March  3,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
191 
-  Ancient  Flowers. — Well  preserved  flowers,  which  have 
recently  been  discovered  in  Egypt,  concealed  within  tombs  of  the  earlier 
Pharaohs,  have  been  placed  in  the  Cairo  Museum.  The  commonest  of 
these  were  white  and  bine  Lotuses,  red  Poppies,  leaves  and  flowers  of 
Pomegranate,  of  Saffron,  and  other  species  of  Crocus.  It  seems  that 
the  flowers  of  to-day  are  the  same  as  flourished  then,  and  even  the 
Chrysanthemum  had  made  its  appearance  in  Egypt  some  5000  or  6000 
years  ago. — (“  Christian  World.”) 
-  The  Marguerite  Ely. — If  we  could  banish  the  Marguerite 
fly  from  attacking  ti  e  plants  when  in  bloom,  or  at  other  times,  these 
useful  plants  would  become  still  more  popular.  Nursery  growers 
complain  of  their  attacks,  and  recommend  soot  in  the  compost  used 
for  potting.  Soot  water  applied  to  the  roots  when  the  pots  are  full  of 
them  is  as  good  a  stimulant  as  anything,  and  will  tend  to  ward  off  the 
flies.  Abundance  of  light  and  air  for  the  plants  while  growing  assists 
in  building  up  a  stout  epidermis  through  which  it  is  not  easy  for  the 
flies  to  pierce. — E. 
-  Leaf-mining  Pests. — These  troublesome  pests  have  always 
been  a  nuisance  to  gardeners.  The  smeared  tin  remedies  advocated  by 
Mr.  Abbey  are  doubtless  good,  but  would  they  not  be  rather  unsightly  in 
an  ornamental  plant  house  or  conservatory  ?  It  is  at  the  time  the 
Marguerites  are  blooming  that  the  small  flies  deposit  their  eggs  in  the 
leaves.  For  Celery,  however,  the  plan  seems  an  excellent  one,  and,  to 
my  mind,  worthy  of  adoption.  These  flies  seem  the  most  prevalent  in  wet 
seasons,  and  in  damp  positions  or  in  the  vicinity  of  trees.  I  believe, 
too,  that  sour  leaf  soil  has  something  to  do  with  encouraging  their 
increase. — S. 
-  Phillyr.eA  decora. — During  the  last  few  years  this  plant 
has  become  deservedly  popular  as  an  evergreen  shrub,  and  will  doubtless 
continue  to  advance  in  favour  as  its  merits  become  more  generally  known. 
Owing  to  the  fact  of  its  having  a  good  natural  habit,  coupled  with  fairly 
rapid  growth,  it  is  gradually  ousting  the  Laurel  from  many  places. 
For  positions  where  a  good  evergreen  shrub  is  required  that  will  grow 
quickly',  but  not  wildly,  and  does  not  root  further  than  its  own  radius, 
this  will  be  found  suitable.  The  habit  is  sturdy  and  compact,  and  it  does 
well  in  almost  any  position  if  given  good  soil.  It  roots  readily  from 
cuttings  of  half-ripened  wood,  inserted  in  sandy  soil  in  a  cold  frame 
during  summer.  Occasionally  it  is  met  with  grafted  on  Privet  stocks, 
but  this  is  objectionable,  as  it  both  grows  better  and  lives  longer  when  on 
its  own  roots.  In  trade  catalogues  it  is  usually  met  with  under  the  name 
of  P.  Vilmoriniana. — D. 
-  The  National  Amateur  Gardeners’  Association.— We 
are  glad  to  see  by  the  report  and  statement  of  accounts  that  this  popular 
organisation  is  in  a  sound  and  satisfactory  state.  The  accounts  are 
admirably  clear,  and  the  business  of  the  Association  seems  to  be  trans¬ 
acted  with  great  circumspection.  It  has  influential  patrons,  able  officials, 
and  a  zealous  working  committee.  Several  affiliated  societies  are  regis¬ 
tered,  and  a  diversified  library  is  established.  Papers  are  read  on  well 
chosen  subjects  at  the  different  meetings,  and  amateurs’  exhibits  arranged, 
for  which  merit  marks  are  accorded,  the  greatest  annual  aggregate 
securing  medals  or  winning  a  place  in  some  of  the  several  challenge 
trophy  contests.  The  number  of  members  does  not  appear  to  be  given, 
but  this  must  be  considerable,  and  the  Association  seems  to  be  very 
much  alive.  A  tabulated  list  of  qualified  judges  selected  by  the  Com¬ 
mittee  for  thirteen  different  subjects  is  rather  interesting.  Out  of  the 
total  number  of  twenty-nine  two  are  announced  as  capable  of  judging 
everything — Mr.  L.  Brown  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Jones.  They  certainly  ought 
to  have  a  medal.  Messrs.  D.  B.  Crane  and  B.  G.  Sinclair  only  fail  in 
one  thing — Cacti  and  succulents.  They  should  make  good  this  small 
deficiency.  Per  contra,  five  judges  are  presented  as  equal  to  only  one 
subject  each — great  specialists  no  doubt.  Fourteen  members  are  starred 
in  the  two  columns  “Fruit”  and  “Bush  Fruit,”  but  two  of  those  in  the 
second  column  seem  to  have  been  voted  out  of  the  first  — on  the  ground, 
perhaps,  that  the  subjects,  as  including  Apples  and  Pears,  might  be  too 
large  for  them.  They  must  strive  for  the  odd  star.  Five  judges  only  are 
up  to  date  in  Cacti  and  succulents,  and  six  in  Carnations.  .  Nine  are 
great  on  Roses,  ten  each  on  vegetables  and  Orchids,  eleven  on  Dahlias 
and  Violas,  twelve  on  Chrysanthemums,  thirteen  on  greenhouse  plants, 
and  fourteen  on  hardy  flowers.  Then  comes  a  fall  to  four  under  the 
heading  “general,”  and  these,  as  might  be  expected,  composed  the  dis¬ 
tinguished  quartette  first  mentioned.  All  honour  to  the  four  generals 
of  the  National  Amateur  Gardeners’  Association.  Such  elections  impart 
interest  and  variety  to  the  meetings,  which  are  admirably  conducted  under 
the  presidency  of  Mr.  T.  W.  Sanders,  and  the  proceedings  accurately 
recorded  by  the  Honorary  Secretary,  Mr.  Leonard  Brown.  We  wish  for 
the  Association  increasing  prosperity. 
-  Weather  in  Natal. — Writing  from  Maritzburgh,  under  date 
February  5th,  a  correspondent  gives  us  to  understand  that  the  weather 
there  in  December  and  .Tanuary  has  been  warmer  than  the  very  mild 
term  that  we  have  experienced.  He  says  ;  “  At  Maritzburgh  we  had 
ten  weeks  of  excessive  drought,  and  now  we  have  had  sixteen  days  of 
rain.  The  temperature  five  times  in  five  weeks  reached  106°  in  the 
shade,  and  several  times  95°  to  100°.” 
-  Experiments  with  Tomatoes  and  Potatoes. — I  notice 
that  your  correspondent,  “  R.  P.  R.,”  gives  an  account  of  experiments 
with  the  above  on  page  146.  In  regard  to  the  Tomatoes,  growers 
would  no  doubt  be  interested  to  know  the  methods  by  which  the  plants 
were  grown,  and  whether  on  the  whole  there  was  any  advantage  in 
point  of  earliness  and  yield  in  raising  plants  in  the  previous  autumn 
and  winter  than  in  raising  say  in  .Tanuary.  The  question  of  earliness 
in  Tomatoes  is  one  of  importance  to  market  growers,  and  experiments 
that  will  decide  the  most  economical  means  by  which  Tomatoes  may  be 
placed  in  the  market  at  an  early  date  will  be  of  general  benefit.— H. 
-  Strelitzia  Regina. — Among  the  many  gorgeous-coloured 
flowers  which  have  their  headquarters  in  S.  Africa,  this  stands  out  con¬ 
spicuously.  Although  it  has  been  in  cultivation  in  this  country  for  about 
a  century  and  a  quarter,  it  is  not  by  any  means  a  common  plant.  Its  large, 
handsome,  glaucous  foliage  would  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  its  inclusion 
in  a  collection  of  intermediate  house  plants,  were  it  not  for  the  beauty  of 
the  flowers,  which  are  the  chief  attraction.  The  flowers  are  produced 
several  together  on  scapes  3  to  4  feet  in  height,  and  are  brilliantly  coloured, 
the  outer  portion  being  orange,  the  inner  dark  blue.  The  curious  shape 
of  the  flowers,  together  with  the  striking  contrast  of  colour,  had  led  to 
this  plant  being  sometimes  called  “  The  Bird  of  Paradise  Flower.”  Two 
large  plants,  carrying  seven  and  nine  spikes  respectively,  are  to  be  seen  in 
flower  in  the  Winter  Garden  at  Kew. — D.  K. 
-  Libonia  floribunda. — This  old-fashioned  winter-flowering 
plant  seems  to  have  lost  a  good  deal  of  its  popularity,  as  it  is  not  often 
met  with  nowadays.  It  is  of  easy  culture,  and  compact  bushes  clothed 
with  bright  red  and  yellow  flow'ers  are  pleasing  in  room  or  conservatory, 
while  the  flowers  are  useful  for  cutting.  Libonia  floribunda,  however, 
will  not  endure  gas,  and  placed  in  rooms  lit  with  it  the  leaves  soon  turn 
yellow  and  fall  off.  It  is  advisable  to  raise  a  few  fresh  plants  annually, 
and  the  present  is  a  good  time  to  propagate  from  cuttings.  The  old 
plants  should  be  cut  back  after  blooming,  and  placed  in  a  warm  house  to 
encourage  freA  growth.  During  the  summer  Libonias  v/ill  stand  out¬ 
doors,  and  if  frequently  syringed  to  keep  down  spider  little  difficulty  is 
experienced  in  obtaining  good  specimens  of  this  old-fashioned  winter¬ 
flowering  plant. — G. 
-  Camellias. — The  notes  by  “E.  R.”  on  this  charming  old 
flower,  on  page  110,  were  refreshing,  as  Camellias  during  recent  years 
have  lost  much  of  their  popularity.  Fashion  in  plant  life,  as  in  every¬ 
thing  else,  ebbs  and  flows,  and  through  its  whims  one  flower  comes  to  the 
front  and  another  sinks  to  the  background.  We  remember  when  the 
Camellia  was  the  favoured  flower  for  personal  [decoration,  and  very  much 
in  evidence  in  the  ball-room.  Then  Dame  Fashion  said  it  was  stiff, 
scentless,  and  artificial  looking,  and  straightway  demanded  something 
more  light  and  elegant.  The  demand  was  complied  with,  and  the  result 
was  that  admirers  of  the  Camellia  turned  their  attention  to  other  flowers. 
So  useful  and  accommodating  are  the  numerous  varieties  of  Camellias, 
that  we  cannot,  nor  would  not,  dispense  with  them,  and  on  this  account 
the  practical  hints  of  your  correspondent  will  be  of  service  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  it  was  a  trial  to  his  courage  to  approach  the  subject. — Fashion. 
-  Birmingham  Gardeners’  Association.  —  At  the  usual 
fortnightly  meeting,  held  on  the  21st  ult.,  Mr.  W.  B.  Latham  presiding, 
Mr.  B.  W.  Colebroolc  read  an  instructive  and  comprehensive  paper 
entitled  “Express  Grape  Growing.”  The  essayist’s  paper  teemed  with 
interesting  information  as  to  the  initial  cost  of  vineries,  the  treatment  of 
the  Vines  and  their  fruit,  as  well  as  of  the  compost.  According  to  Mr. 
Colebrook’s  estimate.  Grape  growing  must  pay  remarkably  well.  He 
did  not,  however,  claim  a  long  life  for  Vines  grown  on  the  “  express  ” 
system,  inasmuch  as  the  heavy  cropping  would  in  the  course  of  about 
ten  years  materially  weaken,  to  the  extent  that  it  would  pay  better  to 
destroy  them,  and  make  new  borders  and  plant  young  Vines.  The 
essay  was  rendered  additionally  interesting  by  accompanying  photo¬ 
graphs,  representative  of  the  fine  crops  of  excellent  Grapes  grown  on  the 
system  advocated.  An  interesting  discussion  followed,  in  which  references 
to  the  prevention  and  eradication  of  insect  and  other  pests  and  maladies 
formed  the  chief  topic.  Mr.  Colebrook  also  gave  a  list  of  about  a  dozen 
Grapes  he  could  recommend  to  be  grown  for  general  purposes  and  for 
sale,  such  as  Black  Hamburgh,  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  Gros  Colman, 
and  Black  Alicante  as  the  principal  varieties. 
