: arch 18, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
215 
he Qardeniiig\\/brlci. 
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EDITORIAL NOTES. 
midland. Carnation and Picotee Society. 
The schedule of prizes of the above society 
10 ys that the forthcoming exhibition will 
■e held in the Botanical Gardens, Edg- 
aston, Birmingham, on August 2nd and 
3rd. Numerous prizes are offered in fifty- 
eight classes, showing that this society is 
still making vigorous progress and main¬ 
taining the reputation of florists for their 
particular flower. To give every class an 
opportunity on its own merits the prizes are 
offered for self Carnations, yellow ground 
l’icotees, fancy Carnations, white ground 
Picotees, flake or Bizarre Carnations, etc. 
These are still further divided in other 
classes, so that single blooms of any variety 
belonging to each different section may 
stand on their own merits and conqpete with 
other blooms belonging to the same section 
only. This lias the effect of bringing out 
the very best varieties belonging to the 
respective sections. Besides the classes 
open for blooms to be shown on cards there 
are also numerous classes to be shown with¬ 
out the old-fashioned regulation paper 
collar. The show will be varied by bouquets, 
sprays and table decorations. In addition 
there are two classes for exhibits of Sweet 
Peas in the form of rustic table decorations 
as well as in bunches. This schedule will 
be interesting to the successful competitors 
of last year, seeing that their names are all 
recorded here, together with the varieties 
which gained the prizes. The lion, secre¬ 
tary and treasurer is Mr. T. Humphreys, 
Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston, Birmingham. 
—o— 
New Species of Plants. 
Some interesting remarks have^been made 
by Theodore Holm on the above subject, and 
this is quoted by “ The American Botanist.” 
The writer thinks that the multiplication of 
new species in the last few years lias passed 
all hounds. 'J he literature has grown enor¬ 
mously, and is arranged in no order of form. 
He says this may be accounted for by the 
fact that many writers fail to appreciate 
what is meant hv a species. More deroga¬ 
tory than that, lie says they are quite in¬ 
competent to understand the botanical terms 
used in scientific botany. Furthermore, 
they fail to give information as to the affinity 
of new species, and by way of an example he 
says one may come across diagnoses so incom¬ 
plete that no idea can he gleaned of what 
the plant looks like. Some of these plants 
are also described without either the flowers 
or the fruits being seen, while the under¬ 
ground portions, even when described, are 
often misunderstood. If they had a better 
understanding of terminology, he thinks they 
would not he able to detect so many supposed 
undescribed. Many of the' plants which have 
been described he thinks would prove to he 
practically the same as something else if both 
forms were cultivated under the same condi¬ 
tions. He says it would he unwise to create 
new species without first consulting foreign 
floras, where the new finds may have already 
been described. He thinks it would be ad¬ 
vantageous for the American systematists 
to study geographical distribution of plants 
and the laws of phytography. He quotes a 
large number of what he considers barbarous 
names for plants, and notwithstanding tlie 
law that tlie name should lie in Creek or 
Latin, lie thinks there is little excuse for the 
linguistic atrocities which lie names. Con¬ 
cerning these statements of the American 
writer, we should imagine that the botanists 
who are now busy collecting plant forms are 
in such a hurry to have them described that 
they have no time to post themselves up in 
the literature, history and geographical dis¬ 
tribution of the forms. If such be the case 
there will presently be numerous synonyms 
in plant nomenclature in the hooks of our 
cousins across the water. 
—o— 
Pietermaritzburg Botanic Garden. 
The above is maintained by a local botanic 
society, and at the recent annual meeting it 
was stated that the past year had been a 
prosperous one. Various contributions of 
plants had been received from different 
botanic gardens, including that at Kew. A 
donation of meteorological instruments had 
also been presented. For some years past 
the trees in the gardens have been undergo¬ 
ing a system of thinning, which is still being 
persistently pursued. The committee have 
been seriously considering the financial posi¬ 
tion of the society in view of further desir¬ 
able renovations of the grounds and the in¬ 
creasing popularity of the gardens. As the 
city muu’cipal tramways are likely to he 
extended to the garden gates presently, they 
intend to appeal to the corporation for some 
adequate financial support. For a long time 
£3 was granted annually, hut in recent years 
this has been increased to £25. The inten¬ 
tion is to lay out an ample area as a pleasure 
garden where the people may he allowed 
gieater freedom than can be given them in 
the more closely cultivated portions of the 
garden. The society is congratulating itself 
in securing Mr. Alexander Hislop as their 
curator, who has proved most energetic and 
capable. He left Kew gardens in 1902 to 
take up this important post. They intend 
granting him sufficient funds to carrv out 
the improvements he lias so commendably 
initiated. 
Wine Cellar as a Market Garden. 
Dublin seems to be congratulating itself in 
having found a useful purpose for a wine 
cellar 
oji 
Usher’s Quav. This has been 
turned into a place for forcing Seakale and 
Rhubarb, and in growing Mushrooms. Ir is 
practically an underground city farm or 
market garden, and is lighted by means of 
a lantern. The produce is cut and sent to 
market twice a week, and commands top 
price in the Dublin market. We may say 
that a wine cellar has been used for rearing 
Mushrooms in a London suburb for many 
years past. In Edinburgh they have con¬ 
verted a disused railway tunnel to this 
purpose. 
