January  7,  1^97. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
17 
Several  interesting  additions  to  the  flora  of  the  Dismal  Swamp  have 
been  detected  of  late.  Dr.  Britton  and  Mr.  Hollick  found  Andromeda 
nitida  during  an  autumn  trip  to  the  swamp  several  years  ago.  Within 
the  last  two  seasons  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher  has  collected  Ilex  lucida,  and  I  have 
found  Clematis  crispa  in  considerable  quantity.  It  is  very  certain  that 
a  well-equipped  botanical  expedition  would  find  much  of  interest  in  the 
still  unexplored  parts  of  this  peculiar  region. — Chables  L.  Pollabd 
(in  “  Garden  and  Forest.”) 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
A  Good  Beginning. 
Deab  “  Old  Boy,”  your  appeal  in  the  “  Young  Gardeners’  Domain  ” 
shall  not  be  in  vain.  In  respect  to  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent 
Institution  I  do  not  know  the  details  ;  perhaps  the  Editor  will  kindly 
supply  them.  Come  on,  my  comrades  of  fire-shovel  and  water-can.  Let 
us  rally  round  our  old  friend,  and  show  him  that  we  do  practically 
appreciate  the  interest  he  has  taken  in  our  welfare.  Perhaps  it  is  only 
a  start,  so  if  it  is  within  the  limits  of  a  journeyman’s  means  I  shall  be 
pleased  to  be  a  member. — G.  R.  B. 
[The  heading  is  ours.  Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram,  Secretary  of  the  R.G.B.I., 
50,  Parliament  Street,  Westminster,  will  send  the  peroration  to  our 
correspondent  by  post.] 
Gaedenees’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  many  gardeners  both  young  and  old  will  be  induced 
by  the  kind  remarks  of  “  An  Old  Boy”  to  become  members  or  subscribers 
to  this  noble  Institution.  Every  gardener  in  the  United  Kingdom  ought 
to  have  his  name  on  its  rolls  to  further  its  benevolent  object — the  relief 
of  those  in  distress,  or,  if  incapacitated  from  work  after  reaching  the 
age  of  sixty,  if  they  comply  with  the  rules,  or  younger  men  in  cases  of 
total  disability,  are  eligible  for  pensions.  It  is  with  pleasure  I  inform 
our  friend  that  I  have  during  this  last  year  been  enabled  to  make  myself 
a  life  member  of  the  Institution,  and  still  hope  to  be  able  to  do  some 
good  in  furthering  its  claims  for  financial  support ;  likewise  the  sister 
Institution — the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  of  which  I  hope  to 
become  also  a  life  member.  I  have  for  some  time  been  a  subscriber,  “  if 
indirectly.”  I  conclude  by  wishing  “An  Old  Boy”  a  happy  and 
prosperous  new  year.  He  has  for  some  time  been  contributing  to  my 
weekly  happiness,  and  I  am  looking  for  more. — J.  S.  G. 
[Our  correspondent,  who  is  an  under  gardener,  is  to  be  congratulated 
on  his  thoughtfulness,  thrift,  and  prudence.  He  has  the  privilege  of 
serving  under  one  of  Nature’s  noblemen,  whose  good  example  has  been 
followed.] 
Calanthes. 
Whebe  there  is  a  demand  for  cut  flowers  at  Christmas  I  know  of 
nothing  more  valuable  than  the  following  varieties  of  Calanthes — viz., 
Veitchi,  vestita  alba  and  rubra.  They  should  be  shaken  out  of  the  old 
soil  every  Beason,  and  repotted  during  the  month  of  March  in  the 
ordinary  way,  and  not  elevated  above  the  rim,  in  a  compost  of  two  parts 
loam,  one  part  peat,  and  one  part  leaf  mould,  adding  a  little  dried  cow 
manure  and  a  dash  of  sharp  sand.  Three  bulbs  may  be  grown  in  a 
6-inch  pot  or  one  in  a  4-inch.  When  potted  they  may  be  placed  on  a 
shelf  near  the  glass  in  a  temperature  of  60°  to  65°.  They  will  need  very 
careful  watering  for  some  time  after  they  are  potted.  When  the  pots 
become  full  of  roots  weak  liquid  manure  water  is  essential.  These 
plants  lose  most  of  their  foliage  by  the  time  they  flower,  which  causes 
rather  an  unsightly  appearance.  To  obviate  this  they  may  be  arranged 
among  other  foliage  plants,  or  small  Ferns  (sporelings)  should  be  pricked 
in  between  the  pseudo-bulbs,  which  will  be  a  great  relief  to  the  bare 
stems. — An  Englishman  in  Scotland. 
[Little  and  good ;  only  one  small  correction  needed.] 
*  Malmaison  Caenations. 
I  THINK  “  J.  F.  D.’s”  suggestion  (page  594)  re  “Winter  Flowering 
Plants,”  a  very  good  one.  One  plant  I  would  like  to  bring  to  notice 
for  a  winter  flowering  one  is  the  noble  Malmaison  Carnation.  At  what 
season  of  the  year  is  such  a  flower  more  appreciated,  coming  in  at 
Osberton  just  before  Christmas,  a  batch  of  400,  in  10-inch  pots,  eight  to 
ten  blooms  on  a  plant  ?  Not  only  as  a  winter  flowering  plant  would  1 
refer  to  this,  but  also  as  one  capable  of  being  flowered  twice  in  one  year, 
as  all  these  plants  were  flowered  in  the  months  of  June  and  July  last. 
1  may  also  say  this  has  all  been  attained  under  a  treatment  put  down 
as  fatal  by  some  growers.  I  mean  the  syringing  of  the  plants,  a  treat¬ 
ment  Mr.  Crasp  advocates  strongly,  and  there  is  no  doubt  aboilt  their 
liking  it.  There  is  no  sign  of  disease,  and  the  dark  healthy  broad  foliage 
hangs  over  the  rim  of  the  pot.  The  plants  are  2  feet  high,  and  about 
2  feet  across.  Anyone  doubting  the  syringing  system  cannot  do  better 
than  “  come  and  see,”  as  our  worthy  friend,  Mr.  Cannell  of  Swanley, 
would  say. — A.  C.  W.,  Osberton  Gardens. 
[A  few  other  excellent  articles  are  crowded  out,  but  they  will  lose 
nothing  by  keeping.]  _ 
R.H.S.  Examination. 
With  your  kind  permission,  Mr.  Editor,  I  would  like  to  offer  one  or 
two  remarks  on  the  above  subject.  I  will  say  at  the  commencement 
that  I  quite  approve  of  examinations,  at  the  same  time  agree  with  the 
remarks  of  “  Young  Gardener  ”  on  the  subject.  Having  been  a  candi¬ 
date  at  the  last  exam  I  always  read  anything  connected  with  it  with  very 
deep  interest.  Especially  so  did  I  read  the  short  note  by  “  A.  D.”  (p.  155) 
in  which  he  speaks  of  a  railway  porter  who  passed  an  excellent  exam. 
To  Mr.  Walker  (for  that  is  his  name)  “all  honour  is  due.”  Strange  to 
say,  this  gentleman  stood  before  me  in  the  exam. 
I  must  confess  I  feel  utterly  ashamed  of  myself,  having  spent  sixteen 
years  in  well-managed  gardens  under  some  of  the  best  gardeners  in  the 
country.  I  must  have  made  bad  use  of  my  time.  I  have  held  my  pre¬ 
sent  position  as  second  in  a  garden  of  large  dimensions  for  more  than 
four  years,  having  twenty-five  glasshouses  more  or  less  under  my  charge, 
containing  a  varied  collection  of  fruits  and  plants  in  general  cultivation. 
I  only  managed  to  reach  the  “third  class.” 
I  must  say  again,  as  I  have  said  before,  that  these  examinations  are 
not  a  fair  test  of  a  gardener’s  ability.  It  may  be  from  the  scientific  point 
of  view,  which  many  young  men  in  out-of-the-way  gardens  can  only  rarely 
get  by  self-study.  It  must  be  admitted  that  it  takes  a  great  deal  of  practice 
to  make  the  scientist  “  perfect.”  Any  sensible  person  knows  what  a  few 
months  cramming  or  coaching  will  do,  though  it  requires  many  years  of 
work  to  become  “practical,”  without  which  no  man  in  a  garden  of  any 
extent  can  acquire  the  knowledge  of  the  many  and  varied  duties  to  be 
performed  for  the  successful  management  of  the  several  departments. 
It  is  utterly  impossible  to  obtain  the  desired  results  in  the  high-class 
cultivation  of  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables  without  diligence,  care,  and 
thought,  combined  with  the  most  important  point — “  practice.”  This 
must  be  very  plain  to  see  when  we  consider  what  gardening  was  and  is 
to-day.  The  great  improvements  brought  about  each  year  by  experience 
— I  am  speaking  from  personal  experience — that  each  year’s  practice 
gives  additional  confidence  in  the  operations  which  only  occur  perhaps 
once  in  the  year. 
It  has  been  remarked  that  many  leading  pillars  of  horticulture  at 
the  present  day  have  spent  a  great  portion  of  their  liveB  at  other  occupa¬ 
tions.  I  would  ask,  Are  these  men  now  thoroughly  practical  ?  I  admit 
it  is  wise  and  prudent  to  be  well  equipped — possessing  a  first-class 
certificate  if  possible,  but  more  easily,  and  perhaps  more  certainly,  a 
second  or  third.  These  latter  may  be  and  are  won  by  many,  who  of 
course,  it  is  understood,  are  in  no  way  qualified  to  take  up  the  position 
of  head  gardener. 
It  seems  Btrange  so  few  young  gardeners  enter  these  exams  from 
the  northern  parts  of  the  kingdom.  “  There  must  be  a  reason.”  What 
is  it  ?  -  SUBOEDINATE. 
[Our  correspondent  writes  very  well,  and  no  doubt  works  very  well. 
PerhapB  he  was  nervous  in  the  exam.  “  Science  is  a  bright  light  that 
guides  the  way,  but  the  path  itself  is  practice.”] 
The  following  questions,  with  answers  appended,  are  written  to 
give  young  gardeners  and  students  of  horticulture  Borne  idea  of  what 
the  R.H.S.  examination  is  like.  The  time  each  question  took  to  answer 
is  given  at  the  end  of  each  answer.  I  Bhall  take  eight  questions  from 
the  paper  set  last  year  by  the  R.H.S.,  not  in  the  order  in  which  they 
come,  but  the  easier  to  answer  by  the  writer  taken  first,  leaving  the 
more  difficult  ones  till  later. 
Question  3. — “  Of  the  elements  and  compounds  that  go  to  make  up 
the  constitution  of  plants,  a  few  occur  in  much  larger  proportions  than 
others.  Which  are  they,  and  whence  are  they  obtained  ?” 
The  elements  and  compounds  that  go  to  make  up  the  constitution 
of  plants,  and  which  occur  in  the  largest  proportions,  areas  follows  : — 
Elements — Carbon,  oxygen,  and  nitrogen.  Compounds — Potash,  phos¬ 
phoric  acid,  and  lime.  The  carbon  and  part  of  the  oxygen  are  obtained 
from  the  carbonic  acid  gas  in  the  atmosphere,  while  the  remaining 
oxygen,  together  with  the  nitrogen,  potash,  phosphoric  acid^  and  lime 
are  taken  from  the  soil.  Time,  six  minutes. 
Question  1. — “  What  are  the  objects  sought  to  be  obtained  by  digging 
the  soil  1  Of  what  use  is  it  to  crops  ?” 
Tbe  objects  sought  for  in  digging  soils  are  as  follows  : — 1,  To 
loosen  and  break  them,  so  as  to  allow  water  and  air  to  penetrate 
more  readily.  2,  To  bring  the  soil  into  a  finer  state  of  division  by 
exposing  fresh  surfaces  to  the  action  of  air,  water,  frost,  &c.  ;  and 
3,  To  bury  weeds,  or  to  mix  manure  with  the  soil. 
Its  use  to  crops  is  : — 1,  To  enable  the  roots  to  penetrate  the  soil  more 
readily  in  search  of  food,  and  also  to  allow  oxygen  to  reach  them  (the 
roots),  without  which  they  could  not  live.  2,  To  enable  the  carbonic 
acid  and  oxygen  gases  from  the  atmosphere  to  attack  the  inert  plant 
food  in  the  soil,  and  make  it  more  available  for  crops.  Time,  twelve 
minutes. 
Question  4. — “  What  are  the ‘reserve  materials’  of  plants?  Where 
are  they  stored  ?  What  use  is  made  of  them  ?” 
(«),  The  reserve  materials  of  plants  are  those  portions  of  organised 
or  constructed  food  substances  which  are  stored  up  in  some  parts  of  the 
plant  for  its  future  use.  They  consist  of  the  following  : — (1)  carbo¬ 
hydrates,  (2)  fats,  (3)  proteids,  (4)  amides. 
(&),  The  carbohydrates  are  found  in  a  variety  of  forms,  (1)  a«  starch 
in  some  seeds  and  tubers ;  (2)  as  cellulose  in  the  thickened  portion  of 
some  cell  walls — e.g.,  the  Date  seed  ;  (3)  as  Grape  sugar  in  some  fruits 
— e.g.,  Grape  Vine  ;  (4)  as  cane  sugar  in  some  roots  and  stems — e.g., 
sugsr  beet,  and  sugar  cane;  (5)  as  inulin  in  some  roots — e.g.,  Dahlia 
roots. 
The  fats  are  found  in  many  seeds  (eg.,  Flax,  Cocoa-nut,  &c.),  and  also 
in  the  cells  of  many  plants. 
The  proteids  are  found  in  a  variety  of  forms  in  all  seeds,  and  in 
tubers,  bulbs,  and  all  parts  of  plants. 
