938 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
November 7, 1903. 
Cape Hyacinths, Blue Gums, Lavatera, arborea. variegata, and 
tall plants of the broad-leaved, white-edged variety of the 
Japan Euonymus. The Lavatera, by planting specimens of 
different height®, really formed two tiers of plants in. the 
matter of height. The spaces between all the above were filled 
in with scarlet Pelargoniums. Bound the outside of the bed 
was a broad band or edging, consisting of yellow Chrysanthe¬ 
mums and China. Asters, with aline of yellow Violas in front of 
them. The mixture was very similar to what is very prevalent, 
in Hyde Park, Hampton Court Gardens', and other place®, and 
quite as effective. 
Another telling arrangement consisted of Lilium speciosum, 
Melpomene planted at intervals, and the whole bed interspersed 
with tall pyramidal specimens of Cuphea ignea, which at a. 
short distance resembles Fuchsias. A few real Fuchsias 
planted outside of the former on a groundwork of Pelargoniums 
were not able to dispel the illusion that the' Cuphea® were also 
Fuchsias. Tall plants of this Cuphea might more often, be 
planted in. London, parks and gardens with fine effect. 
Lilium aurat.um, Fuchsias and Lobelia Victoria on a. ground¬ 
work of br'onze Pelargoniums, were the central features of 
another attractive arrangement. These in turn were sur¬ 
rounded by dwarf French Marigolds on a level terrace of the 
bed, as well as on. the; sloping sides planted in. panels' of Lobelias 
and Antennaria. tomentosa. 
A circular bed imitating a. basket was filled with Nastur¬ 
tiums' trained on stakes, and these were flowering very freely. 
The groundwork consisted of pink and white Pelargoniums. 
The sloping sides of this basket were planted with panels of 
Alternantheras, Antennaria., Mesembryanthemum, and sweet 
Alyssum, picked out with lines of golden Feather and Pachy- 
phyton bracteosum. 
On the top of the Waverley Market a highly meritorious, seed¬ 
ling Lobelia was very effective during the whole of the past 
season. The. stems' are very floriferous, and kept. on. producing 
fresh sets' of flowers all the. season, notwithstanding the frequent, 
and heavy rainfall of the past, summer. The flowers, are large, 
bright blue., with a conspicuous white eye. As no name was 
attached to. this variety, we presume it has not yet been 
named, though we presume Mr. MoHa.ttie will presently bring 
it to the attention of his fellow-gardener®. 
Cotoneaster frigida. 
Nowhere have I seen this small-growing tree in better condi¬ 
tion than in Regent.’® .Park, where specimens fully 30 feet 
in height are to be met with. What, is perhaps most remark¬ 
able regarding this particular species is. its seeming partiality 
for stiff clay soils, in which it would appear to grow more 
rapidly and assume a better tint of foliage than in what we 
would consider more, suitable mediums. 
The oblong elliptical, sub-evergreen leave®, large corymbs of 
yellowish white flowers, and wealth of scarlet berries render 
this slirub or small-growing tree an acquisition for exposed 
sites and heavy, unkindly soils. In September and October 
the berries are decidedly showy, and have an advantage over 
those of many other trees and shrubs in that they are nob 
readily attacked by birds. Though introduced about three- 
quarters of a. century, it would not appear to be well known, 
but should be made a note of by planters of such soil as I have 
described. It was introduced from Nepaul. 
A. D. Webster. 
Regent’s Park, N.W., October 26, 1903. 
Guardians as Fruit Growers. —The Poplar Board of Guar¬ 
dians on the 29th ult. adopted a recommendation of their 
Schools Committee to plant 130,000 square feet of their site for 
new schools at Hutton with Apple, Pear, Plum, and Cherry 
trees, with a view to the formation of an orchard, and to plant. 
45,000 square feet, of an adjoining field with Currant, Rasp¬ 
berry, and Gooseberry bushes. 
Society and Association Notes. 
A Gardeners’ Society for Eltham. —A meeting was held at 
the Lecture Hall, Eltham, on the 29th ult. for the purpose 
of forming a gardeners’ society for Eltham, Kent. 
* *■ 
Gardening Appointment. —Mr. William H. Smith, who has 
been foreman in the gardens at Coltness House, Wish aw, for 
the last three years, has now been appointed head gardener to 
Lord Belhaven and Stenton, of Wishaw House, N.B. 
* * * 
Eastbourne Horticultural Society. —A meeting of the East¬ 
bourne Horticultural Society was held at the Natural History 
Room, Lismore Road, recently, when it was resolved to ask 
Professor Percival (Director of the Agricultural Department of 
University College, Reading) to deliver lectures at the monthly 
meetings in December and February respectively, on (1) 
“Seeds: Their Structure, Germination, and Quality”; and 
(2) “Fungus Pests of the Garden.” 
* * * 
Royal Horticultural Society'. —The next fruit and flower 
show of the Royal Horticultural Society will be held on Tues¬ 
day, November 10th, in the Drill Hall, Buckingham Gate, West¬ 
minster, 1-4 p.m. A lecture on “The Advantages and Evils of 
Size in Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables ” will be given by Mr. 
E. T. Cook, F.R.H. S., at three o’clock. At a general meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society, held on Tuesday, October 
27th, 30 new Fellows were elected, making a total of 1,235 
elected since the beginning of (he present year. 
■* * * 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners.— The Mayor of Exeter pre¬ 
sided on the 27th ult. at the annual meeting of the Devon and 
Exeter Gardeners’ Association, at the Guildhall. The committee 
reported that the society, in the twelfth year of its existence, 
was now in a flourishing condition, with a balance on the right 
side. The many subjects treated during the year, as well as 
the competition among the members, had been of great educa¬ 
tional value, especially to the younger members. A capital 
programme had been issued for the winter session. On the 
motion of the Mayor, the report was adopted. Mr. E. A. 
Sanders was re-elected president, and the vice-presidents were 
re-elected, with the addition of Mr. H. A. Willey. Regret was 
expressed at the resignation of Mr. A. Hope, the hon. secretary, 
who had rendered valuable services to the association from its 
inauguration. He was thanked for his past services, and Mr. 
Charley was elected in his place. Air. Hope assured the mem¬ 
bers he had no idea of severing his connection with the associa 
tion. 
* * * 
How Orchids are Fertilised. —Writing on Orchids in “ Know 
ledge ” for November, Mr. R. Llbyd Praeger remarks that the 
remarkable flower-structure of these plants “ is especially 
adapted for cross-pollination by insects, self-pollination being 
practically impossible; and, furthermore, only a very few 
chosen insects can reach the honey or fertilise the plant. We 
can imitate the visit of a bee, which is one of the favoured 
agents, by gently inserting into a newly-opened Orchis flower 
a sharpened lead pencil, and we will understand how this 
complicated mechanism works. The hypothetical bee’s head 
pushed into the entrance of the flower (as the insect hangs on 
the convenient landing-stage formed by the labellum) in order 
that its proboscis may reach the honey stored at the end of 
the long spur, comes in contact with the sticky knobs which 
terminate the pollen-masses. One or both attaches itself to 
oui pencil, which draws it out of its sheath as we withdraw it. 
And now rapid and remarkable changes occur. In about half a 
minute the attaching cement sets hard, and firmly fastens the 
mass-to its newly-found support. At the same time, owing to 
the unequal contraction of the stem of the pollen-mass, caused 
by drying, its axis becomes bent, and it rapidly bends through 
a right angle, so that the bundle of pollen no longer stands 
upright on the pencil, but points forward. What will happen 
0llr hypothetical bee visits another flower we can see. 
hen the bee s head is mserted into the second flower, the 
pollen which it carries will, ewing to the deflection of its stalk, 
come in contact, not with the corresponding anther, but with 
the sticky stiematic surface which lies immediately below, and 
thus cross-fertilisation is effected. Furthermore, only a little 
of the pollen will adhere to this stigma, and as the bee visits 
further flowers the pollen will be widely spread amomr the 
various blossoms, the bundle attached to the bee’s head be¬ 
coming smaller and smaller, till at length only the flexible 
stalk remains. The above description will apply to most of' 
