November  3,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
335 
Events  OF  the  Week. — Tn  addition  to  the  meetings  of  the  Com¬ 
mittees  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on  Tuesday  next,  the  coming 
seven  days  will  bring  some  scores  of  Chrysanthemum  Shows  all  over 
the  country.  The  dates  of  several  of  the  more  important  ones  will  be 
found  on  page  338. 
-  Weather  in  London.  —  Saturday  last  brought  with  it  a 
terrific  storm  of  wind  and  rain,  the  latter  descending  in  torrents.  The 
gale  apparently  reached  its  greatest  force  at  Camberwell,  where  people 
were  lifted  bodily  from  the  ground,  and  cabs  were  overturned.  Sunday 
afternoon  was  again  very  wet,  but  the  sky  cleared,  and  the  moon  shone 
brightly  towards  nine  o’clock,  while  Monday  was  a  splendid  day,  Tuesday 
and  Wednesday  were  also  fine. 
-  Hybrid  Failures. — I  shall  be  greatly  obliged  to  any  raisers 
of  hybrids  or  varieties  by  crossing  ( not  spontaneous  seedlings)  who  will 
tell  me  of  any  species  which  failed  to  take  the  pollen  of  any  other 
species,  or  of  any  variety  of  a  species  which  could  not  be  fertilised  by 
crossing  it  with  some  other  variety  or  species.  I  should  like  also  to 
record  any  plants  which  could  not  be  fertilised  by  their  own  pollen,  or 
with  pollen  of  other  plants  of  the  same  species. — George  Henslow, 
80,  Holland  Purlt,  W. 
-  Paris  Universal  Exhibition,  1900.— The  plans  of  the 
horticultural  section  at  the  Paris  Exhibition  of  1900  are  now  complete, 
and  it  promi.-es  to  be  a  very  attractive  building.  Space  has  been  secured 
for  British  exhibitors,  and  it  is  hoped  that  it  will  be  filled  in  a  manner  to 
reflect  credit  on  horticulture  in  this  country.  It  is  understood  that  there 
will  be  periodical  shows  of  flowers  and  fruit  during  the  continuation  of 
the  exhibition.  A  sub-Committee  of  the  Royal  Commission  composed  of 
the  following  gentlemen  has  been  formed  : — Sir  J.  Trevor  Lawrence, 
Bart.,  Sir  Edward  Grey,  Bart,,  M.P.,  W.  T.  Thisclton  Dyer,  Esq.,  Dr. 
Masters,  Dr.  Schlich,  T.  A.  Dorrien  Smith,  Esq,,  and  Harry  J.  Yeitch, 
Esq.  The  latter  gentleman  is  Hon.  Secretary  to  the  sub-Committee,  and 
any  communications  may  be  addressed  to  him  or  to  the  Secretary,  Royal 
Commission  Paris  Exhibition,  St.  Stephen’s  House,  Westminster,  S.W. 
-  Nymph^eas  and  Bees.  —  Having  several  varieties  of 
Nymphseas  growing  in  an  ornamental  pond,  I  was  desirous  of  obtaining 
crosses  with  a  view  of  getting  a  few  hybrids,  but  before  deciding  what 
course  to  adopt,  it  occurred  to  me  that  the  bees  (which  were  very 
numerous)  may  do  the  work,  and  I  would  only  have  to  gather  the  seed 
and  wait  for  results  ;  but  unfortunately  the  bees  did  not  assist  in  the 
direction  that  I  anticipated.  Those  that  were  obtaining  the  nectar  from 
N.  flava  would  in  some  instances  go  to  the  same  flowers  two  or  three 
times,  and  during  the  intervals,  would  often  fly  over  N.  alba,  but  would 
not  even  attempt  to  settle  on  the  flowers,  and  the  same  thing  occurred 
when  they  started  with  N.  alba,  they  would  not  attempt  to  interfere  with 
N.  flava.  Perhaps  the  flavour  is  a  speciality  with  some,  while  others  it 
may  be  colour.  Can  our  floral  or  bee  friends  explain  ? — Thos.  Pockett, 
Victoria,  Australia. 
-  Dutch  Horticultural  and  Botanical  Society. — At  a 
meeting  of  the  Floral  Committee  held  on  September  14th,  1898,  first-class 
certificates  were  awarded  to  Mr.  H.  Hornsveld  of  Baarn  for  Canna 
Hofgartendi rector  Wendland,  and  Cactus  Dahlias  Arachne,  Capstan^ 
Keynes’  White,  and  Standard  Bearer  ;  to  Mr.  T.  E.  Houtvester  of 
Utrecht  for  Canna  II.  Wendland  ;  to  Messrs.  E.  H.  Krelage  &  Son  of 
Haarlem  for  Canna  Stadtrath  Heidenreich,  Cactus  Dahlias  Arachne, 
Capstan,  Daffodil,  Keynes’  White,  Kingfisher,  Night,  Norfolk  Hero  and 
Staudard  Bearer,  and  Montbretia  crocosmseflora  Oriflamme  ;  to  Mr.  W. 
Van  Veen  of  Leiden  for  Cactus  Dahlias  Arachne  and  Keynes’  White  ;  to 
Mr.  B.  Iiuys  of  Dedemsvaart  for  Cactus  Dahlia  Keynes’  White ;  to 
Messrs.  Gr  jenewegen  &  Son  of  de  Bilt  for  Rubus  sorbifolius  ;  and  to 
Messrs.  V.  Schertzer  &  Son  of  Haarlem  for  Tagetes  Lemon  Queen  and 
Prince  of  Orange.  Certificates  of  merit  were  given  to  Mr.  T.  E. 
Houtvester  of  Utrecht  for  Chrysanthemum  Harvest  Home;  to  Messrs. 
P.  Van  Noordt  &  Son  of  Boskoop  for  Cactus  Dahlia  Koningin  Wil- 
helmina  ;  to  Mr.  H.  Hornsveld  of  Baarn  for  Cactus  Dahlia  Loreley  ;  to 
Messrs.  E.  H.  Krelage  &  Son  of  naarlem  for  Cactus  Dahlias  Loreley  and 
Stern  Von  Schoneberg,  Sweet  Peas  Countess  of  Powis  and  Lady  Nina 
Balfour  ;  and  to  Mr.  B.  Ruys  of  Dedemsvaart  for  Cactus  Dahlia  Loreley. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society.— The  next  Frait  and  Floral 
Meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday, 
November  8th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Westminster,  1  to  4  p.m. 
A  lecture  on  ‘Some  of  the  Plants  Exhibited”  will  be  given  by  the 
Rev.  Professor  Geo.  Henslow,  M.A  ,  V.M.H.,  at  three  o’clock. 
-  Gardening  Appointments.— Mr.  T.  L.  Cummins,  late  of 
Anglesey,  Carshalton-on-the-Hill,  Surrey,  has  been  appointed  head 
gardener  to  J,  F.  C.  Heddle,  Esq.,  Lovell  House,  by  Crawley,  Sussex. 
Mr.  Charles  Tyler,  for  the  last  three  years  with  G.  S.  Blakeway,  Esq., 
Tuffley,  near  Gloucester,  has  been  appointed  gardener  to  Sir  Llewelyn 
Turner,  Parkia,  near  Carnarvon,  North  Wales. 
-  Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists.— There  was  a  full 
attendance  of  the  members  of  the  Executive  of  the  Ancient  Society  of 
York  Florists  at  the  headquarters  on  Friday  night,  the  occasion  being 
the  presentation  of  an  illuminated  address  to  the  Rev.  II.  Vyvyan,  who 
for  four  years  has  held  the  office  of  Chaplain  to  the  Society,  and  who  has 
had  to  resign  that  position  on  account  of  his  leaving  the  city  for  a  living 
in  Cornwall.  Mr.  J.  Pilmoor  presided.  The  address  was  illuminated  in 
colours  and  framed  in  oak,  and  the  inscription  was  surmounted  by  the 
national  arms,  the  arms  of  the  Society  and  of  York,  and  was  surrounded 
by  a  beautiful  and  chaste  floral  design. 
-  The  Bristol  Gardeners’  Association.— This  Society  held 
its  usual  fortnightly  meeting  on  October  27th,  when  Mr.  11.  Farmer,  from 
the  Castle  Gardens,  Cardiff,  read  an  exhaustive  paper  on  Melon  culture 
to  an  assemblage  of  about  sixty  members.  A  capital  discussion  followed, 
in  which  Messrs.  Groves,  Lee,  Hancock,  Brooks.  Benfield,  and  Shaddock 
took  part.  At  this  meeting  special  prizes  were  offered  to  members  for  the 
best  dish  of  six  culinary  and  the  best  dish  of  six  dessert  Apples.  Both 
these  prizes  were  won  by  Mr.  G.  Bound,  gardener  at  King’s  Weston, 
Bristol,  with  excellent  examples  of  Mere  de  Mdnage  in  the  culinary,  and 
IviDg  of  the  Pippins  in  the  dessert  class.  A  vote  of  thanks  to  the  essayist 
brought  to  £  close  one  of  the  most  successful  meetings  the  Society  has  held 
since  its  formation  in  April  last. — C'HAS.  Lock. 
-  Russian  Horticultural  Exhibition.— As  the  year  1899 
marks  the  fortieth  anniversary  of  the  Imperial  Horticultural  Society  of 
Russia,  an  international  Exhibition,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Emperor» 
to  be  held  in  the  Palais  de  la  Tauride  from  May  17  th  to  May  27th,  is 
being  organised,  and  we  have  now  received  the  schedule.  There  are 
upwards  of  200  classes,  and  the  prizes  are  wholly  confined  to  medals,  of 
which  there  are  six  stages — namely,  large,  medium,  and  small,  in  both 
gold  and  silver.  About  170  classes  are  confined  to  plants  and  flowers 
covering  practically  all  kinds  ;  two  dozen  to  fruits  and  vegetables,  and 
fifteen  to  models  and  structures,  plans  of  parks,  pottery,  aquaria,  and 
other  necesary  adjuncts  to  gardening.  The  Director  of  the  foreign 
section  is  Mons.  A.  Fischer  de  Waldheim,  Botanis  Garders,  St. 
Petersburg,  and  the  Secretary,  Mons.  W.  Ender.  The  Commissioner 
for  the  United  Kingdom  is  Mr.  James  II.  Veitcb,  Royal  Exotic  Nursery, 
Chelsea. 
-  CACTI  at  Cannell's. — “  I  had  the  pleasure  the  other  day,” 
writes  “  T.”  in  a  local  contemporary,  “of  accompanying  Mr.  T.  W. 
Cowan,  the  Vice-President  of  the  Cactus  Society,  over  the  unique 
collection  at  Messrs.  Cannell  &  Sons’,  Swanley,  and  I  must  say  the 
inspection  proved  very  pleasant  and  instructive.  There  are  too  many 
specimens  by  far  to  admit  of  even  a  faint  description.  Many  are  very 
beautiful.  Most  of  the  Cacti  have  those  defensive  spines  which  always 
remind  one  of  the  familiar  ‘  Nemo  me  impuno  lacessit !  ’  I  touched,  in 
admiration,  an  extremely  handsome  Opuntia,  and  my  finger  was  pierced 
with  a  multitude  of  minute  hooks.  The  son  of  my  companion,  Mr 
Cowan,  owns  perhaps  the  finest  and  rarest  collection  of  Cacti  in  the 
whole  State  of  California,  but  there  they  grow  in  the  open  air.  Cacti 
in  general  possess  a  singular  virtue  above  all  other  plants.  Treat  them 
ever  so  badly,  they  seem  able  to  grow  just  the  same.  Most  plants 
will  perish  if  water  be  withheld,  but  Cacti,  if  ever  so  thirsty,  never 
complain  ;  they  will  stand  neglect.  You  cannot  exactly  call  a  Cactus 
lovely,  and  yet  this  wonderful  attribute  which  most  of  them  possess 
seems  to  remind  one  of  love  when  it’s  true.  A  visit  to  this  odd  col¬ 
lection  suggests  strange  comparisons.  How  constantly  one  meets  with 
eccentric  men  who  are  the  better  for  their  eccentricity.  A  certain 
measure  of  it  delivers  from  dulness.  Wonderfully  correct,  exact-circled, 
and  desperately  proper  people  are  often  cold  and  unlovely.  You  cannot 
help  falling  in  love  with  Cacti  1  There  is  even  something  of  the  ‘  Cactus  ’ 
character  about  Mr.  Cannell,  sen.  He  is  certainly  quite  out  of  the 
common  run  of  man.”  [We  regret  to  add  that  three  days  after  the 
above  visit  Mr.  Cowan  lost  two  of  his  family  in  the  ill-fated  Mohegan. 
Mr.  Cowan  and  his  family  have  our  sincerest  sympathy.] 
