lot 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 4. 1905. 
by the chairman, Mr. T. W. Briscoe taking the first for ‘‘ Pruning 
and Training of Hardy Fruit drees, and Mr. . A. Cook 
second. For the essay " Birds of Our Garden, Mr. J. Sugden 
and Mr. H. Peckham took the prizes in this order. Mr. Briscoe 
replied on behalf of the iirize-winners, while Messrs. P. F. 
Bunyard, the chairman, J. Gregory, A. Somerton, .T. Cutler, 
and G. E. Hart also spoke on different subjects. There was a 
capital musical programme during the evening. 
Mr. G. IV. Cummins, formerly of The Grange, Wallington, 
has been appointed gardener to- Leigh-Goldie Taubman, Esq. , 
The Nunnery, Isle of Man. He took up his new duties on 
Thursday, the 2nd inst. 
J * * * 
Erratum. —On p. 77, in the twenty-ninth line from the top of 
the first column, for Messrs. William Paul and Son, Clieshunt, 
read “Messrs. William Paul and Son, Waltham Cross, Herts.” 
The error was a clerical one, afterwards inadvertently over¬ 
looked. 
■* * * 
The Thornless Cactus.— Illustrations of this so-called re¬ 
markable plant evolved by Luther Burbank show that it is an 
Opuntia. Is it not possible that some of the species would pro¬ 
duce spineless branches on the top when they reach a certain 
height, in the same manner as the Holly? It is a likely thing 
to happen, and. if so, it could be perpetuated, we presume, by 
rooting the spineless tops. 
The Cate Chestnut in Flower at Sydney. —About the mid¬ 
dle of December last Mr. J. H. Malden, Director of the Botanic 
Gardens, Sydney, said that one of the most beautiful trees in 
the world was flowering in the gardens. He referred to the 
Cape Chestnut (Calodendron capense). It is a tall tree, and was 
a mass of pale lavender flowers. Droughty conditions were 
prevailing, and it was supposed that this had the effect of 
making it flower better than it had ever been seen before. It 
lasts only a few days in perfection, but is nevertheless very 
handsome while it continues. It is occasionally grown in this 
country, but seldom gets sufficient room to develop its natural 
capabil ities. 
* * * 
Changes in the London Parks. —The recent death of Mr. 
Kempsall, who- was for many years superintendent of Clissold 
Park, has involved several changes. The chief of these is the 
raising to a higher rank of the Victoria Embankment- Gardens, 
upon which Mr. F. W. Wright, who kept the gardens so admir¬ 
ably three or four years back, lias been requested to again take 
charge of them. Mr. J. H. Bates goes from the Embankment 
to Clissold Park, Mr. G. Dodson from Kennington Park to 
Springfield Park, Mr. T. Weathers tone from Battersea Park 
to Kennington Park, and Mr. F. Philp, who has hitherto been 
a foreman-in-charge, now becomes superintendent at Myatt’s 
Fields. 
* * * 
Stecies and Varieties of Plants. —Some little time ago we 
spoke, of the experiments of Hugo de Vries in connection with 
the development of new species by saltative- evolution under 
artificial conditions. The Professor usually has his duties 
in the LTniversity of Amsterdam, but he has been delivering 
a course of lectures at the University of California, and has 
now published a book on the subject. Amongst the contents 
we note that he considers Viola tricolor, Draba verna, and 
Primula acaulis as elementary species. Many other plants are 
placed under the same category, and we presume he means that 
many forms of them occurring >n a wild state are practically 
incipient species. He has also a chapter or more on retrograde 
varieties not of hybrid origin. In this description he includes 
Bibes sanguineum albidum, from which, if seedlings were raised, 
some of them would no doubt revert to the parent. Other 
chapters deal with ever-sporting varieties, mutations, fluctua¬ 
tions, etc. In dealing with the origin of the pe-loric Toad Flax 
lie speaks of its sudden and frequent origin in the wild state. 
We ourselves have met with it in Linaria spuria, and frequently 
amongst Violas of garden origin, while we have also seen speci¬ 
mens of peloria in L. vulgaris collected by others. 
Destruction of Orange and Lemon Trees. —According to 
report, the groves of Orange and Lemon trees between Nice 
and Monte Carlo have suffered damage almost equal to that 
suffered by the cultures of flower growers. 
* * * 
Sale of Orchids.— On the 27th ult. 650 lots of Orchids be¬ 
longing to Frederick Boyle, Esq., of North Lodge, Addiscombe, 
were sold by auction. Mr. Boyle, it may be remembered, was 
the author of a book about Orchids, and another on the culture 
of greenhouse Orchids. 
* * * 
Gardener’s Death from Tetanus. —The other week an in¬ 
quest was held by J. B. Wilson, Esq., coroner, into the death 
of John Smith, gardener, of Market Place, Kendal. It appears 
that Mr. Smith had received an injury to his right hand while 
following his employment, and this wound gave rise to tetanus, 
causing his death. 
* * * 
Ireland Might Grow Trees.— In “ All Ireland Review ” Mr. 
Charles Dawson speaks of the many millions earned by other 
nations by dumping timber in the British Isles. Out of 
£25,000,000 worth annually imported, he thinks that 
£18,000,000 worth could be grown at home, and Ireland could 
supply £5,000,000 worth of it. 
* * * 
Mr. T. S. Dymond, the chief of the agricultural staff at the 
Technical Laboratories, Chelmsford, has been appointed to an 
inspectorship under the English Board of Education, and to 
act as special adviser in matters of education, of Nature study 
in public elementary schools, of agricultural instruction in 
evening schools, etc. 
* * * 
Death of a Brentwood Gardener. —On the 14th ult. Mr. 
Alfred Walford, 53, gardener to- Mr. J. F. Leseller, J.P., of 
Boyles Court, Brentwood, was walking to the railway station 
for the purpose of visiting friends at Romford, and as he was 
crossing thei top of Great Eastern Road he fell, striking his 
head heavily on the pavement. Dr. S. Frazer was summoned, 
and found life to be extinct. It appears that deceased had 
suffered from heart disease for twenty years, and had beeni 
attended by Dr. J. C. Quennell. P.C. Percy and P.C. Swann 
removed the body to the Essex Arms Hotel, and as Dr. Quen¬ 
nell certified that death was due to heart disease no inquest 
was held. 
* * * 
A Gardener’s Claim. —It appears that a gardener of Selly 
Park made a claim of £6 from his late master, this being one 
month’s wages in lieu of notice. The plaintiff’s plea was that 
lie was engaged as gardener at a salary of 30s. a week, and in 
April last received a week’s notice to leave. The plaintiff in 
cross-examination admitted that he did other work. The Judge 
dismissed the case, with the explanation that- the plaintiff was 
not a menial servant, and consequently had sufficient notice. 
A menial servant was one whose time was at the disposal of 
his master over the twenty-four hours of each day. In this 
case the plaintiff did other work. 
* * * 
Registration and Trial of Potatos.— A register of Potatos 
has been established by the National Potato Society, and I 
shall be glad if you will give me the names of any varieties in 
which you are interested, and particulars under as many as 
possible of the following heads:—Raiser; Introducer; Year 
of introduction ; Parentage ; Habit of growth ; Shape of tuber ; 
Colour of flower ; Colour of skin ; Colour of flesh ; Colour of 
young shoots; When mature*, Smooth or hairy haulm. "When 
a name lias been registered, it will not be accepted for any other 
variety, consequently the introduction of two or more varieties 
under the same name- will be avoided. I wish also to inform you 
that it has been decided to accept seedlings and novelties for 
trial and report at a charge of three guineas (£3 3s.) for each 
sort. The society’s certificate- will be awarded .to meritorious 
varieties, thereby materially enhancing their value. Thirty 
(30) whole sets of about 3 ozs. weight each (or such as will go 
through a If in. sieve) of each sort will be required. The 
seed must be sent in before the end of February, but growers 
should communicate with me before dispatching it. The utmost 
care will be taken with the- stocks, and each variety will be 
grown under number. The produce will be returned to the 
setider, except for a small quantity to be retained for cooking 
tests. The register and trial ground are only open to members 
or patrons of the society.— Walter P, Wright, Secretary, 
Postling, Hythe, Kent, 
