Jnly  as,  1886. 
81 
JOVRN'AL  of  IIORrinilLTUnF  ANT)  COTTAGE  GARDENEk. 
Mbdals. — The  silver  medal  H.P.  in  the  nurserymen’s  class  was  a 
pood  Victor  Hugo  from  Messrs.  R.  Mack  &  Son,  Catterick  Bridge. 
Cochet  from  Mr.  H;  Merryweather  winning  among  Teas  or 
Noisettes.  The  Rev.  J.  H.  Pemberton  had  the  best  Tea  in  Catherine 
Mermet ;  and  Mr.  J.  T.  Marsden  the  best  H.P.  in  Her  Majesty.  A 
saperb  bloom  of  The  Bride  among  local  classes  won  a  piece  of  plate  as 
the  best  bloom,  and  a  medal  as  the  best  Tea  in  that  division. 
LocaIi  Classes. — Mr.  J.  T.  Marsden,  Delamere,  Silverdale,  won  the 
silver  cup  for  nine  distinct  singles  ;  but  the  beat  dark  and  also  the  best 
light  H.P.’s  were  found  in  the  second  prize  stand  from  Mr.  J.  H. 
Midgley,  who  was  first  for  eighteen  blooms  and  for  twelve.  For  six  of 
any  light  coloured  Rose  Mr.  J.  T.  Marsden  was  in  front,  also  for  six  of 
any  white,  and  for  six  Teas  or  Noisettes. 
A  large  number  of  Sweet  Peas,  Violas,  Pansies,  Carnations,  and 
herbaceous  cut  flowers  were  staged  in  addition  to  Roses,  and  the  whole 
show  was  a  surprise  to  most  rosarians. 
ARUM  MACULATUM. 
This  wilding  was  briefly  referred  to  last  week  ;  it  is  popularly  called 
Cuchoo-pint  and  Priest' s-pint  (in  reference  to  the  form  of  the  spathe 
being  jike  that  of  a  drinking-cup,  in  the  former  instance  from  the  plant 
flowering  in  the  spring  about  the  time  the  cuckoo  is  heard,  and  the 
latter  is  a  translation  of  the  German  Pfaffen~pint'),  Friar' s-cowl  (from 
resemblance  to  the  cowl  of  the  monks).  Lords  and  Ladies  (as  the  spathe 
that  surrounds  the  flower  bears  a  fanciful  resemblance  to  the  immense, 
old-fashioned,  stiflE  ruffs  in  which  lords  and  ladies  in  former  days 
encompassed  their  heads),  Stareh-ioort  (on  account  of  the  roots  being 
employed  to  stiffen  ruffs  and  frills  in  the  time  of  Elizabeth,  when  these 
ornaments  were  worn  by  gentlemen  as  well  as  ladies),  and  Wahe-rotin 
(from  its  being  found  in  shady  places  where  the  redbreast  builds  its 
nest,  and  is  “  waked”  by  prowling  bird-nesters).  It  is  called  Gouet  in 
French,  Aronsicartzel  in  German,  and  Am  in  Italian. 
The  plant  is  frequent  in  moist,  shady  places  in  woods,  and  by  the 
sides  of  ditches.  It  has  a  root  about  the  size  of  a  Walnut,  which  has 
been  used  as  food  and  medicine.  On  tasting  the  fresh  roots  they  seem 
to  be  merely  mucilaginous  and  insipid,  but  they  soon  affect  the  tongue 
with  a  pungency  as  if  pricked  by  needles  ;  this  uneasy  sensation  may  be 
alleviated  by  milk,  butter  or  oil.  The  acridity  is  lost  in  drying,  and 
the  roots  become  farinaceous,  insipid,  and  fit  for  boiling  or  baking. 
Formerly  the  plant  was  very  abundant  in  the  Isle  of  Portland,  the  roots 
generally  eaten  by  the  country  people  ;  they  were  macerated,  steeped, 
and  the  powder  so  obtained  was  dried,  sent  to  London,  and  sold  under 
the  name  of  Portland  sago.  Medicinally,  the  root  in  its  fresh  state  is 
stimulant,  diaphoretic,  and  expectorant.  Though  retained  in  the 
”  Materia  Medica,”  it  is  seldom  used.  Gerard  says,  ”  The  most  pure  and 
white  starch  is  made  of  the  roots  of  Cuckoo-pint,  but  most  hurtful  for 
the  hands  of  the  laundresse  that  hath  the  handling  of  it,  for  it  choppeth, 
blistereth,  and  maketh  the  hands  rough  and  rugged,  withall  smarting.” 
Dr.  Hogg,  in  his  “  Vegetable  Kingdom,”  page  795,  says—"  The  plant 
is  acrid,  caustic,  and  poisonous.  The  leaves  are  more  active  than  the 
roots,  and  there  are  instances  on  record  of  children  having  died  from 
eating  them  in  a  mistake  for  Sorrel ;  bruised  when  fresh  and  applied  to 
the  skin  they  raise  blisters,  but  when  dried  they  are  inactive  from  the 
evaporation  of  the  acrid  principle.  The  root  when  fresh  is  emetic  ;  the 
juice  turns  turnsole  paper  red,  and  syrup  of  violets  green,  and  is 
coagulated  by  acids,  but  the  acrid  priciple  it  contains  is  so  volatile  that 
it  is  dissipated  by  drying  or  roasting,  and  then  it  is  converted  into  a 
nutritious  food  of  much  value  ;  but  it  is  said  if  the  roots  are  taken  up 
when  the  leaves  are  decayed  they  will  retain  all,  or  nearly  all,  their 
acridity  for  a  twelvemonth,  and  if  gathered  in  the  spring,  when  the 
leaves  are  in  full  vigour,  they  rapidly  dry,  shrink,  lose  their  acridity, 
and  become  farinaceous.  ,  .  .  The  roots,  according  to  Gilbert  White, 
are  scratched  up  and  eaten  by  thrushes  in  severe  snowy  seasons,  and 
the  berries  are  devoured  by  several  kinds  of  birds,  particularly  by 
pheasants.  The  former  has  been  used  as  a  substitute  for  soap,  and  as  a 
detergent.  .  .  .  Withering  says,  ‘  It  is  undoubtedly  a  good  and 
innocent  cosmetic,’  and  it  is  still  used  in  Italy  to  remove  freckles  from 
the  face  and  hands.  Bergius  recommends  the  root  to  be  gathered  when 
the  berries  are  ripe,  and  then  a  small  piece  applied  to  the  tongue  burns 
and  pricks  it  most  intolerably  for  several  hours,  but  this  may  be 
removed  by  applying  the  bruised  leaves  of  Milfoil.” 
Curtis  says,  ”  The  berries  which  succeed  the  flowers  are  devoured  by 
birds,  even  the  roots  are  eaten  by  them,  particularly  pheasants.  Dried 
and  powdered,  they  are  used  by  the  French  as  a  wash  for  the  skin,  under 
the  name  of  cypress  powder.”  Dr.  Emil  Wolff  gives  the  following 
analysis  of  the  ash  of  Arum  maculatum,  in  "  Aschen-Analysen,” 
page  138  : — 
Potash  (KO)  . .  . ,  . .  20’31 
Soda  (NaO)  .  10’48 
Lime  (CaO)  . .  . .  . .  . .  , .  . .  . .  34’8/) 
Magnesia  (MgO)  ,  . 10  34 
Iron  (FejOg)  ..’  2-78 
Phosphoric  acid  (POj)  ..  .  ..  7'fil 
Sulphuric  acid  (SO3) . 6-38 
Silica  (SiOj) .  . .  . .  4-62 
Chlorine  (Ci) . P65 
This  is  given  as  showing  what  a  worse  than  worthless  plant  abstracts 
from  the  soil. 
As  for  the  poisonous  properties  of  the  plant  to  cattle,  we  are  not 
aware  that  they  have  died  from  eating  either  the  young  growths  or  the 
berries.  Birds  eating  the  latter  and  not  suffering  any  injury  is  not 
analogous  to  cattle,  for  birds  eat  the  seeds  of  Hemlock  (Conium  macula¬ 
tum)  with  immunity,  but  the  plant  juices  are  deadly  to  animals  and 
men  ;  even  this  (juice)  is  used  as  a  menstruum  with  lees  of  wine  for 
steeping  Wheat  in  order  to  stupefy  and  capture  birds,  being  far  more 
potent  than  alcohol  in  inebriating  the  bipeds  ;  but  it  is  a  very  dangerous 
and  happily  little  practised  means  of  bird-catching,  though  well  known 
to  many,  but  even  poachers  do  not  care  to  use  it. 
From  my  own  experience  in  places  where  the  Cuckoo-pint  abounded 
in  woods  and  shady  places  to  which  cattle  had  access  we  have  not 
noticed  any  injury  to  arise,  for  the  simple  reason  that  they  do  not  eat  it. 
One  season,  however,  a  small  farmer  lost  a  number  of  sheep  In  the 
springtime  through  their  depasturing  in  a  wood,  and  this  was  attributed 
to  poisoning  by  some  plant,  but  the  “  doctors  ”  could  not  agree  as  to 
whether  it  was  caused  by  Dog  Mercury  (Mercurialis  perennis)  or  Cuckoo- 
pint  (Arum  maculatum),  as  both  were  found  in  the  stomachs  of  the 
animals,  the  mouths  being  blistered,  pointing  to  the  Arum  as  the  cause 
of  the  disaster.  All  we  can  say  is  that  the  plant  is  poisonous,  and,  as  a 
rule  not  eaten  by  animals.  The  berries  are  dried  up  to  a  great  extent 
on  account  of  the  drought,  and  it  is  the  safest  to  remove  them.— 
G.  Abbey. 
GARDENERS’  ROYAL  BENEVOLENT  INSTITUTION. 
Floral  Service  in  York  Minster. 
To  most  people  who  know  this  grand  old  historical  building  and  its 
capacious  dimensions  it  might  be  considered  a  bold  undertaking  to 
decorate  it  successfully  with  plants  and  flowers.  The  Ancient  Society 
of  York  Florists  may,  however,  claim  to  have  done  so  efficiently,  and  to 
have  elicited  the  admiration  of  the  vast  concourse  of  people  who  attended 
the  services  last  Sunday  (July  19tb).  The  Dean  of  York  (the  Very 
Rev.  A.  Purey  Cost)  kindly  granted  the  above  Society  leave  to  hold  its 
annual  floral  service  this  rear  for  the  first  time  in  the  Minster,  and  the 
offertory  to  go  to  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  In 
response  to  an  appeal  to  the  principal  gardening  establishments  in  the 
neighbourhood  and  throughout  the  county  a  bountiful  supply  of  plants 
and  cut  flowers  was  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  officers  and  Committee  on 
Saturday  evening,  when  for  about  four  hours  a  score  of  willing  hands 
were  hard  at  work  in  the  arrangements  under  the  supervision  of  Mr. 
W.  Richardson  (of  Messrs.  J.  Backhouse  &  Son),  Chairman  of  the  Com¬ 
mittee  ;  Messrs.  Wilkinson,  Fillmore,  and  Milbura  (Stewards),  Messrs. 
Lazenby  and  Lamb  (Secretary  and  Treasurer),  and  several  members  of 
the  Committee. 
The  altar  and  reredos  was  most  chastely  and  suitably  decorated  by 
Lady  Emma  Purey  Cast  (wife  of  the  Dean)  with  red  Roses,  white  Lilies 
and  Marguerites,  and  noble  specimens  of  Palms  and  Crotons  were  effec¬ 
tively  placed  inside  the  communion  rails.  The  wide  and  broad  steps 
leading  up  to  the  altar  were  taken  advantage  of  for  a  charming  arrange¬ 
ment,  on  each  side  of  which  was  formed  a  bank  of  choice  exotic  plants 
interspersed  with  flowers  in  vases,  the  effect  of  which  was  very  striking. 
Under  the  lectern  and  reading  desk  light  graceful  groups  of  plants  and 
flowers  were  placed  ;  the  Archbishop’s  throne  and  the  pulpit  opposite 
were  wreathed  with  flowers  in  the  national  colours — red,  white,  and 
blue — various  niches  and  corners  were  taken  advantage  of  for  isolated 
specimens,  which  completed  the  decoration  in  the  choir  and  chancel. 
The  pulpit  in  the  Lady  chapel  was  also  wreathed  with  flowers,  while 
specimen  Palms  and  Dracaenas  were  placed  in  conspicuous  positions. 
The  transept  in  the  nave  was  furnished  with  a  row  of  huge  Palms, 
elevated  on  pedestals  5  feet  high,  with  smaller  plants  grouped  at  their 
base.  To  many  this  seemed  the  most  imposing  part  of  the  decorations. 
At  the  morning  service  the  Rev.  Eugene  Bourne,  Vicar  of  Dunston, 
Lincolnshire,  specially  invited  for  the  occasion,  himself  an  ardent 
amateur  horticulturist  and  specialist  in  Daffodils,  took  for  his  text, 
“  The  Lord  God  took  the  man  and  put  him  in  the  Garden  of  Eden  to 
dress  it  and  to  keep  it.”  During  the  course  of  a  very  able  and  practical 
address  the  rev.  gentleman  showed  himself  to  be  well  acquainted  and  in 
sympathy  with  s  gardener’s  life,  duties,  and  aspirations,  and  depicted 
the  wide  range  of  plants  he  had  to  make  himself  familiar  with,  each 
requiring  a  special  study,  the  close  attention  to  details,  the  right  thing 
to  be  done  at  the  right  time,  necessary  to  successful  gardening  and 
successful  gardeners,  suitably  applied  to  the  garden  of  the  soul,  also  that 
his  work  was  one  of  self-abnegation,  and  conduced  more  to  other 
people’s  pleasures  than  his  own  ;  in  fact,  he  had  not  the  time  or  leisure 
to  enjoy  the  result  of  his  own  achievements,  as  his  mind  was  too  much 
engrossed  with  other  things  to  come  on,  and  what  to  do  next,  whilst  his 
remuneration  very  rarely  allowed  him  to  put  by  for  a  leisurely  spent  old 
age.  He  had  to  keep  on  from  youth,  working  the  ground  till  he  could 
work  no  more,  and  the  ground  he  so  long  worked  opened  to  receive  him. 
The  rev.  gentleman  made  a  very  powerful  appeal  on  behalf  of  the 
Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution,  pointing  out  that  it  was  the 
only  one  of  the  kind  in  England.  It  especially  appealed  to  Yorkshire- 
men,  seeing  that  the  Institution  spent  on  pensioners  in  Yorkshire 
annually  £138,  and  only  received  from  that  county  annually  £35  14s. 
I  wa.8  thus  reminded  that  Mr.  H.  J.  Veitch  had  emphasised  this  fact 
at  the  meeting  of  gardeners  held  at  the  Great  Yorkshire  Gala,  and  I 
should  like,  through  your  columns,  to  'ask  all  gardeners  in  Yorkshire 
why  this  is  so  ?  I  am  sure  the  fact  only  requires  to  be  known  in  order 
to  be  remedied,  and  we  should  not  have  to  think  long  about  how  it  is 
to  be  done,  or  whose  fault  it  is.  If  someone  could  say  to  each  individual 
gardener  who  have  not  joined  the  institution,  "  Thou  art  the  man,”  and 
he  took  it  home,  the  thing  would  be  done. — R.  McIntosh,  York, 
