April 8, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
297 
otatos Down in Price. —From Boston, in Lincolnshire, we 
ve told that a certain grower invested £14 in a certain much- 
oomed Potato, and after growing a crop from these tubers he 
old the produce for 30s. 
* Tv TV 
When Bananas aee Fit to Eat. —In speaking about West 
ndian Bananas from a commercial point of view, Mr. Frank 
’ink thought that they were not fit for eating until brown spots 
ppeared on the skin. These spots could be usually distm- 
;„i,he.l from those caused by bruising. 
.Ulan * * * 
; Contravening the Pharmacy Act. —Two florists and seed 
merchants have recently been fined at Grantham for selling 
licotine a vegetable poison, without having their names and 
ul.lresses on the bottle. The public analyst at Exeter certified 
that the bottle contained 40 per cent, of pure nicotine. Dealers 
m such poisons might take the necessary precautions required 
by law in safeguarding the public. * 
A New Dahlia. —Mr. A. J. Pieters, who has charge of the 
seed and Plant Introduction Department of Agriculture at 
Washington, U.S.A., has under his care a species of wild 
Dahlia from Mexico, which he thinks is new. The foliage is 
;o different from the well-known Dahlia variabilis that its 
identity as a Dahlia is not very evident until the plant comes 
nto bloom. He has also been crossing this new Mexican plant 
with some of the best varieties of the common Dahlia obtain¬ 
able. Already lie has raised a number of seedlings which are 
promising enough, but have not yet proved themselves. 
* * * 
Two Splenhid Early Daffodils.— The Tenby Daffodil (Nar¬ 
cissus obvallaris) is usually considered the earliest to come 
into bloom in the open air. Grown alongside of Golden Spur, 
and precisely under the same conditions, the last named was, if 
(anything, the earlier. It is a large golden-yellow Daffodil with 
a. prominent trumpet, whereas the Tenby Daffodil, although 
•very firmly built, is a much smaller flower. The segments are 
■ broad, while the tube is short and wide. Both of them had 
been left in the ground for the past two years, so that the ques¬ 
tion of planting had not affected them in any way. 
* * * 
Garden Produce from the Channel Islands.— The “ Sussex 
Daily News ” of Monday says the steamers engaged between 
the ‘ Channel Islands and Newhaven are bringing large 
quantities of spring produce to the Sussex port, and the rail¬ 
way quays give increasing evidence every day of the arrival 
of spring. The average number of boxes of cut- flowers received 
daily at Newhaven from the Channel Islands is about 2,500, and 
in addition to this there are about 2,000 packages of other 
produce, made up of Radishes, green Peas, Kidney beans, new 
Potatos, ripe Figs, Tomatos, Melons, Cucumbers., and 
Asparagus. The bulk of this is for the London markets and 
the North, via London. There are also large quantities of 
Onions imported through Dieppe. These are coming from 
Egypt, and the number of sacks on two days last week was 
about 6,000—equal to 300 tons. The Guernsey service is a daily 
one, and two fast steamers are engaged in it. 
The Henry Eckford Testimonial. —Much interest is being 
expressed in the “Henry Eckford Testimonial Fund,” and the 
letters accompanying the donations refer in most congratulatory 
terms to the excellence of the work accomplished by this great 
florist. As this is the first of the weekly lists, every amount 
received up to April 1st is included :—Mrs. Alderson, Is. ; Mr. 
•T. Alfred, Is. ; ATr. .T. C. Billing, Is. : Mr. R. P. Brotherston, 
10s. 6d. ; Mr. R. Butler, 5s. ; Air. C, H. H. Castle, Is. ; Messrs. 
Cooper, Taber and Co., Limited. 21s. ; Air. J. Harrison Dick, 
5s. : Mr H. .7. R. Digges, 10s. 6d. ; Airs. R, M. C. Livingston, 
s. 3d. ; Mr. A. Malcolm. 5s. ; Mr. E. Molyneux, 5s. ; Mr. E. 
Morton, 5s. ; Air. W. Nutting, 5s. ; Air. W. C. Pagram, Is. ; 
/io 1S ’ r A s ' ’ ^ r ' Shaw. Is. ; Messrs. Sutton and Sons, 
42s. ; Mr. B Tribe. Is. ; Air. R, Wallace. Is. ; Mr. P. Waterer, 
21s. ; Mr F. AY. AVright, Is. ; Air. AY. P. AYright, 10s 6d. 
^everal other amounts have been kindly promised, and will be 
acknowledged in the list following upon their receipt.- 
Horace J. AAriiiGHT. a 1 1 
Chestnut Tree in the Tuilleries Garden. The noted Ch< - 
nut tree known as Napoleon’s tree in the Tuilleries Garden, 
Paris, is reported to have expanded its first grc n leaves as 
usual on Alarch 20th. Various dates are given for this same 
behaviour, including March 20th, 1815, when Napoleon had 
escaped from Elba, and was back again at Fontainebleau. 
Naturally, there are many legends to account for the peculiar 
behaviour of this Horse Chestnut. We prefer, however, to 
regard it merely as a precocious individual amongst its kind. 
Seedlings vary in being early, average, or late, and it appears 
that the tree at Tuilleries is merely an early-leafing individual. 
* * * 
Arbor Day in Ireland. -One of the objects of the Arbor Day 
movement in Dublin and other parts of Ireland will be the 
teaching of boys and youths that there is something more useful 
and interesting in trees than to be merely smashed. AVe are 
told that two brothers have recently been heavily fined for 
smashing an ornamental tree on the property of Major Spaight, 
near Killaloe. Unfortunately, tree smashing by boys is not 
confined to Ireland by any means ; npr do we think that it is 
confined to boys. Many responsible authorities set on men to 
hack, chop, lop, and top trees even in places where there is 
plenty of room for the tree to form a good head. 
* * a 
Potato Disease in Auckland.— -Notwithstanding the very 
different climate of New Zealand to that of this country, it is 
evident that the climate is not proof against the Potato disease. 
It first made its appearance at Auckland, and it seems that, 
according to the Pests Act, if the blight should be prevalent 
there again next season the growers of Potatos will he barred 
from shipping their tubers to Wellington and elsewhere. A 
Potato grcwer urges the plea that if his Potatos are sound 
as the result of taking precautions he should not he subjected 
to the same treatment as his neighbour, who might not have 
taken any precautions whatever. In that case he thinks the 
law requires amending. 
* a- * 
The Return of Spring.— Again the landscape is putting on 
a vestuie indicative of vitality. The woodlands, lanes, and 
heaths put forth their countless treasures of incipient life in 
many forms and interesting variety. Here a modest Primrose, 
there a blushing Daisy peeping out from a tangled mass of 
withered grass and leaves. They are so enchantingly lovely 
that they arouse into play the affections of the most diffident 
wayfarer. On yonder bank beside the stream, too, the pretty 
yellow flowers of the Tussilago contrasts with the silky catkins 
of the Palm AYillow. Everything conduces to gladden the heart 
and soften our frostbound affections after a long and dismal 
contact with winter, and a wave of pleasure moves across the 
horizon of our existence. Still farther on in the depths of the 
woods and forests the sprouting leaves of the Narcissus, only 
but a few inches above the mossy sward, still cold and brown, 
delight the eye and break the monotony of a scene yet bearing 
the vesture of winter. And as our walk continues along the 
most sheltered and sun-exposed sides of the mossy glades, a 
variety of early harbingers of spring meet the eye, very pro¬ 
minent among them the beautiful and much incise! foliage 
of the charming Wood Anemone. The soul feels refreshed 
among this display of vigour and new life, and the whole animal 
spirits are raised to an elevation commensurate with the facultv 
of observation which the Allwise has conferred upon ns. In 
whatever direction the head is turned, this unmistakable force 
of the spirit of new-born life presents itself to the eye, and 
all of us appear to he sensibly affected, even, indeed, to the 
extent of apparently participating in rejuvenation. The lover 
of plants and flowers is awakened from his winter torpor to 
renewed activity, and is again, book in hand, busily engaged 
interpreting the mysteries of Nature. Up Hill and down the 
rugged ravine and craggy glen, over moor and fen, through 
bog and marsh, with indefatigable zest he pursues his pet 
subject with only one purpose in view—and all to know more of 
the. wonderland which surrounds him. Could there he a nobler 
purpose instigating a youth or an aged person to activity ? 
I know of none. And now is the time to make a beginning, for 
Nature beckons upon us to come and learn the multifarious 
lessons which she is solicitous to communicate. ATho hut the 
weak of will and the incorrigible will deliberately refuse her 
call ? Few gardeners, I trow, are found amongst those who 
are remiss ; this is their duty, and imperative to happiness. 
The pursuit of plant mystery is hut one of the many subjects 
she has to offer for our happiness and knowledge.—D.C. 
