THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 1, 1905. 
subjects, including the nourishment and m^nn 
of Boses, classification, synonymy, hybridity, the beffl-R^es i 
cultivating in the east of France, and also i the 
other regions. One of the papers will contain the best varieties 
of Roses amongst the novelties appealing betweei 
1902. The best varieties of hybrid Tea Roses to cultivate f 
cut flowers is another subject in hand. 
British Gardeners’ Association,- -There- was a la^e attend¬ 
ance of members of the Kingston Gardeners Society *hd othjg 
at the British Gardeners’ Association meeting promoted by the 
society and held at the Fife Hall, Kingston on Friday the 
24th ult Mr. E. H. Jenkins presiding. In the course of his 
address Mr. W. Watson, the secretary of the association said 
that the need for a gardeners association was universal!: 
admitted, and that the lines upon which it was P r °P°«£ ^ ^ 
British Gardeners’ Association should be worked appeared to 
be 1 generally approved. Why then was there not already an 
active and powerful-association working m the interest of the 
gardener asWre was now, he believed for every other crafts¬ 
man with success? It was due to faintheartedness and to a 
far too general disposition to let the other fellow take the 
initiative and do the work. Whilst certainly it was impossible 
for the members of the committee to themselves bnn 0 about 
reform, he was certain that it lay within the power of gaideneis 
as a body to do so. Although the response to the comnuttees 
anneal for members and for funds could not be called great, 
it had been enough to ensure the launching of the association 
upon the projected lines, and the interest m and support given 
to 1 the association was steadily increasing. He appealed to those 
present to form a district branch of the association. ill. 
Jenkins and Mr. A. Dean having spoken m praise of the objects 
of the British Gardeners’ Association and m favour of the estab¬ 
lishment of a Kingston branch, Mr J- 1. Blencowe (secreta y 
of the Kingston society) expressed himself aware of the n-eces 
sity for a gardeners’ association, but on the grounds that gar¬ 
dening was a luxury he was sceptical about the possibility of 
gardeners obtaining fairer treatment The proposal to form 
a local branch was discussed, and finally it was decided that a 
second meeting should be held to further consider the mattei. 
Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual Improvement 
Society.— The second of the first-prize essays won last year in 
open competition amongst the members of this society was read 
by the winner, Mr. J. Sugden, Morland Road, and the paper 
proved entertaining to a good muster of members at their rooms. 
Sunflower Temperance Hotel, on the 21st ult. The subject 
was '• Birds of our Garden,” and the essayist spoke m meri¬ 
torious terms of most of the species found amongst us. He, 
however, also mentioned the depredations of some on the young 
seedlings and buds, and advised protection with black cotton 
or other means from these molestations. He said it must be 
admitted that the birds are of great benefit to the gardener, and 
entreated all to make close observation of these feathered friends, 
when it will be found they prove a decided benefit to mankind. 
With the help of the lantern he was able to show a number of 
slides on the screen, illustrating the natural colours of the 
birds. The discussion following was in a mixed feeling to the 
essayist’s view’s, some members eulogising the good points in 
the majority of species, whilst others were condemned as alto¬ 
gether destructive. The exhibits were good, and comprised a 
well-flowered Coelogyne cristata from Mr. A. Edwards, Tulips 
in pots from Mr. B. Acock, Parsley and Kale from Mr. W. A. 
Cooke, and pod of cotton plant, cotton seed, and raw cotton 
from Mr. F. W. Moore. A unanimous vote of thanks was con¬ 
veyed to Mr. Suclgen for reading his essay ; also to the 
exhibitors. 
* * * 
Royal Horticultural Societal —At the general meeting of 
Fellows, held on Tuesday afternoon, a paper by Mr. Frank Pink 
was read on “ Bananas ” from a commercial point of view, in 
the course of which he pointed out that until about four years 
ago the monopoly of the Banana business was held by the 
Canary Islands, since when the West Indian trade in the fruit 
has been most successfully encouraged by the Government giving 
a subsidy for a direct line of steamers running to and from 
Jamaica, and bringing over every fortnight not less than 20,000 
bunches. And other lines now run steamers specially equipped 
for this purpose and without subsidies. The lecturer then 
described the different varieties met with on the market, in¬ 
cluding the “ Musa Cavendishii,” the “ Gros Michael,” and the 
“Claret.” The methods of collecting, shipping, and transport 
were described, and special reference was made to the fostering 
care exercised on the trade by the Imperial Department of Agri¬ 
culture in the West Indies. The paper was not only most in¬ 
structive, but also formed a most fitting introduction to 
the second show of colonial fruit which was held by the 
society on Thursday and Friday, March 30th and 31st. The 
next of the society’s fortnightly exhibitions and meetings will 
be held on Tuesday, April 11th, when a lecture wall be delivere l 
by’ Mr. T. J. Powell on “ Retarded Potatos.” 
The Kei Apple. —The above name is given, to Abeira caffra. 
a member of the order Bixineae and a native of South Africa. 
Two large plants of it have just been presented to the Royal 
Botanic Society by Lady Dorothy Nevill. 
* * * 
Large Parsnips. —Mr. R. Kirkwood, Gannochan Castle. 
Braco, Perthshire, has just lifted the remainder of his last 
year’s crop of Parsnips. One of the largest specimens had a 
girth of 14g in. round the top end, while the root measured 
27 in. long. Many of the others measured 12 in. round the 
toji and 2 ft. long. 
■* * *■ 
Amaryllis at Sefton Park. —For some time past a splendid! 
bank of Amaryllis has been arranged in the Palm house, Sefton 
Park, Liverpool, to which the public are admitted. These have 
been raised from seeds by Mr. H. Herbert, the superintendent 
of parks, and his staff. The flowers are of large size, and many 
of them are quite gorgeous in colour. 
* * 
Who Gets the Profits ?—A Kent Strawberry grower has be;n 
making just complaints about the prices obtained for Straw¬ 
berries during the past two months. As early as February 13th 
he sent some Strawberries to Covent Garden, and received 
2s. 2d. per lb.- for them. During the next month he received 
9d. for just under 1 lb. of Strawberries. During March, how¬ 
ever, or a month later, he learned that Strawberries had been 
selling at 30s. per lb., and he heard that these had been sent 
from abroad. If so-, the English grower surely has a right 
to complain of this disparity. 
* ■* * 
Bowling Green or Kitchen Garden. About the third west 
of last month a rather interesting case was being discussed at 
the Birmingham assizes. This was about the making of a 
bowling green, and some amusing evidence was forthcoming. 
One of the complaints, however, would seem to be that quan¬ 
tities of Horseradish, Rhubarb, qncl other bad weeds came up 
in the grass, much to the disadvantage of the turf. This doss 
not appear to have any connection with the laying out of such 
a green, but rather to the .soil from which it was made. Pos¬ 
sibly, while it was being made the refuse from the nearest 
kitchen had been thrown upon it without studying the conse 
quence. By some reason or other Horseradish gets scattered 
about in all sorts of places, but especially upon waste ground 
and as the plant does not produce any seed it is quite evident 
that its spread is due to the- throwing away of pieces of tin 
crown or the root amongst rubbish, and this getting mixe- 
amongst the soil will grow practically anywhere where the soi 
happens to be deep enough. 
* * * 
Poiver of a Nut Tree. —Water ton, a naturalist and travelle: 
in South America, speaks of a-Nut tree which lifted a millstonel 
This was lying upon the- ground, and by some natural means ii 
nut had been dropped through the hole in the centre of tin 
stone. Some time afterwards Waterton observed a seecllim 
tree appearing through the hole- of the stone. He prophesies 
that the tree in course of time would lift the millstone from tin 
ground. In ordet to observe the result, he had a railing place: 
around the stone to protect that and the tree. It is stat-ec 
that when the tree grew sufficiently to fill the hole in the stout 
it was raised bodily from the ground, and this went on unti 
it was 8 ft. from the ground. We do not doubt the possibility 
of the- tree raising the stone-, but we should think 8 in. wouh 
be more near the mark than 8 ft. We can scarcely seen how tin 
stone could slip up the tree- when once tightly fixed near tin, 
ground line. The tree after a time would be more likely to grov 
