20G 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 5, 1904. 
pots of Freesias. The next lecture will be held on March 17th, 
when Mr. Myers will lecture on “ Ancient and Modern Gardens, ’ 
with limelight views, when a large attendance of members and 
friends is expected. 
* * * 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society. • 
The annual meeting of this society will be held at the Cale¬ 
donian Hotel, Adelphi Terrace, Strand, on Monday evening, 
March 14th, at eight o’clock. Mr. H. J. Wright has kindly con¬ 
sented to preside on this occasion. 
* * * 
Reading and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.— There was a large attendance of members present 
at the last fortnightly meeting of the above association, when 
Mr. T. Neve, of Sindlesham House Gardens, Wokingham, intro¬ 
duced the subject of “ The Potato in Connection with the Year 
1903.” He noted the value of the Potato, the universal failure 
of the 1903 crop, the different varieties of Potatos, spraying to 
prevent disease, and made the following suggested remedies 
to prevent disease, viz. :—To have an entire change of ground 
for growing the crop; using manures that are suitable for 
Potatos ; change of seed ; give more thought to the early and 
second early varieties, and not put so much faith in the later 
kinds ; and last, but not least, to obtain a Potato with a strong 
constitution. A very practical discussion followed, in which 
the following took part: —The president (Mr. Leonard Sutton), 
Messrs. Bright, Wilson, Fry, Slyfield, Powell, Judd, Exler, 
Stanton, Tunbridge, Lasham, and Professor Percival, who gave 
much valuable information on diseases, manures, spraying, etc. 
A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Neve, and also to the 
various exhibitors, viz., Mr. G. Perridge, who staged Marie 
Louise Violets; Mr. T. J. Powell, for a basket of young 
Potatos picked from old tubers placed in the dark chalk arches 
at. Park Place Gardens ; Mr. W. Slyfield, for some fine speci¬ 
mens of Up-to-Date Potatos ; and to Messrs. Sutton and Sons, 
for a basket of Discovery Potato. 
* * * 
Scottish Horticultural Association.— There was a good 
attendance of the members of this association at the monthly 
meeting, held in Dowell’s Rooms, 18, George Street, Edin¬ 
burgh, on the 1st. inst. Mr. J. W. McHattie, the president, was 
in the chair. Mr. R. P. Brotherston, the Gardens, Tyninghame, 
Prestonkirk, read a most interesting paper on “ Scottish Plant 
Names.” Among a great number of Scottish plant names, the 
lecturer commenced with the Bracken Fern, Pteris aquilina, 
the Boartre© (Elder), Rowan (Mountain Ash), Kale, or Kail, 
from caulis, a stalk, the midrib having been considered edible 
at one time. Referring to general plant Scottisms, mention 
was made of “ flourish ” (the flowers), “ blade ” (leaf), etc. A 
hearty vote of thanks was awarded to the lecturer. Among the 
numerous exhibits on the table were : From Mr. Tlios. Leslie, 
Trinity Cottage Gardens, Edinburgh, a plant of Dendrobium 
brymerianum and blooms of Magnolia conspicua, the former of 
which was awarded a Cultural Certificate; from Mr. David 
Nicoll, The Gardens, Rossie, Forgandenny, a spike each of 
Odontoglossum Edwardii and Odontoglossum crispum, for both 
of which a Cultural Certificate was awarded ; from Miss Gifford, 
Toghir House, Hollymount, Ireland, a Palm grown from dates 
gathered in the garden of the Khedive ; from Mr. Brotherston, 
the lecturer for the evening, Helleborus atro rubens, H. 
Olympius, bloom of Strelitzia regina, and spikes of Coelogyne 
cristata from plants supplied with liquid manure ; from Mr. 
M. Todd, Stoneybank, Musselburgh, a handsome vase of Daffo¬ 
dils ; from Mr. Fortune, Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, a vase 
of Brompton Stocks and ebdit vases of Carnations. 
Fruit Industry for Trinidad. -An attempt is being made to 
foster the fruit trade of the Colony of Trinidad. A West Indian 
syndicate has been endeavouring to do this for several months 
by receiving fruit from the country, paying for it, and ship¬ 
ping it to England. The initial efforts do not appear to have 
met with much success, as the prices realised did not cover the 
cost of purchase, packing, etc. The result was a loss of £2,200. 
This was looked upon as having been spent on the education 
of the people. The fruit had been gathered without any proper- 
sorting or grading, consequently it did not realise its full value 
on the market on account of its faulty appearance. The idea 
is to establish regular plantations as near to the railway and 
shipping ports as possible, and have the fruit delivered within 
24 hours of picking on the steamers at Port of Spain. 
Early Prices for Strawberries.— Forced Strawberries, 
weighing sometimes an ounce each, fetched 6s. a punnet (24s. 
a pound) at the first sale of the season at Covent Garden. 
High Price for a Potato.— There was considerable excite¬ 
ment in Peterborough market over the sale of a specimen of the 
famous El Dorado Potato. The tuber weighed a little under 
' lb., and was disposed of at the record price of £80. 
* * * 
Tasmanian Aitles for London. —Arrangements for the annual 
shipments of Tasmanian Apples to England are now complete. 
Twenty-five steamers load at Hobart in February, March, and 
April, taking nearly 500,000 cases, about 200,000 cases more 
than last year. 
* * * 
A Large Palm Tree. —There is a colossal Palm tree at Elche, 
near Alicante, in Spain. It grows in the garden of the curate, 
and is 200 years old. The stem is divided into eight branches 
or separate stems, and these are now propped up. Astronomers 
who witnessed the eclipse of 1900 went on a pilgrimage to the 
tree, and the curate proudly shows their signatures to his 
visitors. 
* * * 
Gold Medal for West Indian Fruit.— Mr. Thomas Dowd, 
the well-known florist and fruiterer of Moorfields, who is agent 
for the Imperial Direct West Indian Mail Service, has just re¬ 
ceived intimation that the Gold Medal for the finest display 
of West Indian fruits at the Colonial Produce Exhibition, 
Liverpool, has been awarded him. 
* * * 
Vegetables on Drowned Land. —Along the valley of the 
Thames garden ground is still under water, and Cabbages, 
Brussels Sprouts, and Savoys that cannot be gathered are suf¬ 
fering great harm. The continuation of the flooding seems j 
likely to affect the Pea crop and prevent sowing. The market 
gardeners are therefore rather despondent over the aspect of 
affairs. 
* * * 
A Garden or a Column for Delhi. —The Editor of the “ Voice 
of India,” in speaking of the proposed “ lofty pillar to com¬ 
memorate the Durbar of 1903, says : “ We would not grudge the 
people of Delhi the pleasure of having a new public garden, 
but he seriously objected to the building of a lofty pillar merely 
to commemorate the Durbar of 1903. It was not the first Im¬ 
perial assemblage at Delhi, as there had been one before, in 
connection with the late Empress of India. 
* * * 
Fatality to a Gardener.— A distressing accident happened 
on the 24th ult. to a gardener named Kight, at Spring Grove, 
Isleworth. He was engaged in cutting trees, and fell a con¬ 
siderable distance. He was greatly injured, and djed on the 
way to the Hounslow Hospital. He was for many years a post¬ 
man, and was so well known in Spring Grove and the locality 
that when he retired from the service he was given a handsome 
testimonial. Since then he has been engaged in jobbing gal-, 
dening. 
* * * 
Proposed Botanical Gardens for Montrose. —The School 
Board of Montrose propose to establish a botanical garden in 
connection with the Academy. A local writer, who signs him¬ 
self “ Cotyledon,” asks “ What in the name of all that is wonder¬ 
ful are we coming to 1 ” Thei Free Library, he says, is evidently - 
intended only for a section of the community—the poorer section 
we should add. He pats them on the back in support of giving 
free breakfasts to the poorer children, but he asserts that the 
children who learn botany only remember it a couple of years, 
and states that medical students who embrace it in their college 
curriculum know little about the subject. We agree with him 
that the latter statement is generally true. The students only 
have an opportunity for cramming their brains for a short time 
while their attention is divided by a host of other subjects. All 
the more need is there for beginning early and giving their , 
minds a. chance to grasp the subject and develop their talent, 
whatever it may be. We wonder if the writer understands the 
meaning of his own noin do plume. 
