such causes, but 
possibly some of our readers may have expe¬ 
rience and knowledge upon this point not yet 
possessed by the many. It would be a pity 
if the article were prohibited merely on 
account of a supposed or imaginary danger. 
Gardeners, as a rule, have plenty to do to 
keep the garden in order, without being pre¬ 
vented the means of the wholesale destruc¬ 
tion of weeds on walks, which would give 
rise to much hard labour and waste of time 
to keep them in decent order. 
Elm Trees and the Bark Beetle. 
In the western suburbs of London, the 
Bark Beetle (Scolytus destructor) is respon¬ 
sible for a great deal of damage to the giant 
old Elms which for ages have been an orna¬ 
ment not only of London parks, but also 
private ones. The beetle bores into the hark 
till it reaches the cambium layer, and then 
forms branching galleries, in each of which 
it lays an egg, and the young beetles hatched 
out serve still further to multiply the evil. 
This evil is none the less a crying one be¬ 
cause it'goes on quietly and in the dark. In¬ 
deed, the danger is all the more real and 
disastrous because it has proceeded too far, 
as a rule, before its presence can lie detected. 
When once the cambium layer has been 
destroyed, even if merely a ring surrounding 
the trunk of the tree, the life of the tree 
can only be a lingering death for the re¬ 
mainder of its time, because when weakness 
has once set up, the tree soon becomes liable 
to be blown down. Large numbers of trees 
have been ruined in this way, apparently 
within the last few years. If remedies fail 
to stop the depredations of this beetle, 
planters will have to use a much greater 
variety of trees in order to avoid having the 
parks denuded of trees by enemies that affect 
any one particular kind of tree. 
Etherisation of Plants. 
While this subject is one of the burning 
topics of the day, it would be well to have 
experiments of a scientific and exact nature 
earned out by certain capable authorities. 
We have no desire to shout “ cui bono,” but 
wish to hear both sides of the question on 
everything. Science does not consist of 
applying a cloture until the subject has been 
thoroughly debated, and the useful facts 
selected from the useless. Within the past 
few years great improvements have been 
effected in the cultivation of certain plants 
intended for forcing purposes, not on the 
Continent, where people are supposed to deal 
with these difficult cultures better than 
British gardeners, but actually at home. The 
result of these improved cultures has been to 
show that Lilacs, Guelder Roses, Wistarias, 
and other woody plants can be grown to 
much greater perfection than formerly, and 
that they respond much more readily to forc¬ 
ing . Some cultivators on a large scale affirm 
that they could get Lilacs in bloom by 
ordinary forcing by the end of September or 
beginning of October, which is as early as 
they would be required for any purpose. If 
that be so, the question at issue is whether 
etherisation can prove advantageous finan¬ 
cially, while at the same time giving better 
results. 
