THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
200 
on the part of the auctioneer accompanied by a running fire 
of comment over the character of the bidding all of which 
is taken very good naturedly and as a matter of course. 
At the time of my visit, August ioth, the last of the 
Oregon Newton Pippins were being worked off (the crop 
of 1907). These were sold at private sale and did not fetch 
as much or certainly not more than newspaper reports said 
they were sold f. o. b. in Oregon ten months previously. 
Somebody dropped some money in the transaction! They 
followed fresh Tasmanian and Australian apples and were 
at a disadvantage though they opened up remarkably well. 
The visitor to this great fruit market is astonished at 
the great quantity of hot house grapes handled. I was 
informed that one growing company produced more than 
300 tons annually from their glass ranges. Figs are also 
offered in considerable quantity in the fresh state. The 
packages differ radically from those used in the U. S. and 
Canada. The veneer basket is practically unknown. 
Heavy willow baskets are almost universal. Apropos of 
the American apple as known in Covent garden there was 
much caustic comment regarding the character of the pack 
of 1907. Poor packing was according to report all too 
prevalent. Canadian shippers despite the Fruit Marks 
Act came in for as severe scoring as their competitors with¬ 
out government inspection across the border. Purchasers ‘ 
will be disposed to buy this year not on the strength of the 
trade mark but on the merits of the fruit. 
John Craig. 
London, August 13, 1908. 
MARYLAND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The annual report of the Maryland State Horticultural 
Society, Volume X, 1907 is an interesting publication. 
Orlando Harrison was president of the society for this year, 
1907, and the work of the society bears the impress of his 
energy. 
HORTICULTURE IN EUROPE. 
A Dutch firm has obtained, by crossing the cactus 
dahlias with single varieties,.a new class, which they call 
peony flowered. They are very large, sometimes quite 
single, but for the most part having several rows of flat 
petals, more or less wavy or wrinkled, and having a tendency 
to split. The plants grow from three to six feet high and 
are said to be very decorative. Several varieties were 
certificated in Amsterdam in August last, among them Gei¬ 
sha, Bertha von Suttner, Andrew Carnegie, Hugo de Vries. 
The Revue Horticole notes the beauty and hardiness 
of the later hybrids of hemerocallis, mostly of English or 
German origin, which comprises most of the shades of yel¬ 
low and orange, among them Aureole, very large orange 
flowers; Citrina, freely branching lemon yellow; Sovereign, 
chrome yellow, very lasting and especially large. For 
border plants blooming in June and July they are most 
desirable. 
A mass of Primula Obconica in mauve, pink and lilac, 
bordered by Begonia Gloire de Lorraine, was a great success 
at a Paris show. 
WISCONSIN STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The program for the meeting of the society arranged for 
August 26, was as follows: 
Forenoon Session, Wednesday, August 26th, 1908 
Opera Hall, 9:30 a. m. 
Invocation, Rev. Sam. Groenfeldt; Welcome to 
Sturgeon Bay, Mr. Henry Graas. 
Topic: Annual and Biennial Flowering Plants; Their 
Value in Gardening and Home Decoration. Discussion: 
Three favorites, Asters, Sweet Peas and Pansies; Classifica¬ 
tion and Culture—Robert Sampson, Delegate Lake Geneva 
Society. Discussion: Old time favorites such as Balsams, 
. Hollyhock, Snapdragon, Verbenas and others; best varie¬ 
ties and best methods of culture—Wm. Toole, Baraboo. 
Discussion: Campanulas, Foxgloves and other bienn'als; 
Classification and Culture—Henry Illenberger, Delegate 
Lake Geneva Society. Discussion: Sowing the Seeds of 
Annuals; illustrated—Albert Meier, Madison. 
Afternoon Session, 2:00 p. m. 
Topic: Orchard Management. Rational Orchard 
Management; illustrated—Professor E. P. Sandsten, 
University of Wisconsin. Does Spraying Pay?—J. G. 
Buehler, Twin Bluffs, Wis.; Something About Cover Crops; 
—Assistant Professor J. G. Moore, Horticultural Depart¬ 
ment, University of Wisconsin; Best Varieties of Apples for 
Commercial Orchards—One-half hour in three minute talks 
by members selected by presiding officer; Bedding Plants; 
their use and abuse—W. G. McLean, Foreman, City Parks, 
Madison. 
Evening Session, 7:30 p. m. 
Horticulture in Texas and Wisconsin—A. L. Hatch, 
illustrated—Professor J. C. Elsom, University of Wisconsin. 
(The evening program was interspersed with music and 
recitations). 
THE COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE. 
Many of the Californian and other western conifers are 
of very doubtful hardiness or have been proved tender in all 
but the most favored localities, but in the Colorado blue 
spruce, Abies (picea) pungens, we have a very ornamental 
tree that succeeds almost anywhere, being native to the 
mountainous districts in Colorado. The graceful habit of 
the tree makes it highly desirable for the garden and a 
good form of it has a glaucous blue tint that is very attrac¬ 
tive, especially now that the pale green of the young grow¬ 
ing shoots contrasts finely with the older, more somber tint 
of the rest of the branches. We do not recommend over 
planting of conifers, but a few judiciously placed are very 
ornamental and a distinctly good addition to any garden, 
even where there is no pinetum proper or any attempt at 
making a collection .—In Gardening. 
To run a business without advertising it, is just as 
sensible as keeping a lamp without lighting it. 
When a business cannot be improved by advertising 
there can be little business left to improve on, 
