December 31, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
1071 
latter that should bo compared with the American species (P. 
occidentals), as there is great similarity between the leaves of 
the two. As far as we have observed, no nurseryman in this 
country has catalogued such a name as P. orientals laciniata, 
nor is it recorded in the “ Kew Hand List of Trees and Shrubs, 
although there is such a name as P. nepalensis laciniata, Hort., 
but this is applied to the form known here as P. cuneata. The 
specimen figured in the journal named is of regular pyramidal 
form, and very dense in the leafage, as if it had been pruned. 
In this country P. orientals is a very wide-spreading and 
rather straggling tree, even by comparison with the London 
Plane. Both of these grew for many years in the gardens of 
the Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick, and there are 
also large specimens of both of them in Kew Gardens. 
* * •* 
Antiquity of Kidney Beans.— It is stated that Kidney Beans 
have been grown in this country ever since the time of Edward 
VI. This is assumed from the fact that a writer in the time of 
that King alludes to the excellence of “ Kydney Beanes.” 
* * * 
A Novelist and his Gaedentng Difficulties. —Even Mr. 
Rider Haggard, the famous novelist, is not exempt, from gar¬ 
dening difficulties, for he relates how the furnace-bars of a 
greenhouse boiler gave way when frost put the test to the 
heating apparatus. The fire was drawn, and while the furnace 
was still hot the bricklayer’s boy was thrust into it all but 
his heels, when the novelist should have imagined he would 
be cooked like a joint in an oven. Nevertheless, the boy pro¬ 
ceeded to effect repairs by the light of a melting candle. 
* * “ * 
A Mulberry Tree for Southwark. —For some time past a 
sapling Mulberry from the famous tree planted by Shakespeare 
at Stratford-on-Avon has been promised the Southwark County 
Council to commemorate Shakespeare’s connection with the 
borough when yet a small village. The tree has at last been 
received, and was planted in front of the Southwark Town 
Hall in-Walworth Road on the 21st inst. The ceremony was 
performed by the Mayor, Councillor the Rev. A. W. Jephson, 
assisted by the other councillors, in a thick fog. If trees could 
think, it cannot think much of its new home, judged by its 
first arrival there. 
* * * 
Chewing Sunflower Seeds.— We have on a former occasion 
referred to the extensive cultivation of the Sunflower (Helianthus 
annuus) in Russia for the sake of the seeds. The latter are 
put to a variety of purposes, such as feeding chickens and other 
animals, but the Russian peasantry have an extraordinary 
habit of chewing the seeds on all possible occasions, just as 
people in this country have taken to the habit of smoking, and 
the Americans to chewing gum as well as tobacco. The shell 
or husk of the seed is separated by the teeth, and ejected, 
while the embryo is chewed and swallowed. The shells of the 
seeds litter the street pavements, garden walks, railway car¬ 
riages, public and private rooms, etc. A lively trade is done 
in these seeds by women at the street corners. The embryo or 
kernel of the seed contains a certain amount of oil, and has 
an agreeable taste. During the present war in Manchuria the 
Tsarina is said to have spent £32,000 in buying Sunflower seeds 
to send to the soldiers of the Tsar, so that they may have the 
pleasure of chewing the seeds while carrying out their arduous 
duties. The Russians themselves confess that there is no nour¬ 
ishment in them, but they serve to occupy the mind. 
* * * 
Sugar Beet and Potatos for Ireland. —The “ Dublin Daily 
Express ” says that the acute distress reported from the West 
of Ireland is the latest illustration of the folly of placing too 
much reliance on the Potato. When the crop is abundant it 
supplies food for the small farmer and his household, but when 
it fails there is nothing to fall back upon, and the thoughtless 
cottier is reduced to dependence upon Government grants, aid 
from local rates, and help from the charitable public. There 
is nothing more calculated to demoralise the population of large 
districts at recurrent intervals when the Potato crop fails. In 
view of the great increase of the cultivation of Beet for sugar- 
making, the Irish have been advised to grow Beet, for which 
the climate and much of the soil is suitable. Our contemporary 
thinks it regrettable that capitalists do not sink money in the 
country for the purpose of—establishing and working a big 
Dish Beet sugar industry. There are many ways in which 
Beet and Potatos could be turned to account. Ireland might 
supply this country with the greater part of its pure and raw 
sugars, glucose, starch, and alcohol for manufacturing, brew¬ 
ing, and motive purposes. Notwithstanding all these adum- 
biations about possible Irish industries, It is stated that they 
will never be turned into realities while Irish farming con¬ 
tinues to be conducted so largely on the primitive lines which 
at present characterise it. 
Society & Association Notes. 
Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Association. —Mr. Andrew 
Hope presided at the meeting on the 21st inst., when Mr. S. 
Radley, foreman of the herbaceous department of Messrs. 
Veitch’s nurseries, Exeter, gave a short paper on “ Insecticides, 
their Uses and the Methods of Application.” 
* * * 
Devon and Exeter Horticultural Society. —The past season 
has been a somewhat disappointing one to the above society, 
as the total receipts for the August show only amounted to £84, 
while the prize-money was £116. The receipts for the Chrysan¬ 
themum show in November were £78, while the expenditure 
was £76. A deficiency of £31 at the commencement of the year 
has greatly increased, and the deficiency at present is estimated 
at £77. There was a proposition at the annual meeting on the 
20th inst. that one show should be made honorary for one year. 
Mr. C. B. Saunders proposed that the future of the society 
be considered by a small committee, and this was seconded by 
Air. Collingwood, who was in favour of the reduction of the 
prize-money for one year. The motion was agreed to. 
* * * 
Sutton’s Angling Association. —In the unavoidable absence 
of Air. Leonard Sutton, Air. A. Livings ably filled the pre¬ 
sidential chair on Friday, December 16th, on the occasion of 
the twenty-fifth annual meeting and prize distribution of the 
association, in the reading-room of the Royal Seed Establish¬ 
ment, when £20 in valuable prizes were distributed amongst 
the nineteen members of the eighty forming the association, 
which has now existed for a quarter of a century. The splendid 
collection of prizes set out on the table comprised six time¬ 
pieces (three clocks and three watches), as also case of roach, 
banjo, split cane fly-rod, and other angling implements, which 
Air. Livings dispensed to the general satisfaction, drawing 
freely on a large fund of wit and humour. Air. Stacey’s magni¬ 
ficent marble clock and Air. Jacobs’ pair of roach (2 lbs. 1 oz. 
and 1 lb. 11 ozs.), caught last year, attracted considerable atten¬ 
tion. Coupled with the resolution unanimously electing his 
AYorship the Alayor of Reading (Mr. M. J. Sutton, J.P.) pre¬ 
sident, and Messrs. A. W., L. G., and Al. H. F. Sutton vice- 
presidents, was a hearty vote of thanks to them for their 
generous support and interest. All the remaining officers, 
without exception, were again elected, and last season’s rules 
and prize list adopted. The two 1 most eloquent items in the 
balance-sheet presented by the lion, secretary and treasurer 
(Air. R. Bowsher) were “Sutton and Sons’ cheque, £12 10s.,” 
constituting much the larger portion of the income, and 
£20 2s. 6d. for prizes, representing the chief expenditure. 
Quoting from the secretary’s report, the club season ending 
October 31st last is found to be one of the> best on record, viz., 
69 specimen fish (103 lbs.), in which chub and roach are the 
chief factors, the latter being again the competition par excel¬ 
lence with 37 specimens—39 lbs., average 1 lb. 1 oz. That 
perennial case, Thames v. Kennet, was again prosecuted with 
unabated vigour. The evidence on both sides was weighty in 
the extreme, and each representative produced seven witnesses. 
Mr. Jacobs appeared for “Father Thames” with 1 lb. 9 ozs. 
1 lb. 7 ozs., 1 lb. 55 ozs., 1 lb. 3| ozs., 1 lb. f oz., 1 lb. ^oz., 
and 15^- ozs.—8 lbs. 9^ ozs., average 1 lb. 3^ ozs., whilst Air. 
C. Cooper ably supported “Brer Kennet” with 1 lb. 5^ ozs., 
1 lb. 4 ozs., 1 lb. 3g ozs., 1 lb. 2| ozs., 1 lb. 2g ozs., 1 lb. 1 oz., 
and 1 lb. -J» oz.—8 lbs. 3g ozs., average 1 lb. 3 ozs., and only 
2 oz - less. Mr. Stacey, as in 1901, figures as premier piscator, and 
continues to- “uphold all the traditions” of angling in general 
and roaching in particular. “Nothing comes amiss to him,” 
for did he not wind up a brilliant season with a most sensational 
catch, the champion chub, 3i lbs., on a tight line? One gratify¬ 
ing feature of the 1904 prize roach team is its tail—such a tail! 
beating last year’s, which was a record at both ends. Details 
herewith for comparison, viz. 1903 : 2 lbs. § oz., 1 lb. 6| ozs., 
1 lb. 6^ ozs., 1 lb. 6 ozs., 1 lb. 3^ ozs., 1 lb. 2 ^ ozs., 1 lb. 2 ozs. ; 
average, 1 lb. 7 ozs, 1904 : 1 lb. 9 ozs., 1 lb. 83 ozs., 1 lb. 6§ ozs. ; 
1 lb. 53 ozs., 1 lb. 4j ozs., 1 lb. 4g ozs. (tie), 1 lb. ozs. ; 
average 1 lb. 6 ozs. The prize-winners for 1904 were Afessrs. 
AA . H. Stacey, AY. R. Smith, George Taylor, A. Knight, A. E. 
Jacobs, AY. T. Bartholomew, S. AYarrilow, H. Belcher, E. Spong, 
C. Cooper, A. Potts, J. Alarshall, C. Hunt, E. R. Hedges, AY. 
Hancock, F. Exler, H. Swain, and C. AY. Goseltine. 
