November  28,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
493 
Fig,  Grosse  Monstreuse  de  Lipari. 
V  e  do  not  recommend  the  above  variety  for  general  use,  but 
where  very  large  Figs  are  required  for  special  purposes  it  is 
certainly  a  variety  that  should  be  selected.  The  fact  is  singular 
and  significant,  that  neither  Messrs.  Bunyard,  Rivers,  nor  Veitcli, 
Limited,  include  it  in  their  fruit  catalogues.  At  the  same  time 
the  variety  bears  fine,  handsome  fruits,  and  fruits  with  moderate 
freedom  in  pots.  To  secure  fruits  of  the  finest  character,  the 
crops  should  be  thinned  whenever  a  heavy  display  is  shown,  and 
the  plants  will  require  to  be  supplied  •with  liquid  nourishment 
at  the  root. 
The  following  is  Dr.  Hogg’s  description  of  Fig  Grosse  Mon¬ 
streuse  de  Lipari  :  “Fruits  large,  roundish,  turbinate,  much  flat¬ 
tened  at  the  apex.  Skin  light  brown  or  chestnut,  shading  off 
to  dark,  and  with  dark-coloured  ribs,  with  occasional  dark  spots, 
the  whole  covered  with  a  thick  bloom ;  stalk  short,  thick.  The 
eye  is  large  and  closed.  Flesh  dull  red,  thick,  juicy, 
and  pleasantly  flavoured.  Habit  of  plant  robust,  and 
very  prolific.  A  very  meritorious  variety,  and  suitable 
for  cultivation  either  in  the  open  or  under  glass.”  The 
late  Dr.  Hogg,  in  his  “Fruit  Manual,”  adds  that  he  found  this 
variety  in  an  orchard  of  the  department  of  Bouches  de  Rhone, 
and  introduced  it  to  the  Chiswuck  gardens  of  the  Royal  Horticul¬ 
tural  Society,  where,  we  believe,  plants  of  it  are  grown. 
Earnings  of  Potato  Pickers. 
The  Potato  harvest  in  the  Lincolnshire  Fens,  which  has  been 
in  active  progress  for  the  last  two  months,  is  now  complete.  A 
feature  this  year  has  been  the  work  of  Irish  pickers,  who  have 
not  previously  remained  after  the  corn  harvest.  A  local  farmer 
reports  that  twenty  of  these  men  in  twenty  days  earned  £83  in 
which  time  they  picked  83  acres  of  Potatoes,  yielding  at  a 
moderate  estimate  eight  tons  per  acre.  In  the  above  case,  each 
man  iv  ou  d  pick  not  far  short  of  two  tons  a  day,  and  earned  4s.  2d. 
a  day.  Women  pickers  have  been  earning  up  to  3s.  6d.  a  day, 
but  when  working  by  the  day,  and  not  on  piece,  their  earnings 
would  be  about  2s.  6d.  to  3s.  In  the  Holbeach  district,  where 
Potatoes  are  more  extensively  grown  than  probably  anywhere  in 
England,  some  large  gangs  of  pickers  have  been  'at  work.  On 
a'one>  where  the  crop  was  bought  by  a  London  firm, 
130  pickers  were  at  work  one  day. 
Societies. 
Royal  Horticuliural — Drill  Hall,  November  26th. 
The  meeting  on  Tuesday  last  was  exceedingly  interesting. 
Fruit  in  bottles  was  largely  displayed,  and  a  lecture  on  this 
method  of  preserving  fruit  was  delivered  in  the  afternoon.  Mr. 
Beckett  exhibited  an  extraordinary  large  collection  of  vegetables, 
all  of  grand  quality.  Mr.  Goodacre  had  some  splendid  Grapes, 
while  the  group! ets  of  Orchids  were  choice  and  formed  an  attrac¬ 
tive  feature.  Chrysanthemums  were  seen  in  a  few  instances,  and 
there  were  groups  of  Begonias  from  various  parties.  Captain 
Holford  made  a.  blaze  with  a  fine  collection  of  Zonal  Pelargoniums. 
Orchid  Committee. 
Present:  Harry  J.  Veitcli,  Esq.,  in  the  chair;  with  Messrs. 
James  O’Brien,  de  B.  Crawshay,  Frank  A.  Rehder,  W.  Cobb,  E. 
Hill,  N.  Rilney,  J.  W.  Odell,  F.  J.  Thorne,  W.  H.  Young,  J.  G. 
Fowley,  and  H.  Little. 
Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Royal  Exotic  Nursery, 
Chelsea,  sent  a  group  chiefly  comprising  Cattleyas  and  Lselio- 
Cattleyas.  L.  Digbyano-purpurata  was  finely  represented,  and 
a  plant  of  L.-C.  Bryan  bore  a  four-bloomed  truss  of  handsome 
flowers.  L.-C.  Semiramis  superba  (F.C.C.),  with  rich  purple  lip 
ancl  deep  mauve  sepals  and  petals;  L.-C.  Pallas,  L.  Mrs.  M. 
Gratrix.  and  the  beautiful  though  delicate  looking  C.  Portia. 
(Silver  Flora  Medal.) 
G.  F.  Moore,  Esq.  (gardener,  Mr.  Morrie),  Chardwar,  Bourton- 
on-Water,  Gloucester,  staged  a  remarkably  handsome  group  of 
cut  flowers  of  Cypripediums,  set  off  with  Maidenhair  Ferns. 
Here  was  included  C.  Leeanum  punctatissimum,  C.  insigne  Cob- 
bianum,  C.  i.  Sanderse,  C.  i.  Standard,  and  other  exceedingly 
beautiful  varieties.  The  blooms  were  all  large,  and  finely 
coloured.  (Silver-gilt  Flora  Medal.) 
Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park,  Middlesex,  sent 
a  new  Cattleya,  C.  Grossi,  a  natural  hybrid  found  in  Brazil.  Mr. 
de  B.  Crawshay,  Rosefield,  Sevenoaks,  staged  a  strongly 
flowered  specimen  of  Odontoglossum  crispum  Crawshayanum. 
A.  J.  Keeling,  Esq.,  High  View  Nursery,  Cottingley,  Bingley, 
Yorkshire,  staged  a  bright  little  group  of  Orchids,  in  which  were 
Cattleya  labiata  superba,  Vanda  cserulea,  and  a  fine  selection  of 
Cypripediums,  of  which  C.  Actseus,  C.  x  Smithi  (Lawrenoeanum 
x  ciliare) ;  C.  Leeanum,  Keeling’s  var.  ;  and  C.  insigne  major. 
(Silver  Banksian  Medal.)  There  were  several  single  plant  ex¬ 
hibits  from  various  gardens.  F.  A.  Rehder,  Esq.  (gardener,  Mr. 
J.  Norris),  34,  The  Avenue,  Gipsy  Hill,  had  also  a  group  of 
Cypripediums  in  pots.  (Bronze  Banksian  Medal.) 
Floral  Committee. 
Present:  W.  Marshall,  Esq.,  in  the  chair;  with  Messrs.  Clias. 
T.  Druery,  George  Nicholson,  H.  B.  May,  Richard  Dean,  H. 
Selfe  Leonard,  J.  F.  McLeod,  J.  Jennings,  W.  Howe,  C.  R. 
Fielder,  Chas.  Dixon,  G.  Reuthe,  C.  Blick,  C.  J.  Salter,  R.  C. 
Notcutt,  Chas.  E.  Shea,  W.  P.  Thomson,  E.  H.  Jenkins,  W.  J. 
James,  O.  Thomas,  James  Walker,  J.  H.  Fitt,  and  E.  T.  Cook. 
Captain  Holford,  C.I.E.  (gardener,  Mr.  A.  Chapman),  Weston- 
birt,  Tetbury,  Gloucestershire,  sent  a  long  bank  of  Zonal  Pelar¬ 
goniums  in  the  form  of  bushy  pot  plants,  bearing  a  splendid  dis¬ 
play  of  useful  flowers  for  various  decorative  purposes.  The  best 
varieties  were  Mrs.  Williams,  rose-pink ;  Mark  Twain,  rose- 
scarlet;  Norah,  Apple-blossom  colour;  May  Hamilton,  rich 
crimson  ;  and  Herrick,  crimson  scarlet.  (Silver-gilt  Flora  Medal.) 
Mr.  R.  C.  Notcutt,  Broughton  Nursery,  Ipswich,  sent  single 
decorative  Chrysanthemums,  the  best  being  Nelly  Agate,  white; 
Mr.  A.  Double,  red  ;  Princess  Maude,  yellow ;  E.  Pagram,  mauve 
with  white  centre ;  King  of  Siam,  crimson  ;  Madge,  bronze-red  ; 
Yellow.  Jane,  a  beautiful  sort,  with  narrow,  twisted  petals;  and 
the  snow  white  Purity. 
Messrs.  W.  Wells  and  Co.,  Earlswood  Nurseries,  Redhill, 
Surrey,  had  decorative  Chrysanthemums,  and  a  selection  of  ex¬ 
hibition  blooms.  Madame  R.  Cad hurv  was  here,  also  Matthew 
Smith,  Calvat’s  Sun,  Madame  P.  Radaelli,  W.  R.  Church,  and 
Mrs.  T.  W.  Pockett.  Of  the  singles  the  most  distinct  were 
Gertie  Fletcher,  amaranth;  Mrs.  E.  Brigg,  bronzy-yellow; 
Dorothy,  pinky-white;  Golden  Faden,  spidery  petals  of  a  bronze 
tint;  Sir  R.  Buller,  brick  red  with  golden  centre;  and  Earlswood 
Beauty,  soft  white,  and  of  large  size.  (Silver  Banksian  Medal.) 
Mr.  G.  Lange,  Hanwortk  Road,  Hampton,  Middlesex,  set  up  a 
group  of  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  and  a  new  sport  named  alba 
grandiflora,  which  resembles  Caledonia,  but  is  more  erect  in  habit. 
(Silver  Banksian  Medal.)  E.  A.  Hambro,  Esq.,  Hayes  Place, 
Hayes,  Kent,  obtained  a  Silver-gilt  Medal  for  a  group  of  Begonia 
Gloire  de  Lorraine.  Lord  Aldenham  had  an  exhibit  of  Chrysan¬ 
themums.  (Silver  Banksian  Medal.) 
Fruit  and  Vegetable  Committee. 
Present:  H.  Balderson,  Esq.,  in  the  chair;  with  Messrs.  Jas. 
Cheal,  Henry  Esling,  George  Woodward,  J.  W.  Bates,  S. 
Mortimer,  Alex.  Dean,  W.  Fyfe,  James  Smith,  F.  Q.  Lane, 
