520 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  14,  1899. 
-  National  Dahlia  Society. — A  committee  meeting  will  be 
held,  by  kind  permission  of  the  Horticultural  Club,  in  the  club  room,  at 
the  Hotel  Windsor,  Victoria  Street,  London,  S.W.,  on  Tuesday,  December 
19th,  at  2  P.M. 
-  Hessle  Gardeners’  Society. — A  meeting  of  the  above  Society 
was  held  on  Nov.  28th  ;  Mr.  Mason  presided.  The  essayist  for  the  evening 
was  Mr.  Coates,  of  Hull,  nis  paper,  which  was  on  Palms,  was  thoroughly 
practical,  and  proved  interesting.  A  good  discussion  ensued,  in  which 
several  of  the  members  took  part.  A  vote  of  thanks  to  the  essayist  and 
Chairman  for  their  services  terminated  the  meeting.— J.  F.  D. 
-  Death  of  Lord  Penzance. — Lord  Penzance,  who  .had  been 
in  failing  health  for  some  time  past,  died  on  Saturday  last  at  his  residence, 
Fashing  Park,  Godaiming,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three.  The  passing  of 
the  venerable  Judge  is  recorded  here  because  he  was  instrumental  in 
adding  to  the  beauty  and  interest  of  our  gardens  by  the  Hybrid  Sweet 
Briars  associated  with  his  name.  Lord  Penzance’s  hybrids  are  very 
numerous,  nearly  a  score  of  them  being  in  commerce,  possessing  varied 
tints  of  colour,  with  foliage  more  or  less  perfumed,  and  awhile  ago  his 
lordship  communicated  an  able  paper  on  his  experiments  to  the  Journal 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
-  Insect  Pests. — When  referring  to  the  Apple  caterpillar  I 
referred  chiefly,  of  course,  to  the  product  of  the  winter  moth  rather  than 
to  the  codlin  moth.  But,  after  all,  I  am  not  sure  whether  this  maggot 
does  not  render  some  service,  for  it  is  usually  found  most  plentiful 
wherever  the  Apples  are  most  abundant,  and  thinning  is  meritorious 
work  which  the  grower  would  not  perform.  In  that  respect  the  codlin 
maggot  does  some  good.  I  have  seen  Plum  trees  far  more  seriously 
affected  with  aphis  than  they  were  this  year,  and  generally  Cherries 
were  a  fine  crop  and  the  trees  very  clean.  My  estimate  of  the  Turnip 
flea  or  beetle  is  that  it  preys  on  all  forms  of  the  Brassica  family,  and  it 
certainly  has  run  riot  during  the  past  summer  and  autumn,  but,  whilst 
there  is  no  telling  what  may  follow  on  a  dry  winter,  I  think  a  wet  one 
would  settle  that  pest  for  a  few  seasons. — A.  D. 
-  Vines  in  Open  Air. — It  may  be  interesting  to  “  W.  B.,  Lincoln," 
(page  468),  to  hear  my  experience  with  Grapes  in  the  open  'air  in  the 
West  of  Scotland.  My  employer,  being  anxious  to  ascertain  by  experi¬ 
ence  how  Grapes  would  do  in  the  open,  we  secured  a  good  fruiting  cane 
Of  Black  Hamburgh  in  the  spring  of  1898,  which  was  planted  against  a 
south  wall.  It  was  rather  late  in  spring  before  it  started  into  growth,  but 
showed  some  capital  bunches,  which  ripened  by  the  end  of  November.  The 
berries  were  quite  black,  well  flavoured,  and  about  the  size  of  large 
peas.  This  summer  it  made  stronger  wood,  but  not  so  much  fruit.  In 
February  of  this  year  we  planted  a  fruiting  cane  of  Black  Cluster 
against  a  stove  facing  south.  It  bore  several  bunches,  which  were  ripening 
when  the  blackbirds  carried  them  off  before  they  were  quite  black.  In 
November  we  planted  another  variety,  Dutch  Sweetwater,  a  white  Grape, 
and  we  shall  watch  with  interest  to  see  which  variety  does  best. — 
P.  S.,  Dumbartonshire. 
- -  Trade  Nomenclature. — It  would  appear  that  in  naming 
flowers  and  vegetables  less  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  vital  point  of 
brevity  and  the  somewhat  less  important  item  of  euphony  than  with  any 
other  horticultural  product.  Florists  often  forget  that  names  are  to  be 
considered  in  the  light  of  conveniences,  and  should  be  used  primal ily  to 
distinguish  one  plant  from  another.  Names  are  not  meant  to  describe  or 
characterise  a  plant  ;  but  if  this  is  possible  within  reasonable  limits,  of 
course  it  is  desirable,  but  any  attempt  to  bring  out  the  characteristic 
features  of  a  plant  in  the  name  is  usually  a  failure  from  the  standpoint  of 
brevity.  Another  feature  in  connection  with  the  christening  of  new 
plants  which  I  think  may  be  justly  condemned  in  this  country  is  the 
practice  of  trying  to  raise  into  favour  a  new  plant  or  vegetable  by  giving 
it  the  name  of  a  person  prominent  in  public  life.  This  fault  cannot  be 
corrected,  because  it  is  widespread  and  uncontrollable.  It  will,  no  doubt, 
always  be  repeated  to  a  certain  extent,  but  most  people  will  concede  that 
good  taste  should  dictate  a  different  course.  “  Deweys  ”  and  “  Hobsons  ” 
are  altogether  too  common  in  vegetables,  fruits,  and  flowers.  On  the 
other  hand  American  florists  are  to  be  congratulated  on  leading  the 
reform  by  the  use  of  short  names.  French  florists  still  cling  to  the  habit 
of  endeavouring  to  retain  the  entire  family  genealogy  when  naming  a 
single  small  plant.  Perhaps  I  am  not  sufficiently  informed  on  this  point, 
but  I  would  like  to  suggest  that  authoritative  bodies,  in  passing  on  the 
merits  of  new  plants,  should  also  pass  upon  the  fitness  of  the  proposed 
name.  This  would  tend  to  keep  out  of  the  trade  some  of  the  lengthy  and 
objectionable  appellations  which  are  so  commonly  found. — J.  Craig  (in 
“American  Florist.”) 
-  Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  C.  Flowers,  for  the  past 
three  and  a  half  years  foreman  under  Mr.  J.  P.  Leadbetter,  The  Gardens, 
Tranby  Croft,  Hull,  has  been  appointed  gardener  to  R.  Hodgson,  Esq., 
Westwood,  Beverley,  Yorkshire. 
-  PANCRATIUM  fragrans.— The  true  Pancratium  fragrans  is 
a  very  attractive  and  sweet  plant  of  great  utility  in  our  stove  collections. 
But  though  usually  described  as  a  stove  plant  it  thrives  admirably  in  a 
cool  shady  fernery  if  treated  carefully,  and  the  charming  pure  white 
blossoms  are  very  freely  produced.  I  cannot  say  that  I  like  the  flowers  of 
Pancratium  in  bouquets  as  they  are  sometimes  used,  but  in  wreaths  or 
other  floral  devices  where  there  is  room  to  show  them  well  up  without 
hiding  other  flowers  they  are  very  beautiful.  Arranged  in  a  cool  house 
with  Ferns  it  is  a  delightful  and  fragrant  plant.— B.  S.  E. 
-  Extension  of  Brockwell  Park.— We  learn  that  at  a 
recent  meeting  of  the  Lambeth  Vestry  a  report  was  received  from  the 
special  Committee  appointed  to  consider  the  expediency  of  acquiring,  as 
an  addition  to  Brockwell  Park,  an  area  of  about  42£  acres  adjoining  the 
park.  The  existing  park  contains  about  84|  acres.  The  Committee 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  necessary,  in  the  interests  of  the 
growing  population  of  Lambeth,  to  prevent  the  erection  of  buildings  on 
the  open  space  adjacent  to  Brockwell  Park,  and  to  preserve  this  fine  piece 
of  country  for  town  dwellers.  They  therefore  recommended  that  the 
Vestry  subscribe  the  sum  of  £15,000  towards  the  purchase  of  the  additional 
land,  the  sum  to  be  raised  by  a  loan  for  fifty  years.  The  motion  was 
carried  unanimously. 
-  Use  Cold  Water. — Recent  experiments  at  the  Wisconsin 
Station_have  fully  demonstrated  the  uselessness  of  warming  water  to  be 
applied  to  plants  through  the  soil.  Many  cuttings  of  Coleus,  transplanted 
Tomato  plants,  Beans,  Radishes  and  Lettuce  were  used  in  the  repeated 
experiments,  ihe  temperatures  of  the  water  ranging  from  32°  to 
100°.  The  plants  receiving  water  at  a  temperature  of  32°  — 
freezing  point — grew  as  well  and  yielded  "as  well  as  those  watered 
with  water  at  70°  or  100°.  “  The  soil  about  the  roots  of  the 
plants  so  quickly  regains  its  original  temperature  that  no  check  to  growth 
is  likely  to  result.”  These  tests  were  made  in  the  greenhouse,  and  in  the 
open  ground  ice  water  was  used  in  watering  Beans  and  Radishes  with 
results  fully  as  good  as  when  warm  water  was  used.  —  (“  American 
Gardening.”)  [This  is  contrary  to  the  experience  of  some  practical 
gardeners  in  this  country.] 
-  Potato  Lord  Raglan.  — This  most  attractive  looking  kidney 
Potato  is  known  in  different  localities  by  various  names,  though  there  is 
never  any  mistaking  its  distinct  appearance.  At  a  village  show  recently 
I  saw  some  remarkable  specimens  of  this  variety,  and  possessed  of  all  its 
characteristics — medium  in  size,  smooth,  shallowed  eyed,  and  having  the 
clear  white  skin  and  distinct  purple  splashings  round  the  eyes.  It  may 
not  be  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  Lord  Raglan  is  the  prettiest  coloured 
kidney  grown,  and  its  appearance  wins  for  it  many  prizes.  Its  eating 
qualities  vary  very  much.  Its  flavour  is  not  first  class  j  in  some  districts 
it  is  so  inferior  that  the  variety  is  discarded  entirely,  while  in  others  it 
is  moderate,  and  in  others  again  fairly  good.  As  long,  however,  as 
Potatoes  have  to  be  judged  by  appearance,  no  doubt  Lord  Raglan  will  be 
a  popular  show  variety. — H.  H. 
-  Presentation  to  Colonel  W.  Webb.— The  employes  of 
Messrs.  Edward  Webb  &  Son3,  seed  merchants,  Wordsley,  were  enter¬ 
tained  to  dinner  at  the  Drill  Hall,  Wordsley,  on  Tuesday,  December  5th, 
by  Colonel  and  Mrs.  W.  G.  Webb,  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration  of 
their  silver  wedding.  The  anniversary  of  the  wedding  day  was  October 
14th.  So  important  and  interesting  an  event  as  the  silver  wedding  of 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  W.  G.  Webb,  it  was  felt  by  the  staffs,  could  not  be 
allowed  to  pass  without  outward  commemoration  and  proof  of  the 
appreciation  of  the  worth  of  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Webb.  A  committee  was 
constituted,  and  it  was  decided  that  a  presentation  in  silver  should  be 
made,  and  a  more  magnificent  silver  wedding  gift  could  hardly  have  been 
devised  than  that  which  embodied  the  good  will  and  cordial  feelings  of 
the  subscribers.  The  presentation  consisted  of  a  heavy  and  massive 
silver  punch  bowl,  from  a  design  found  in  the  Villa  Albani,  at  Florence, 
the  three  handles  being  formed  of  three  leopards  climbing  into  the  interior 
of  the  bowl.  Added  to  this  was  a  complete  dessert  service  in  solid  silver, 
consisting  of  two  oval  compotiers  and  four  round  fruit  stands,  hand¬ 
somely  pierced  and  chased  in  the  highest  style  of  art.  The  bowl  bore 
the  following  inscription  : — “Presented  to  Colonel  and  Mrs.  W  G.  Webbf 
on  the  occasion  of  their  silver  wedding,  by  the  staff  of  Messrs.  Webb  and 
Sons,  at  Wordsley  and  Ssltney,  Chester.  1874.  October  14th.  1899.” 
