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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  25*  1901, 
Weather  in  London, — Thursday,  Friday,  Saturday  and  Sunday 
resembled  each  other  in  the  intensity  of  their  heat  and  oppressiveness. 
Monday  morning,  however,  brought  a  slight  change,  and  a  brisk,  cool, 
west  breeze,  and  dull  skies  came  as  a  welcome  relief  from  the  preceding 
conditions.  A  drizzling  and  very  soft  rain  fell  during  Tuesday,  and 
again  on  Wednesday,  with  still  a  cooler  air. 
A.  Germicide. — Elodea  canadensis,  which  since  1840,  when  it  was 
introduced  to  our  islands  here  from  North  America,  and  has  spread  by 
vegetative  means  all  over  the  country,  becoming  in  some  watercourses 
an  unmitigated  nuisance,  is  now  said  to  be  a  germicide  that  checks 
malaria  and  epidemic  diarrhoea.  Thus,  in  the  eoonomy  of  Nature, 
everything  has  a  purpose. 
Flowers  for  the  Poor. — “  I  hope  those  who  have  gardens,”  writes 
Loid  Monkswell,  L.C.C.,  “  and  are  feeling  the  pleasure  and  brightness 
of  the  flower  season,  will  spare  a  few  plants  or  flowers  to  cheer  the 
tired  workers  in  the  dusty  city,  and  bring  a  hint  of  summer  beauty 
into  the  dingy  streets  and  crowded  tenements.  A  post  card  to  the 
Hon.  Secretary,  Flower  Distribution,  Kyrle  Society,  49,  Manchester 
Street,  W.,  will  bring  a  prompt  reply,  giving  addresses  to  which  the 
flowers  may  be  sent.” 
Sussex  Gardeners’  Out  Inspecting. — A  large  party  of  members 
of  the  Burgess  Hill  New  Horticultural  Improvement  Society  had  an 
enjoyable  outing  on  the  17tb.  The  party  travelled  bv  train  from 
Burgess  Hill  to  Tonbridge,  and  then  drove  to  Hadlow,  having  a  fine 
view  of  Hadlow  Castle  en  route.  Luncheon  was  served  at  the  Greyhound 
Hotel,  which  over,  the  party  were  joined  by  Mr.  Cattell.  The  party 
drove  through  Hadlow  Park  to  Golden  Green,  where,  on  Thompson’s 
Farm,  the  experimental  grounds  were  visited. 
Chertsey  School  of  Handicrafts. — The  annual  outing  of  the 
garden  boys  and  staff  ot  the  School  of  Handicrafts,  Chertsey,  was 
held  on  Tuesday,  July  16th,  when,  in  company  with  a  large  number  of 
friends,  they  journeyed  by  steam  launch,  “  May  Queen,”  to  Cookham 
Locks.  After  spending  a  short  time  there  the  return  journey  was 
made.  Owing  to  the  low  state  of  the  Thames  the  propellors  of  the 
launch  beoame  fouled,  the  party  reaching  Chertsey  between  twelve  and 
one  o’clock  in  the  cool  of  the  night.  Hearty  thanks  are  due  to 
H.  J.  Veitch,  Esq.,  Hurst  &  Son,  Cooper,  Taber  &  Co.,  Watkins  and 
Simpson,  H.  B.  May,  Allnut  Bros.,  and  others  for  providing  the  means  for 
the  boys  in  the  garden  and  the  band  which  accompanied  them  obtaining 
this  outing.  The  arrangements  were  made  by  Mr.  A.  J.  Brown,  head  of 
the  garden  department. 
Mr.  Thomas  W.  Pockett  In  England. — The  above  name  is  well 
known  by  gardeners  in  this  country,  from  the  owner’s  intimate 
connection  with  so  many  fine  varieties  of  Chrysanthemums  raised  by 
him  in  Australia,  and  sent  out  conjointly  by  Mr.  Pockett  and  Mr.  W. 
Wells  of  Earlswood,  Surrey.  Mr.  Pockett  departed  from  Melbourne  on 
June  7th,  and  means  to  stay  in  the  mother  country  for  four  or  six 
months.  The  high  esteem  in  which  the  curator  of  the  Malvernshire 
Gardens  is  held  was  strikingly  exemplified  on  the  evening  of  May  30th, 
when  a  large  gathering  of  representative  horticulturists  tendered 
Mr.  Pockett  a  smoke  night  at  the  Port  Phillip  Club  Hotel,  Melbourne. 
Mr.  R.  Ardagh  of  Hawthorn  presided,  and  the  secretary  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  of  Victoria,  Mr.  W.  R.  Church,  on  behalf  of  those 
present,  presented  the  guest  of  the  evening  with  a  handsome  travelling 
bag.  The  character  of  the  gathering  in  itself  was  a  high  compliment 
to  Mr.  Pockett,  as  it  comprised  moBt  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
Melbourne  gardening  circle,  while  repeated  expressions  of  pleasure 
were  heard  on  all  sides  regarding  the  presence  of  an  unusually  large 
number  of  the  older  gardeners.  Mr.  Pockett,  in  responding  to  the 
toast  of  his  health,  thanked  the  company  for  the  high  compliment  they 
had  paid  to  him,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  his  visit  to  Europe  would 
result  in  some  good  to  local  growers.  He  had  been  twenty-three  years, 
half  of  his  lifetime,  in  Victoria,  and  he  felt  that  he  was  not  yet  too  old 
to  learn.  If  the  gardens  and  gardeners  of  the  Old  World  had  anything 
to  teach,  and  he  did  not  doubt  it,  he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to  benefit 
from  their  experience. 
Boyal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  fruit  and  flower  show 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  July  30:  h, 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  1  to  5  p.m.  A  leoture 
on  “  Some  of  the  Plants  Exhibited”  will  be  given  by  the  Rev.  Professor 
G.  Henslow,  M.A.,  V.M.H.,  at  three  o’clock. 
Variorum. — Recent  shipments  of  Tasmanian  Apples  brought  from 
5s.  to  10s.  per  case  in  London;  the  Victorian  and  South  Australian 
Apples  reached  8s.  to  11s.  per  case.  *  *  1  he  Dunolly  Vine  and 
Fruit  Growers’  Association  (Australia)  complain  of  the  manner  in 
which  fruit  cases  are  thrown  about  on  being  put  on  board  ship;  it 
was  characterised  as  simply  “shameful.”  This  is  thought  to  be  the 
reason  why  so  much  fruit  arrives  in  London  in  a  damaged  condition. 
The  matter  will  be  brought  before  a  conference  of  the  central 
association.  *  *  Many  fields  of  Rye  and  Barley  are  already  cut, 
and  the  erain  winnowing,  in  Essex  and  Surrey.  *  *  The  Great 
Eastern  Railway  Company  has  just  issued  a  new  booklet  entitled 
“Holidays  in  Belgium,”  by  Percy  Lindley,  describing  new,  inexpensive 
holidays,  via  Harwich  and  Antwerp,  in  Flanders,  and  the  Ardennes; 
published  at  30,  Fleet  Street,  London. 
Mr.  George  Nicholson. — For  weeks  past,  rumours  have  been 
numerous  amongst  those  serving  in  the  Royal  Gardens  at  Kew,  that 
soon  they  were  to  lose  their  respected  and  world-renowned  curator, 
Mr.  George  Nicholson.  We  believe  Mr.  Nicholson  retires  on  the  score 
of  ill-health  from  his  position  early  in  August,  to  be  succeeded  by 
Mr.  William  WatsoD,  who  has  for  so  long  been  with  Mr.  Nicholson  as 
assistant  curator.  The  change  marks  an  epooh  for  Kew,  and  we  echo 
the  expressed  hope  of  our  contemporary,  “  The  Gardeners’ Chronicle,” 
that  “  some  means  will  be  adopted  of  testifying  the  admiration  felt  in 
the  horticultural  world  for  one  whose  long  career  at  Kew  has  been 
one  of  sympathy  and  well  doing.”  Mr.  W.  J.  Bean  will  occupy 
Mr.  Watson’s  position,  and  we  believe  Mr.  William  Dallimore,  temperate 
house  foreman,  succeeds  Mr.  Bean  in  the  arboretum ;  Mr.  Hacketr, 
deputy  foreman  in  the  propagating  pits,  will  hold  the  post  of  general 
foreman  in  the  glass  department.  A  number  of  changes  are  being  made 
in  the  deputy  foremanships. 
Shirley  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Association. — 
The  usual  monthly  meeting  of  the  association  was  held  at  the  Parish 
Room,  Shirley,  Mr.  J.  E.  Wilcox  presiding  over  a  good  number  ,of 
members,  who  assembled  to  hear  a  lecture  by  Mr.  E.  Ladhams  of  Shirley 
Nurseries  on  “The  Cultivation  of  Liliums,”  which,  he  said,  was  the 
most  beautiful  group  of  all  existing  plants,  outvieing  the  Rose,  Orchid, 
and  Iris  in  perfume,  elegance,  and  the  easy  way  in  which  they  can  be 
cultivated.  They  came  from  many  lands;  there  were  Lilies  from  the 
hot,  dry,  and  rocky  slopes  of  California,  others  from  the  margins  of 
rivers,  many  others  from  the  bogs  of  Canada  ;  then  there  were  those 
from  India  and  the  Himalayan  Mountains,  running  off  in  the  direction 
of  China  and  Japan,  from  whence  came  the  beautiful  “  auratum  ”  and  iis 
varieties;  then  they  found  several  kinds  indigenous  to  cold  Siberia, 
and,  coming  closer  home,  Europe  contributed  a  few,  more  valuable  to 
us,  as  they  were  easier  of  cultivation  than  many  of  the  more  gorgeous 
varieties  from  California  or  Japan.  Mr.  Ladhams  then  pointed  out 
that  the  chief  element  of  success  was  to  emulate,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
the  natural  conditions  under  which  the  plants  were  found  growing. 
Not  that  it  was  always  absolutely  necessary  to  copy  natural  surroundings, 
that  in  itself  was  impossible ;  but  the  true  art  of  cultivation  was  in 
supplying  from  available  material  conditions  equivalent  to  these. 
Lilium  giganteum  responded  to  the  right  or  wrong  treatment  as 
emphatically  as  any  plant  could  do.  Having  given  particulars  of 
treatment,  both  in  pots  and  open  ground,  the  lecturer  pointed  out  that 
one  of  the  most  essential  features  for  success  was  that  the  bulbs  should 
not  want  for  water,  and  summed  up  an  entertaining  and  instructive 
lecture  by  saying  that  the  successful  cultivation  of  Liliums  chiefly 
depends  on — 1,  Suitable  soil,  either  in  pots  or  open  ground  ;  2,  Careful 
planting  or  potting,  with  plenty  of  root  room ;  3,  Never  to  be  let  get 
dry,  even  when  at  rest  should  have  a  little  moisture ;  4,  Shaded  from 
strong  sunlight,  and  keeping  free  from  all  insect  pests.  A  good 
discussion  followed,  several  questions  being  asked  and  answered. 
Prizes  for  twelve  bunches  of  Sweet  Peas,  distinct. — First,  H.  Wright; 
second,  R.  Jefferys ;  third,  F.  Cleveley.  Epergne  of  Sweet  Peas. — 
First,  Mr.  E.  Ladhams.  Messrs.  Toogood  &  Sons  of  Southampton  sent, 
not  for  competition,  a  grand  collection  of  Sweet  Peas,  vhc.  Mr.  B. 
Ladhams,  F.R.H.S.,  was  also  awarded  v.h.o.,  for  a  group  of  Liliums  and 
groups  of  herbaceous  plants.  A  vote  of  thanks  to  lecturer  and  chairman 
closed  a  pleasant  evening. — J.  M. 
