April 18,1903. 
the gardening world. 
33 i 
SATURDAY, 
\PRIL 18, 1903. 
®hc Gardening "World* 
NOTICES TO READERS AND 
CORRESPONDENTS. 
ie Gardening World is published every 
't'sday morning, and dated for the following 
arday. Price, 2d. ; Annual Subscription, 
0 free, 10s. for the United Kingdom, for 
bid 12s. 6d., prepaid. 
! bscrlptions and Advertisement Orders 
jiI d be addressed to Maclaren & Sons, at 
indices, 37 k 38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
hues, Post Office Orders, etc., to be made 
vble only to the Proprietors, Maclaren & 
0 , and crossed London City and Midland 
a:. 
Otters for publication, specimens, for 
i;ng, books for review, and all eommunica- 
0 on matters of an editorial character must 
b Idressed to “ The Editor,” and written on 
n side of the paper only. All communica- 
1 must be accompanied by the name and 
dess of the writer, not necessarily for pub- 
c ion, but as a guarantee of good faith: 
ails, or a nom dt •plume , will be used, if 
e ed. 
[OTOGRAPHS AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS.— 
1 Editor will be pleased to receive photo- 
riis and drawings for reproduction of fine 
xmens of flowers, plants, trees, fruit, etc., 
• f interesting gardens. Only such as are 
re to prove instructive and interesting to 
ie lass of readers reached by The Gardening 
r tLD will be considered. If payment is 
is ed, the price for reproduction must be 
sictly stated, and it must be understood that 
ol the actual photographer or owner of the 
fight will be dealt with. 
1 turn of Manuscripts and Illustba- 
rcs.—The Editor will not be responsible for 
leiss of unaccepted MSS., photographs, etc., 
ul f stamps be enclosed for return postage 
k particulars for identification appear on the 
>r. ibutions, ordinary care will be exercised to 
is e return. 
?ncE to Subscribers. —No change of 
Ig ss can be made the same week in which 
>t :ation of it is sent. To prevent copies 
it astray subscribers should, when possible, 
ti us a week or so in advance of their 
^e ed alteration of addrees. 
T; Gardening World Telegraphic and 
it Addrees is “ Buns, London,” and the 
'l hone Number is 997, Holbom. 
CUMUNICATIONS SHOULD BE AD¬ 
VISED TO “THE EDITOR” OR “THE 
USHERS,” AND NOT TO IN- 
IVDUAL MEMBERS OF THE STAFF. 
editorial notes. 
xWeek's Engagements. 
vJt'day, April 18th, International Quin¬ 
tal Exhibition at Ghent, Belgium 
tljto 26th inclusive). 
a day, April 21st, R.H.S. Committees. 
- ® and Sussex Spring Show (two' 
National Auricula and Primula 
ie s Show at the Drill Hall, West-min- 
^Without Stamens. 
■*!* y ears ago- the Royal Horticultural 
u ? ave out the edict that Apples which 
" ‘ ail y w ay polished would be ineligible 
P ! es at their grand autumn exhibition 
u at the Crystal Palace. The most 
announcement is that “ Lilies sent, 
‘ stamens cut out will not be allowed 
to be put on the stages, but will be sent back 
at once. This may seem hard line® on the 
fleiist-, where the brown pollen often spoils 
the purity of white Lilies. We do not regret 
the announcement, however, a® we have a, 
great aversion to mutilated flowers of any 
kind. The botanists and all those who are 
advocates of Nature study will be pleased 
with this announcement from so important 
a body of horticulturists a-s the Royal Hor¬ 
ticultural. 
Orchids from Aberdeen, 
We are in receipt of a box of Orchid, 
flowers from Mr. A. Grigor, gardener to A. 
0. Gill, Esq., Fairfield, Aberdeen, who asks 
our opinion concerning the same. Concern¬ 
ing Dendrobium nobile Cooksoni and D. 
wardianum nothing need be said, except that 
they were in their usual gop-d form. We are 
pleased to know that the former is possessed 
of such vitality, and that it is finding its way 
into, many collections all over the country. 
Odontoglossum maculatum was particularly 
rich in colour, otherwise the markings were 
in the usual form. He also sent half a dozen 
varieties of Lycaste Skinned, all of which 
were light colours, and some of them rather 
pretty. One of the prettiest was No-. 1, 
having white sepals, pink petals, and a lip 
with a yellow tongue and a white area on the 
terminal lobe. No. 2 had bluish-white 
sepals, puik petals, and <x, white apex to the 
lip, the basal half being red. These two we 
considered the best of the lot. No. 3, how- 
ever, had a, much longer lip, though more 
pointed, and less valuable on this account 
from a florist’s point of view. No. 4 had a 
purple lip lined with white. No. 5 was a 
light flower with short segments. All parts 
of the flower of No. 6 were much longer than 
usual, and the apex of the lip was spotted 
with crimson, while thei base was maroon, 
ibis last might he reckoned a good form of 
flower, but is fairly common. 
Daffodils in Confusion- 
For the last twenty years we have been, 
getting on fairly smoothly with the classifi¬ 
cation of Daffodils as arranged by Mr. John 
Gilbert Baker, Mr. F. W. Burbidge, and 
other great masters of the science. Since 
then, however, the hybridists have been busy 
crossing the species, practically, indis¬ 
criminately, and producing all sorts of forms, 
intermediate and otherwise, so- that now the 
lines of demarkation, are entirely broken 
down, and, to- all intents and purposes, it has 
become practically impossible to- place them 
under the old headings. This, of course, 
refers to the new forms which constitute a 
connecting link joining the older forms by 
an unbroken series, and the dividing line is 
completely gone, by the joining of characters 
belonging to two or more different types. An 
impromptu conference was held a-t the- Drill 
Hall, on the 7th inst., by many of the lead¬ 
ing authorities, and we understand that they 
came to the conclusion it was impossible to 
classify the modern Daffodils. Had we not 
known the history of these crosses, and if 
anyone had arranged a, series of flowers from 
the trumpets right- along to tire short-crowned 
ones, it. would not have been a orea-t stretch 
ot imagination to say that they were all 
forms of one species. If no form of classifi- 
. cation is possible the race will soon be in a 
•state of great confusion, as indeed it is 
already. 
Spring Show at Croydon. 
and M ? r 7i° n and District Horticultural 
and Mutual Improvement Society is imbued 
a considerable amount of enero T . Not 
content with the holding of meetings and the 
discussion of papers throughout the year, 
thei hold themselves responsible for an 
annua exhibition of spring flowers and 
piants, the third of which will -be held in 
the Art Galleries, Park Lane, Croydon, on 
Wednesday, the 22nd inst., from 3 till 10 
Exhibits are cordially invited, and 
although there are- no entrance fees and no 
prizes, all are invited to inspect the flowers 
and listen to the music. The object of the 
society is to create and encourage a love of 
horticulture 111 the minds of the- masses. If 
the Croydon gardeners can. provide a show 
and music free of charge, it must he taken as 
good evidence of a, real love- for flowers- and 
other products of their profession, -as well as 
a general goodwill towards the community 
at large. J 
Lily of the Valley Poisonous. 
Now and again we hear expressions of sur¬ 
prise when those unfamiliar with botany dis- 
coiei that certain favourite flowers- may be 
more or less deadly poisons. There is no¬ 
thing unusual in this if one studies the 
properties of various wild and cultivated 
plants. Under ordinary circumstances they 
aie- quite harmless, but if eaten or if prepara¬ 
tions are made from them or extracts made 
they might, be productive of considerable 
harm. In the “ Flora of Lancashire ” it is- 
said that the flowers of Lily of the Valley, 
when dried, are narcotic, and when reduced 
to a powder they excite sneezing. Last year 
a number of readers seemingly tried to- <mt 
up a scare o-n account of the poisonous pro¬ 
perties of these fragrant and favourite 
flowers. We are aware, however, that many 
other bulbous plants that are favourites are 
rank poison under certain conditions, hut 
they never cause us any alarm, for the 
simple reason that one- can always follow the 
prescription of the physician, “Not to be 
taken.” We cannot forget also that Almonds, 
Peaches, Plums, Cherries and similar fruits 
contain prussic acid, and we understand that 
the flavour of the kernels and other parts of 
the plant is due to that fact. 
