January 7, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Old Double White Primula. 
“ Old but over new” i.s a quotation that may well be applied 
to Primula sinensis alba plena. At Ellel, Regent’s Park, the 
residence of E. Rosenborg, Esq., the capable head gardener, 
Mr. John Addison, lias, at (lie present time, a good batch in 
llmver, so extremely useful at this dull period of the year for 
greenhouse decoration. I had not seen this old favourite sp 1 
well done since, many years ago, it was my privilege to view 
a tine batch of plants at the then Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Gardens at Chiswick, grown and flowered by that successful 
plantsman, Mr. A. Hemsley, who at that time had charge of 
t he plant houses there. Just one little and pardonable digres¬ 
sion a.t this point, Mr. Editor. How grandly, too, Mr. Hemsley 
grew and flowered tuberous Begonias and numerous other de- 
eorative floral subjects. Beautiful visions of them now pass 
before my imagination even in these far-off days. 
A little cultural note as to Mr. Addison’s modus operandi 
with regard to Primula; alba plena may well wind up this little 
note and serve some practical purpose. In the month of June 
he cuts off the old and decaying leaves from the stems, the 
strongest plants being divided into twos and three®; the weakly 
ones are shaken out, and when repotted they are all put into 
a. cold frame and shaded for some little time until they take 
to the new soil, which consists of two- parts of good yellow 
loam and one of silver sand and leaf-soil. Light is then gradu¬ 
ally admitted until they are considered to be hardy. The 
treatment from now is nob the coddling one sometimes 
adopted with these plants, to- their detriment. They stand 
in these cold frames and take pot-luck, so to speak, until the 
month of October, when they are transferred in the flowering 
stage to a cool greenhouse, where they remain in flower until 
next April. This course of highly successful treatment has 
been pursued by Mr. Addison for eight years. This season! 
the plants are as good as ever, amply repaying him for any 
care or trouble that has been bestowed upon their cultivation. 
It should be mentioned the plants are in 48-sized pots. 
J. B. 
The Reanimation of Nature. 
From the remotest times of human existence, doubtless, this 
most interesting phenomenon of Nature has attracted atten¬ 
tion. Moreover, like many other physical subjects, it must 
have also occasioned considerable speculation^even among the 
most primitive races. We require no further proof of this 
fact than our own experiences of things in infanthood. 
In a certain measure, those early ideas which so forcibly 
strike the infantile mi'nd of a civilised people differ but little 
from those of a fully matured individual in savagedom. And 
all of us in infancy have had our quiet philosophical moments 
(shall I dare to call them so ?) of reasonings about the marvels 
of Nature surrounding us. Whence the prompting thought 
came, in after life, I am sure, gave many of us no' small aston¬ 
ishment. 
Whatever may be our opinions on that question, it is evident 
that man in all his degrees of civilisation, or, for that matter, 
in every stage of his existence, was a reasoning being of no less 
capacity than the infant of civilised ages. So, therefore, it 
is no wonder to think that our ancestors exercised some part 
of their existence in the contemplation and in the endeavour 
of solving very many natural problems which even yet remain 
more or less mystical. Among the Celts I have heard a. very 
pretty theory (whether general or not I am unable to say) of 
the reanimation period of plant life. It has a smack of 
Druidical philosophy, and may have come down from that very 
interesting people, who, as Ceesar informs us, studied Nature 
and the sciences so deeply. It sets forth that coeval with the 
change which takes place in the return journey of the sun to 
northern latitudes on December 21st, animation becomes im¬ 
mediately active in plants. As the story was heard, the night 
of the 31st ult. (Hogmanay) was the date given, but as eleven 
days must be deducted from this to- agree with (O.S.) reckon¬ 
ing, it will coincide approximately with the shortest day. 
Though I do not generally agree with such an idea, I i ust 
confess that such a theory has much in.it that appears n;. 
able. That there must be a definite period when activity re¬ 
turns in plants must be as true as the definite point which 
limits the course of the sun, and nothing seems more reason¬ 
able than that with the return of the source of life returns also 
life itself. ]» ( 
Obituary 
Mr. John Orchard. 
The death occurred on the 27th ult. of Mr. Jno. Orchard, a 
respected resident of Market Boswcrth, I^eicester, who lived in 
a cottage off the Station Road for over 70 years, and worked 
as a gardener at Bosworth Hall for over 52 years. In March 
he would have reached his eighty-fourth yean 
—o— 
Mr. R. Andrew. 
Death has removed one who resided for many years in Fal¬ 
mouth—Mr. Robt. Andrew. The deceased had been in the em¬ 
ploy of tlie late Mr. M. H. Williams, of Pencaleniok, as gar¬ 
dener, for about 50 years, coming to Perran Wharf from 
Arrallas Farm, Truro, ou the marriage of his late master. 
When his employer acquired Pencalenick, and went there to 
reside, Mr. Andrew went with him, and worked until inca¬ 
pable of following his employment. The funeral took place at 
St. Piran Churchyard, the Rev. R. Harthill officiating. The 
coffin bore the inscription: “ Robt, Andrew, died December 
15tli, 1904, aged 75 years.” 
—o— 
Mrs. Lowater. 
The inhabitants of Eltliam heard with much regret, on Mom 
day, the 26th ult., of the death of Mrs. Louisa Lowater, wife 
of Mr. William Lowater, the well-known florist and nursery¬ 
man, of Park Place, Eltliam. The deceased lady, who was 70 
years of age, was one of Eltham’fe oldest inhabitants. She was 
born in the village, as were also her parents, and was held in 
the greatest respect by all classes. She had greatly grieved 
over her only daughter’s death some three years ago, and had 
been in indifferent health for some time past. She had had 
periodical attacks of illness, and recently was laid up for nine 
weeks. Her health again failed a week or two ago, and she 
again took to her bed. The cause of her death was double 
pneumonia and bronchitis. The funeral took place on the 
30th, at 2.30, in Eltliam Churchyard. The bereaved husband 
has the sympathy of his many friends in the bereavement that 
has overtaken him. 
Tkee Planting in the Black Countky. —In previous years 
we have given brief accounts of the movement set afoot for re^ 
afforesting and improving the appearance of the face of the 
country disfigured by rubbish from the coal and other mines 
in the Midlands of England. The movement is still alive, and 
may be described as progressing slowly, though apparently 
surely, in proportion as means enable the local society to plant 
fresh areas of ground. At present it has a membership of 150, 
and through the agency qf the association two plantations have 
already been made, namely, a model one at Old Hill and four 
acres at Wednesbury, where 6,000 trees were planted on one of 
the great mounds so characteristic of the Black Country. From, 
the evidence to hand, it does not appear that the mine-owners 
are taking that active interest in the case which one would have 
expected, seeing that the disfiguration of the country was largely 
brought about by their mining. There is a hope, however, that 
this class of the community will presently join in the move¬ 
ment. Expert evidence has been forthcoming during the past 
year that the plantations will ultimately prove a commercial 
success, as well as improve the appearance of the country, and 
be to the benefit of the health of the inhabitants. Last year 
the income of the association was only £46, and they think 
that an annual income cf £200 would be a modest sum to put 
the association on a proper footing. Professor Hillhouse, of 
Birmingham, suggested that the association should make ar$ 
-experimental plantation, and try all kinds of trees to ascertain 
which are the most suitable, both from a commercial point of 
view and the beautification of the land. Ibis suggestion is to 
be acted upon. 
