JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  21,  1*99. 
55  2 
next  few  seasons’  shows.  St>ve  and  greenhouse  plants  were  especially 
flourishing.  A  lovely  drive  by  car  to  Belfast  and  we  call  at  the  shop  and 
warehouse  in  R  «yal  Avenue.  This  shop  with  its  four  storeys  is  replete 
with  every  convenience,  and  sufficiently  large  to  accommodate  a  large 
regiment.  One  storey  is  devoted  to  a  choice  cut  flower  trade,  one  seeds 
and  bulbs,  one  implements,  and  the  last  to  farm  seeds.  Order  and 
precision  are  noted  in  all  their  undertakings.  The  clever  sons  are  well 
known  everywhere,  and  readers  will  be  pleased  to  see  the  portrait  (fi*.  96) 
of  the'present  head  of  the  firm  appearing  in  the  Journal. — A  Visitor. 
OBITUARY. 
The  announcement  of  the  death  of  Alfred  Outram  has  come  as 
a  sad  surprise  to  many,  for  certainly  few  horticulturists  were  better 
known  than  he  was,  and  by  all  greatly  esteemed.  He  seemed 
always  to  show  the  same  imperturbable  disposition,  and  was  equally 
genial  and  kindly  to  all.  The  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund  has  lost 
by  his  untimely  death  a  warm  and  an  active  friend.  The  announce¬ 
ment  of  his  decease,  and  I  pray  it  may  be  the  last  of  horticul¬ 
turists  during  the  present  fateful  year,  induced  me  to  look  up  the 
lists  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Committees,  of  one  of  which 
Mr.  Outram  was  a  member,  to  note  how  far  these  had  suffered  through 
death  during  the  year.  So  far  as  my  knowledge  goes  the  Floral 
Committee  is  the  only  body  that  has  lost  no  members. 
The  Orchid  Committee  has  suffered  most,  having  lost  Major  Mason, 
Mr.  Sydney  Courtauld,  Mr.  W.  H.  Protheroe,  and  now  Mr.  A.  Outram. 
Then  comes  the  Fruit  Committee,  of  which  body  three — Mr.  T.  F.  Rivers, 
Mr.  T.  J.  Saltmarsh,  and  Mr.  Malcolm  Dunn — have  gone  to  join  the 
honoured  dead,  whilst  M.  Henri  Yilmorin  has  gone  from  the  Narcissus 
Committee,  and,  I  believe,  Dr.  Frankland  from  the  Scientific  Committee. 
A  specially  painful  feature  of  the  mortality  thus  detailed  is  found  in  the 
numerous  deaths  whilst  yet  in  the  prime  of  life.  Mr.  Courtauld,  Mr.  Rivers, 
and  Mr.  Dunn  were  not  really  aged,  and  Mr.  Vilmorin,  Mr.  Protheroe,  and 
Mr.  Outram  were  in  practically  the  prime  of  life.  The  others  had  got 
well  into  years. 
Outside  the  ranks  of  the  Committees,  of  notable  men  who  died  whilst 
yet  in  the  prime  of  life  were  Messrs.  W.  H.  Girdlestone  and  James 
Martin,  and  probably  some  others  also  that  I  do  not  at  the  present 
moment  recollect.  Surely,  as  horticulturists,  we  have  many  reasons  to 
remember  the  now  dying  year  of  1899,  for  it  has  carried  off  many  old 
and  dear  friends.  We  may  now  well  pray  that  Old  Father  Time  may 
take  a  long  rest. — A.  D. 
Death  op  Mr.  Thomas  Sorley,  Falkirk. 
We  deeply  regret  to  record  the  death  of  Mr.  Thomas  Sorley  on 
December  2nd,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  The  deceased  was  one  of  the 
best  known  gardeners  in  the  North  by  reason  of  his  distinguished  success 
as  a  cultivator  of  Orchids,  stove  and  greenhouse  plants.  Mr.  Sorley  was 
head  gardener  to  the  late  Provost  Russell,  of  Mayfield,  Falkirk,  for  many 
years.  The  latter  was  a  proprietor  who  loved  horticulture,  and  warmly 
supported  all  matters  associated  with  gardening.  Mr.  Sorley  was  looked 
upon  by  his  compeers  as  an  authority  on  Orchid  culture. 
Mr.  Sorley’s  grand  exhibit  of  stove  and  greenhouse  plants  at  the 
International  Horticultural  Exhibition  held  in  Glasgow  nearly  thirty 
years  ago  was  considered  to  be  one  of  the  finest  displays  of  horticultural 
skill  ever  seen  in  Scotland.  I  well  remember  the  unique  collection,  and 
also  the  laudations  of  the  Judges  and  others  who  were  present  on  the 
occasion.  Mr.  Sorley’s  faculties  were  all  (except  that  of  hearing)  keen  to  the 
last.  His  love  of  gardening  and  his  display  of  humour  were  always  in  strong 
evidence.  A  few  weeks  ago  we  saw  him  busily  engaged  in  the  arrange¬ 
ment  of  stalls  of  fruits  and  flowers  at  a  bazaar.  He  naively  remarked 
(tapping  his  ears  at  the  same  time)  that  Orchid  growing  had  left  him  a 
permanent  legacy,  meaning  deafness.  He  has  for  some  years  managed 
the  gardens  of  the  Misses  Gair  at  Kilns,  Falkirk.  The  deceased  leaves  a 
widow  to  mourn  his  loss. — M.  Temple,  Carron,  N.B, 
The  Late  Mr.  Alfred  Outram. 
Everyone  who  knew  him — and  what  gardener  did  not  ? — would  be 
sorry  to  read  the  announcement  of  Mr.  Outram’s  death.  There  was  no 
better  known  figure  in  the  world  of  horticulture,  and  he  seemed  to  be 
inseparable  from  all  the  great  exhibitions,  both  in  town  and  in  the 
provinces,  where  his  portly  presence  will  be  missed.  In  the  obituary 
notice  the  Editor  speaks  of  Mr.  Outram’s  geniality,  and  to  this  I  would 
add  a  word.  For  some  years  I  had  been  in  the  habit  of  seeing  Mr. 
Outram,  when  on  his  periodical  travelling  visits  to  a  well-known  garden 
in  the  aorthern  shires.  A  change  of  circumstances  brought  me  to 
London,  and  I  know  of  no  place  where  a  country  gardener  can  feel 
more  lonely  at  the  outset  than  amid  the  rush  of  the  great  city.  One  of 
the  first  persons  I  saw  at  the  first  Drill  Hall  meeting  I  attended  was  none 
other  than  Mr.  Outram.  I  recognised  him  of  course,  but  was  doubtful 
whether  he  would  remember  me.  However,  I  misjudged  my  man  ;  he 
knew  me  at  once,  and  what  followed  was  not  much,  as  things  go,  though 
I  have  always  appreciated  it.  There  was  a  hearty  handshake,  an  inquiry 
after  northern  friends,  a  welcome  to  London,  a  few  words  of  good  wishes 
and  encouragement,  and  a  bit  of  advice  to  be  stored  up  for  the  future. 
London  felt  less  lonely  after  that,  and  the  little  episode  strengthened  my 
respect  for  Mr.  Outram.  It  is  quite  true  that  we  can  do  good  in  many 
ways,  often  without  knowing  it. — A  Young  Gardener. 
I  WAS  truly  sorry  to  see  the  announcement  of  the  death  of  my  much- 
rispected  old  friend  Mr.  Alfred  Outram,  on  page  517  of  the  Journal  of 
Horticulture,  and  I  am  sure  hundreds  of  gardeners  all  over  the  United 
Kingdom  will  sympathise  with  his  wife  and  family  in  their  bereavement. 
I  knew  Mr.  Outram  when  he  was  a  boy,  in  Messrs.  Rollisson’s 
Nursery,  Lower  Tooting,  and  have  been  on  the  friendliest  terms  with  him 
ever  since.  Few  men  in  this  country  knew  plants  and  their  culture 
better  than  he  did,  and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  go  round  the  garden  with 
him  when  he  called,  or  to  meet  him  at  flower  shows,  where  he  seemed  to 
know  everybody.  I  have  met  him  at  flower  shows  in  England,  Scotland, 
and  Wales;  and  ho  always  took  delight  when  introducing  me  to  his 
friends,  in  telling  them  that  I  was  the  first  person  he  ever  crocked  a 
flower  pot  for.  In  the  company  of  gardeners  he  was  genial  and  affable, 
and  always  had  something  to  say  which  was  worth  listening  to,  whether 
the  subject  was  gardening,  or  any  of  the  current  topics  of  the  day. 
Few  nurserymen’s  representatives  were  more  respected  or  better 
received  by  the  gardeners  throughout  the  country  than  was  Mr.  Outram, 
and  his  early  death,  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  will  cause  sorrow  to  his 
many  friends  in  the  three  kingdoms. — A.  Pettigrew,  Castle  Gardens, 
Cardiff. 
Death  op  Mr.  W.  M.  Welsh. 
We  much  regret  to  announce  the  death  of  Mr.  W.  M.  Welsh,  after  a 
long  and  painful  illness.  He  was  senior  partner  in  the  firm  of  Messrs. 
Dickson  &  Co.,  nurserymen  and  seedsmen,  of  Waterloo  Place,  Edinburgh, 
Mr.  Welsh  was  a  member  of  the  Scottish  Arboricultural  Society,  and  a 
member  of  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Caledonian  Horticultural  Society, 
and  of  the  Horticultural  Association.  Mr.  Welsh  was  sixty  years  of  age. 
Death  op  Mr.  King. 
We  much  regret  to  announce  the  death  on  the  10th  inst.  of  Mr. 
Walter  King,  head  gardener  to  Jeremiah  Colman,  Esq.,  Gatton  Park, 
Reigate,  which  resulted  from  an  attack  of  influenza.  The  deceased  was  iu 
the  prime  of  life,  and  was  much  respected  by  those  under  him,  and  by  the 
persons  brought  into  contact  with  him.  Mr.  King  leaves  a  widow  and 
three  children. 
CAMELLIA  BUDS  FALLING. 
Every  season  many  growers  are  disappointed  through  the  buds  of 
their  Camellias  falling  prematurely,  but  the  cause  is  often  due  to  faulty 
culture  and  mismanagement.  At  this  period  of  the  year  severe  weather 
may  be  expected  any  dav,  and  fire  heat  is  often  employed  liberally  to 
insure  safety.  The  temperature  is  kept  even  higher  during  severe 
weather  than  previously,  when  the  nights  have  been  mild,  and  no  fire 
heat  employed.  The  sudden  change  to  a  warm  dry  atmosphere  is  alone 
sufficient  to  result  in  the  plants  casting  their  buds.  If  frost  could  merely 
bo  excluded,  having  a  temperature  of,  say,  35°,  it  would  be  better  for  the 
Camellia,  but  perhaps  not  so  well  for  other  plants  in  the  same  structure  ; 
therefore  it  is  often  necessary  to  maintain  a  temperature  at  night  ranging 
from  40°  to  45°.  The  plants  must  then  occupy  the  cool  end  of  the 
house,  and  not  be  stood  on  an  open  stage  so  frequently  employed  in 
greenhouses. 
Through  such  stages  the  warm  dry  air  as  it  rises  extracts  the  moisture 
from  the  soil  as  well  as  from  the  leaves  of  the  plants,  with  the  result  that 
the  buds  fall  directly  or  a  short  time  afterward®.  If  the  stage  is  covered 
with  zinc,  and  1  or  2  inches  of  moisture-holding  material  placed  over  it, 
such  as  ashes,  gravel,  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  or  any  similar  material,  it 
will  be  much  better  for  the  plants.  When  strong  fire  heat  is  employed, 
syringe  the  stems  and  foliage  of  the  plants  just  before  dark,  and  again  in 
the  morning  if  they  are  dry.  If  this  be  done,  other  conditions  that  will 
be  pointed  out  being  properly  observed,  the  buds  will  not  fall. 
Failure  not  infrequently  occurs  through  attempting  to  force  these 
plants  into  bloom  by  a  given  date.  If  the  change  from  the  one  treatment 
to  the  other  is  sudden,  the  buds  or  flowers  when  half  expanded  are 
almost  certain  to  fall  prematurely.  They  will  bear  forcing,  but  the 
change  must  be  gradual.  Abundance  of  moisture  must  be  applied  both 
to  the  plants  and  the  atmosphere,  and  in  no  stage  must  strong  dry  heat 
be  maintained  about  them.  More  buds  probably  fall  through  trying  to 
force  the  plants  into  bloom  than  from  any  other  cause.  The  best  and 
safest  method  of  growing  Camellias  for  early  blooming  is  to  assist  them 
at  the  commencement  of  the  season  to  make  their  growth.  One  season’s 
early  growth,  if  the  plants  are  kept  under  glass  the  whole  of  the  year, 
will  result  in  flowers  by  Christmas  with  cool  autumn  treatment.  By 
growing  them  early  for  several  seasons  they  can  be  had  in  bloom  two  or 
three  months  sooner.  For  the  majority  of  people  Christmas  is  soon 
enough  now  that  Chrysanthemums  can  be  had  in  abundance  throughout 
the  autumn  months. 
Directly  growth  has  been  made  the  plants  must  be  gradually  hardened 
to  cool,  airy,  and  drier  treatment  until  the  buds  form  at  the  extremity  of 
the  shoots.  At  this  juncture  cultivators  often  place  their  plants  outside 
for  the  remainder  of  the  summer.  This  can  be  carried  out  successfully 
by  those  who  are  thoroughly  familiar  with  every  detail  of  the  plant’s 
requirements  ;  but  my  advice  is,  keep  the  plants  under  glass,  and  the 
buds  will  gradually  develop,  and  two  or  three  risks  are  avoided.  When 
placed  outside  the  time  comes  for  housing  the  plants,  and  fatal  results 
often  follow.  They  are  removed  from  a  genial  position  and  moist 
surroundings  outside  to  ungenial  air  inside  ;  perhaps  stood  on  an  open 
stage  in  a  dry  structure.  This  sudden  change  is  followed  by  a  check  to 
the  plants,  which  ends  with  the  flower  buds  falling.  . 
Another  certain  cause  of  failure  is  allowing  the  plants  to  become  dry 
at  the  roots.  In  no  stage  of  growth  should  the  soil  become  dry  ;  it 
must  not  only  be  kept  moist  on  the  top,  but  through  to  the  base.  It  is 
