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THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 3, 1904. 
Death of Me. J. Jones. —The death occurred, on August 12th, 
of Mr. J. Jones, for many years employed by Messrs. 'Sutton 
and Sons, Reading. 
’ * * * 
Me. C. Ilott about to Leave Corn vale C.C.—Many in Corn¬ 
wall will learn with regret of the departure at Christmas^next, 
after eight years’ service under the Cornwall County Council 
as instructor in horticulture, of Mr. C. Ilott, F.R.H. S., of 
Large Peaches.— Mr. C. Kings, gardener to Mrs. Willson, 
'St. Albans Lodge, Richmond Road, Kingston-on-Thames, has 
grown some splendid specimens of this luscious' fruit. 'Some 
weigh 12g oz. and measure nearly 13 in. round. The varieties 
grown are Sea Eagle and Lord 'Palmerston. 
* * * 
Nest in a Can. —At Batheaston horticultural show, near Bath, 
one of the exhibits was a hot-water can, in which a robin had 
built its nest. In order to feed its young ones, it is said, the 
bird had to lift the cover each time it entered, the can being 
on its side on a fence at Larkhall, a suburb of Bath. 
* * * 
Sale of Plants at Devanha House. —An important sale of 
the stove and greenhouse plants which 'belonged to the late Sir 
William Henderson took place by auction at Devanha House, 
Aberdeen, on August 19t'h. The breaking up of this splendid 
collection of plants will be a distinct loss' to Aberdeen and its 
summer and autumn flower shows. 
* * * 
Fashion oe Taste foe Peaches on the Wane. —During the 
month of August the fruit trade has enjoyed a record for quantity 
and variety on our markets. Peaches are being neglected, how¬ 
ever, a® line fruits weighing 8oz. to lOoz. were allowed to rot for 
want of buyers. At the same time the quantities' of green 
Apples that are being eaten are marvellous. 
* * * 
Potato Record. —What is considered to be a record growth 
of potatos has this year been established by Mr. Croucher, 
gardener to 'Sir James Lyall, for on a piece of ground covering 
an area just short of a perch, and on which only one gallon of 
'Sutton’s Ninety-fold seed was planted, no less than 21'6 lbs. of 
Potatos were dug. The twelve heaviest weighed 13 lbs., while 
one single Potato scaled 1 lb. 10 oz. 
* * * 
Me. William James Penton. —For the past thirteen months 
this highly-©M >ea ’i 0nce d gardener laboured to instruct the 
students at Studley Gastle hi the practice of gardening, but has 
now been appointed head gardener to the Marquis, of Winchester, 
at Amport St. Mary’s, Andover, Hants, where he takes up his 
new duties on September 10th: In a recent issue we spoke of 
the wide gardening experience of Mr. Penton, and we wish him 
every success in his new appointment. 
* * * 
Gbowtii of Glasshouses. —At the present instant there are 
some 1,500 acres in England covered over with glass, which, if 
stretched in one straight line, would form a glass (hothouse a 
good deal longer than the length of England and about 10 ft. 
in width, says “Tatler.” Fifty years ago the acreage covered 
by glasshouses did not exceed much more than a couple of 
hundred. From the 1,500 acres of glasshouses are produced 
annually about 6,000 tons of Tomatos, 2,000 tons of Peaches, 
and 1,500 tons of Grapes. 
* * * 
Pbospect foe Blackbekeies. —Blackberries, are beginning to 
come into the markets in small quantities, and rather high 
prices—as much as £35 a ton—are realised. These prices, how¬ 
ever, are not likely to be maintained when the season is more 
, advanced, as Die crop is expected to be exceptionally ./heavy. 
France is ahead of us in point of time, and dealers there are 
offering to supply large quantities to English manufacturers 
and salesmen. Blackberries are also expected from Ireland, 
and, as the trade for the fruit is gaining in popularity, the 
shippers stand an excellent chance of finding purchasers. 
Thibd Flo weeing of Apple Teee. —An Apple tree close to the 
Bachelor’s Acre at Windsor is in bloom for the third time this 
season. 
* * * 
Big Potatos. —Mr. Jno. Tuck, at the end of August, dug some 
monster Potatos. Twelve were found under one stalk, three of 
which weighed 5-i- lbs. 
* * * 
Death feom Eating Beebies. —A coroner’s jury at Southamp¬ 
ton the other week found that the death of a. boy named Leonard 
William Blake was due to eating poisonous berries. The 
deceased hoy and his brother ate some green berries taken from 
trees in a public park, and both were subsequently seized with 
violent pains. The younger became delirious and succumbed. 
During the post-mortem examination a small iron screw was dis¬ 
covered in the deceased boy’s stomach. 
* * * 
Twofold Nepenthes. — On August 23rd, at the R.H.S. Scien¬ 
tific Committee meeting, Dr. Masters exliibited from Messrs. 
Jas. Veitch and Sons a specimen in which two leaves were joined 
at the base, so- that the specimen had the appearance of a single 
leaf branched below the middle, and each branch bearing a 
pitcher. 
L * * * 
Vabiegation in Febns.— At the R.H.S. Scientific Committee 
meeting, on August 23rd, Mr. Druery sent a unique and in¬ 
teresting example of symmetrical variegation in a British Fern 
in the form of a frond of Polystiehum angulare var. pulcher- 
rima, Moly., found many years ago in Dorsetshire. The plant 
is perfectly constant, and, curiously enough, perfects its fronds 
as purely green ones, the variegation appearing subsequently 
as they ripen. The Fern is furthermore interesting as being the 
only known example of a constant aposporous form of P. 
angulare, the sickle-shaped, inferior pinnules developing pro- 
thalli from their tips when layered. The resulting sexual 
plants, however, are irregular and depauperate, with extremely 
rare exceptions. I am indebted for this plant to Dr. Stansfield, 
of Reading. 
* * * 
Fbuit at Covent Gaeden. —The first instalment of this year $ 
French Walnuts was received at Covent Garden Market on 
August 26th. Fruit generally is selling at a very cheap rate. 
This especially applies to French Pears, the supply of which ±s 
much larger than usual. The best dessert Greengages, however, 
are realising 3d. to 4gd. per lb. wholesale. The early Plums are 
nearly all over, the German growers holding back their stock in 
the hope of obtaining a. better price. Some Victoria Plums were 
in the market before the above date, but the best- are still to 
come, and it is expected that they will be good, plentiful, and 
cheap. Kent and Middlesex Apples are selling at low rates. 
The Worcester Apples are beginning to arrive, and large con¬ 
signments from Devonshire are daily expected. The Sweet Water 
Grapes from Portugal are selling at from 8s. to 9s. per 50 lb. cask. 
* * * 
Inceeased Caeeiage foe Potatos. —At the Corn Exchange, 
Spalding, on August 23rd, a large and influentially attended 
meeting was held to protest against the increased charges made 
by the combined railway companies for the carriage of Potatos. 
Mr. J. W. Dennis, of London, and Kirton, Boston, presided, and 
the leading Potato growers, representing a wide area from 
Boston to Wisbech, were present. The object of the meeting 
was to induce the railway companies to give the same rate for 
the carriage of Potatos which existed until 1903, when a rebate 
■of 2s. per ton, which had been allowed for many years, was 
discontinued. It was estimated that this difference of 2s. per 
. ton is equivalent to £50,000 a year paid by the farmers of the 
district to the railway companies, and is also equivalent to 15s. 
an acre on the large area now under Potato cultivation in the 
district in question. A resolution was adopted as under: — 
“ This .mieeting, representing the large area lying between 
Boston on the north, and a- line drawn from Ramsey to Wisbech 
on the south, enters its strong protest against the combined 
action of the Great Northern, Great Eastern, and Midland Rail¬ 
way Companies, whereby the rate of carriage of Potatos to 
London in full waggon loads, which had been in force for 
upwards of fifteen years, has now been considerably increased, 
views with deep anxiety the resultant increasing difticulty to 
compete, in our own markets, with the foreign grower, who 
enjoys rates of transit ranging from 30 to 50 per cent, only of 
those claimed by the comjianies named, and pledges itself to 
support to the utmost a claim before the Railway and Canal 
Commissioners for the removal of this arbitrary and. unjust 
imposition upon the principal agricultural industry in this 
district.” 
