676 
the Gardening World . 
August 20, 1904. 
inspire Nature with novel ideas in the Fern direction, so that we 
are constantly being enriched with the results. He furthermore 
pointed out that, thanks to the careful records kept for the last 
half-century and more, a mass of information has accumulated 
which is being recognised as of great value in connection with 
the vexed question of variation and its laws. Obviously it is not 
dependent upon culture, as many thought, since all the marked 
types originate wild. The recent results of Professor Farmer s 
research, and embracing the discovery of an analogy between the 
forms of the cells in cancer and that of abnormal reproductive 
cells in Ferns, were also touched upon as additional evidence that 
the study of Ferns in their varietal forms could lead to results of 
immense value, apart from the i mere acquisition of more and more 
beautiful ones. Mr. Druery then read a paper oil the British 
Polypodies, which will eventually appear in the society’s report. 
A number of fronds and plants were exhibited for naming, and 
among the latter was a beautiful new variety of the hard Fern, 
Blechnum Spicant, found in the Black Mountains, Ireland, by 
Mr. W. Porter. This has a heavy flat folios© crest, divided into 
three on the lines of the Prince of Wales’ feathers, and was 
consequently named B. S. tricapitatum, Porter, and given a 
Certificate of Merit. Mr. Alex. Cowan exhibited fronds of a 
fastigiat© form of L. diktat a fomid in Scotland, another of 
Nature’s novelties, and quite distinct from any known variety. 
L. d. fastigiata was the name given thereto. The society then 
resolved to meet at the same place and time in 1905, and with a 
hearty vote of thanks to the' chairman the function concluded. 
* * * 
The Edinburgh Seed Trade Assistants’ Visit to the Seed 
Triad Grounds at Warriston. —Foremost among local business 
firms, and ranking as one of the largest in their particular line 
in the United Kingdom, stand Messrs, Bell and Bieberstedt, 
wholesale seed merchants, who occupy extensive premises at 
15 and 17, Coburg Street, Leith. It is upwards of 20 years since 
the firm first came into existence, and its history during that 
time lias been one of steady and continuous progress. It was 
in Bank Street that Messrs. B. and B. commenced business with . 
a staff of about half a dozen, and in a few years the business 
had so extended and advanced that it was found necessary to 
remove to the present commodious premises, where about 100 
employees are engaged. Some eight years ago the firm, with 
characteristic enterprise, acquired grounds at Warriston, Ferry 
Boad, for testing and selecting the various stocks which are 
grown under contract for the firm in all parts of the world, 
and the results obtained in this direction have been of a most 
valuable nature. By the kind invitation of the firm, the Seed 
Trade Assistants were last Saturday afternoon afforded an 
opportunity of visiting the trial grounds, and were there very 
courteously received by the manager of the garden seed depart¬ 
ment, Mr. William Smith, in the unavoidable absence of the 
principals, who both take a very keen interest in the seed tests, 
being on the grounds almost daily when at home. One of the 
principal features of the trials was upwards of 260 rows of Sweet 
Peas, which were arranged according to colour, thus enabling 
one at a glance to compare the different varieties. Among the 
best of the tall varieties on view were Othello, Navy Blue, Lady 
Grizel Hamilton, Mrs. Walter Wright, King Edward VII. (a 
new and very fine variety), Scarlet Gem (one of the latest varie¬ 
ties), Miss Willmott, Gorgeous, Mrs. Knight Smith, Dorothy 
Eckford, Lord Rosebery, Countess Spencer, Marchioness of 
Cholmondeley (new), and Janet Scott. In addition to these 
might be seen here many varieties of annuals in flower, and a 
very fine display of Asters. There were also several hundred 
separate trials of culinary Peas, including some fine samples 
of Gardus, Thomas Laxton, Telephone, Duke of Albany, Glad¬ 
stone (veiy fine), Nonsuch (new), Sutton’s Prizewinner (one of 
t'he best), Eureka, Peerless, etc., etc. Altogether, the trials on 
the ground numbered upwards of 3,000, and proved most interest¬ 
ing, the arrangements all over manifesting great care and fore¬ 
thought. Messrs. B. and B. are raising at Warriston stock seeds 
pf many leading kinds of vegetables and flowers in a manner 
which reflects the highest credit upon them. The very fine col¬ 
lection of grasses and clovers were on Saturday the subject of 
most favourable comment, and great interest was aroused by the 
collection of weeds that were commonly found among these. 
The visitors, numbering upwards of 40, before leaving were 
entertained by the firm to tea, and a hearty vote of thanks was 
accorded Messrs. B. and B. for their kindness. Thanks are 
due to the secretary of the Edinburgh Seed Trade Assistants 
(Mr. Jas. Hart Parker) for carrying through the arrangements 
of these educative excursions.—L. O. 
The Century Plant at Orpington. —A considerable amount 
of local interest has been created in the flowering of Agave 
americana in the garden of Ferdinand Damm, Esq., of Dorp- 
heim, Orpington, Kent. The specimen is a fine one, and photo¬ 
graphs of it have been secured. 
* * * 
• Big Gooseberry at Bingley.— The twenty-seventh annual 
Gooseberry show at Bingley was a good one. The heaviest 
Gooseberry was one of the transparent varieties, and weighed 
28 dwt. 20 gr. Mr. A. Hudson was the exhibitor, and winner 
of the first prize. 
* * * 
Railway Station Gardens. —At the present time the station 
at Lenton, Nottingham, is very gay with a great variety of 
flowers, which are a source of attraction to travellers, as the 
garden abuts on the departure platform. The Midland Railway 
Company offers prizes for the best-kept station gardens, but 
the judging has not been accomplished this year, as yet. 
* * * 
Addition to Brockwell Park. —We are pleased to learn that 
Brockwell Park, in the south-eastern district of London, is 
again being extended by the addition of something like six 
acres of land. This lies alongside of the Trinity Road, on 
the south side of the park, and something like £12,000 is re¬ 
quired for it. A sixth of this has already been promised by 
the Lambeth Corporation. Provided the land is secured, it 
will not only be a valuable addition to the park, but help 
to keep that congested neighbourhood open. 
* * * 
Cultivators of Small Holdings. —At a meeting of the Small 
Holdings Association at Newdigate, Surrey, on the 10th inst., 
the Earl of Onslow said the problem they had to solve was not 
whether they could provide small holdings, but whether they 
could sell land to people who would be able to cultivate it and 
make a living from the same. If the problem could be solved 
to satisfaction in that way it would be the duty of the Govern¬ 
ment to lend every assistance in order to stay the depopulation 
of the country by people immigrating into the towns. 
* * * 
Botanic Gardens, Liverpool. —The tuberous Begonias in) 
one of the cool houses are at present attracting a large number 
of visitors. The collection includes some fine double and also 
crested varieties, notable both for size aild colour. Fuchsias, 
Carnations, and Campanula pyramidalis are also well flowered 
and tastefully arranged. The cool houses are open to the public 
from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on week-days, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
on Sundays. The flower-beds in the open air are brilliant 
with a great variety of plants, and the grass on which the beds 
are cut out is kept in a state of beautiful green verdure. Mr. 
J. Guttridge ■ and his staff are to be congratulated upon the 
result of their work in so trying a season. 
■* * * 
Carrots Destroyed by Millipedes. —In reply to a letter from 
Mr. Bullock, Godaiming, Mr. Saunders writes as follows to the 
‘ Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society re¬ 
cently:—“The Carrots are attacked by the millipedes (Poly- 
desmus complanatus), ‘the flattened millipede.’ It is a very 
annoying pest, and one which is very difficult to destroy, as these 
creatures when feeding at the roots of a plant cannot be killed 
by means of an insecticide without using it of such a strength 
that it would injure the latter; but watering copiously with a 
strong solution of nitrate of soda or common salt might be tried. 
They may be often caught by burying small slices of Turnips, 
Mangolds, or Vegetable Marrow near the plant just below the 
surface of the soil. A small skewer of wood should be stuck 
into each slice ; this will show where each bait is buried, and 
also render handling them easier. These traps should be exa¬ 
mined every morning, and any millipedes feeding on them picked 
off and the traps replaced.” Another method, described by Mr. 
Shee, is to make a funnel-shaped vessel with perforations, filling 
this with pieces of vegetables and burying it. It can then be 
lifted and the contents thrown out and the grubs killed. 
