February  2,  1899. 
93 
JOURTAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Mr.  G.  Day,  gardener  to  H.  F.  Simond.s.  Esq  ,  Beckenham,  contributed 
a  small  group  of  well  flowered  Orchids.  The  several  plants  were  all  in 
splendid  health  and  quite  clean.  There  were  Odontoglossums,  Dendro- 
bium  Jamesianum.  Ccelogyne  cristata.  Lycaste  Skinneri  alba,  and  one  or 
two  others  (silver  Banksian  medal).  F.  Knight,  Esq.,  Thundersley  House, 
Thundersley,  sent  a  number  of  varieties  of  C'attleya  Trianas,  including 
specimens  rather  over  average  merit  (silver  Banksian  medal).  Messrs. 
L.  Linden  &  Co.,  Brussels,  exhibited  Odontoglossums  crispum  sunam- 
bulum,  and  Andersonianum  Schusterianum  ;  Cypripediums  insigne 
Luciani,  and  Weirtzianum  ;  and  Cattleya  Trianm  M.  Linden.  Mr.  J. 
Douglas,  Great  Bookham,  staged  a  small  group  of  cut  Orchids  which  were 
very  bright  and  attractivei  (silver  Banksian  medal).  De  Barri  Crawshay, 
Esq.,  Sevenoaks,  sent  Laelia  anceps  Amesiana  Crawshay’s  var.,  and 
Odontoglossum  cris])um  Imperatriee.  IMessrs.  H.  Low  &  Co.,  Bush  Hill 
Park,  showed  Gypripedium  insigne  Sanderae,  while  several  other  growers 
contributed  small  exhibits. 
Certificates  and  Awards  of  Merit. 
Acalypha  Godseffiana  (F.  Sander  &  Co.). —A  dwarf  growing  plant 
of  decorative  value.  The  heart-shaped  serrated  leaves  are  green  with  a 
cream  margin  (award  of  irerit). 
Apple  Lady  Pilkington  (Southport  Botanic  Gardens). — A  handsomely 
formed  pale  yellow  variety.  It  is  flattish  round,  higher  on  one  side  than 
the  other.  The  half-open  eye  is  deeply  set,  and  the  short  stalk  is 
embedded  in  a  deep  cavity.  There  is  a  flush  of  red  on  the  sun  side 
(award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  Triance  Ernest  Ashworth  (H.  Holbrook). — A  superb  variety'. 
The  very  broad  fringed  petals  and  the  sepals  are  pure  white.  The  hand¬ 
some  lip  is  maroon  on  the  front  lobe  fringed  with  white,  the  throat  being 
soft  yellow,  and  the  side  lobes  delicate  blush  (award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  Triance  Memona  Linden.  (L.  Linden). — The  fine  sepals  and 
petals  cf  this  variety  are  bright  rose,  and  the  lip  rich  dark  velvety 
crimson  (award  of  merit). 
Cypripediain  Miss  Louisa  Fowler  (.T.  Davis). — This  is  a  distinct  form, 
of  which  the  parentage  was  not  definitely  stated.  The  dorsal  sepal  is 
green,  with  dark  chocolate  spots  and  blotches.  The  petals  are  deep 
claret,  with  darkei^veins,  and  the  pouch  lively  claret  (award  of  merit). 
Cypripedium  Weirtzianum  (L.  Linden). — An  imposing  flower.  The 
dorsal  sepal  is  white  with  dark  lines,  and  the  petals  are  similar  in  colour, 
with  lines  and  spots.  The  pouch  is  blackish  crimson  (award  of  merit). 
Lcelia  anceps  Amesiana  Craicshay's  variety  (de  Barri  Crawshay). — A 
magnificent  variety'  remarkably'  rich  in  colour.  The  sepals  and  petals 
are  white  at  the  base,  shading  through  rose  to  velvety  purple  crimson  at 
the  tip.  The  lip  is  rich  blackish  crimson,  and  the  throat  pale  yellow 
with  crimson  veins.  The  outer  portion  of  the  side  lobes  is  rich  crimson 
(first-class  certificate). 
Lapageria  rosea  The  Knoll  variety  (W.  Bain). — This  is  in  all  respects 
an  improvement  on  the  well-known  type  (award  of  merit). 
Masdevallia  Curlei  (no  name). — This  is  a  hybrid  from  a  cross  between 
M.  macrura  and  hi.  tovarensis.  The  prevailing  colour  is  creamy  white 
(award  of  merit). 
EELWORMS  (NEMATODES). 
Bulletin  No.  55  of  the  Hatch  E.xperiment  Station,  Massachusetts, 
gives  the  results  of  a  very  extensive  study  of  these  pests.  The  following 
is  a  brief  resume  of  the  bulletin  :  — 
Nematodes  are  small  worms  allied  to  the  earth  worm.  Many  are 
entirely  harmless,  and  only  one  species  (Heterodera  radicicola)  is  known 
to  damage  plants  in  Massachusetts.  Many  of  the  harmless  species  can 
withstand  the  winter,  but  the  one  which  is  so  harmful  to  florists’  plants 
IS  destroyed  by  freezing.  It  may',  however,  easily  survive  in  the  centre 
of  compost  or  manure  heaps  which  frost  does  not  reach.  It  therefore 
follows  that  if  soil,  manure,  and  compost  heaps  are  spread  out  so  that 
every  part  becomes  frozen  no  danger  need  be  feared,  provided  the 
benches  are  not  themselves  infested.  It  would  seem  that  the  careful 
cleaning  and  whitewashing  of  benches  and  the  use  of  soil  which  has  been 
frozen  would  eradicate  the  pest.  Of  course  the  first  potting  from  the 
cutting  bench  should  also  be  in  the  soil  which  had  been  frozen,  as  the 
planting  of  infested  plants  or  the  contact  of  infested  soil  with  the  other 
would  soon  cause  the  whole  bench  to  be  infested,  as  the  worms  breed 
rapidly. 
Infested  plants  usually'  appear  sickly  and  gradually  fade  awav  and  die. 
The  roots  of  such  plants  are  more  or  less  covered  with  various  galls  or 
swellings.  These  are  abnormal  growths  of  the  roots  due  to  the  presence 
of  the  worms,  which,  when  full-grown,  are  not  much  larger  than  the  size 
of  a  pin  head.  The  damage  to  the  plant  is  not  due  to  the  feeding  of  the 
worms  upon  the  roots,  but  to  the  fact  that  the  flow  of  the  sap  is  checked 
by  the  abnormal  growth.  A  plant  weakened  by  the  attack  of  these 
worms  is  quite  likely'  to  become  infested  with  other  insect  pests  and 
fungus. 
The  use  of  chemicals  is  of  no  value,  as  the  eggs  practically'  cannot  be 
killed  |by  such  means.  The  most  effectual,  complete,  and  practical 
method  of  exterminating  nematodes  in  greenhouses  is  by  heating  the  soil 
by  means  of  steam.  The  amount  of  heat  necessary'  to  destroy  them  is 
140°,  whiph  is  much  less  than  has  been  supposed.  As,  however,  all  parts 
of  the  soil  are  not  heated  equally,  it  is  recommended  that  it  be  heated  to 
about  the  boiling  point  of  water  (212°). —  (“  American  Florist.’") 
THE  PEOPLE’S  PALACE  HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETF. 
The  district  of  Mile  End  scarcely  seems  to  be  one  in  which  flower 
shows  are  held,  because  in  a  general  way  we  do  not  associate  flowers 
with  the  East  of  London.  Time  was^ — and  not  such  a  great  number  of 
years  ago,  either — when  there  were  acres  of  green  fields  within  an  easy 
walk  of  the  Bank,  now  covered  with  bricks  and  mortar.  There  were 
little  nurseries  in  the  Bethnal  Green,  Mile  End,  and  Whitechapel  Roads, 
and  some  forecourt  gardens  in  which  a  small  bed  of  Tulips  could  be  seen, 
also  of  Anemones,  Ranunculus,  and  Pansies.  The  rural  aspects  have  all 
departed,  and  when  anyone  travelling  Stratford  way'  comes  upon  a  piece 
of  green  it  is  hideous  in  its  blasted  -condition.  Tree  and  shrub,  hedgerow 
and  green  grass,  are  disappearing  befor4  the  fumes  of  chemical  and  other 
works  which  have  been  reared.  There  are  acres  of  desolation  in 
Haggerston,  Bow,  Bromley,  Canning  Town',  and  Plaistow  which  have 
been  bereft  of  every  scrap  of  natural-  beauty.  An  advancing  army  of 
industrial  agencies,  necessary  and  useful  in  their  way,  are  seen  at  work 
despoiling  the  face  of  Nature,  and  making  the  existence  of  vegetable  life 
almost  impossible. 
Nevertheless  in  Mile  End  there  is  a  flourishing  horticultural  society 
having  for  its  object  the  encouragement  of  the  culture  of  plants  in  what 
are  known  as  the  congested  districts  of  the  East  of  London — Bethnal 
Green,  Mile  End.  Whitechapel,  Stepney,  Limehouso,  Poplar,  and  Spital- 
fields.  The  People’s  Palace  in  the  Mile  End  Road  (a  realisation  in  part 
of  that  bright  vision  sketched  by'  Sir  Walter  Besant  in  his  “  All  Sorts  and 
Conditions  of  Men,”)  was  opened  in  1887,  and  has  grown  into  an  enormous 
educational  and  social  force  in  the  district.  But  it  was  felt  from  the,  first 
that  something  else  was  necessary'  to  introduce  a  little  of  sweetness  and 
light  into  the  homes  of  the  workers  who  so  largely  constitute  the  dwellers. 
Two  or  three  University  men  from  Oxford  House,  Bethnal  Green,  who 
had  leanings  towards  the  new  socialism  which  has  stirred  so  many 
sympathetic  hearts  lent  their  aid,  and  a  society  was  formed  with  its 
headquarters  at  the  People’s  Palace.  The  Duke  of  Fife  was  made  Presi¬ 
dent,  and  the  first  season,  1894,  was  opened  by  an  inaugural  address  from 
Mr.  Richard  Dean,  V.M.H.,  the  horticultural  adviser  to  the  Society,  the 
Marquis  of  Lome  presiding. 
After  four  years’  operation  the  Society  held  a  kind  of  congratulatory 
dinner  at  The  Three  Nuns,  Aldgate,  on  the  26th  ult.,  Mr.  E.  Flower,  M.P., 
one  of  the  Hon.  Secretaries,  in  the  chair.  Mr.  Harold  Boulton,  his 
colleague,  a  gentleman  to  whom  very  much  of  the  success  of  the 
Society  is  due,  filled  the  vice-chair.  In  proposing  as  the  toast  of  the 
evening,  “  Success  to  the  People’s  Palace  Horticultural  Society,” 
the  Chairman  sketched  the  operations  of  the  Society  during  the  past  five 
years.  A  commencement  was  made  in  1894  by  holuing  two  exhibitions  ; 
the  aggregate  number  cf  entries  was  239,  and  the  prize  money  awarded. 
£43.  In  1895  three  exhibitions  were  attempted,  a  spring  show  being 
added  to  the  summer  and  Chrysanthemum  shows  held  in  1894  ;  the 
entries  ran  up  to  741,  and  the  prize  money'  amounted  to  £60.  In  1896 
the  same  number  of  shows  were  held,  with  a  somewhat  similar  result. 
In  1897  a  Dahlia  Show  was  added,  making  four  ;  the  entries  were  1085, 
and  £75  awarded  in  prizes.  Last  year  there  was  the  same  number  of 
exhibitions  :  the  entries  increased  to  1439,  and  the  prize  money  awarded 
£100.  Unfortunately,  through  lack  of  funds,  there  is  danger  of  one  of 
the  shows — the  Dahlias — will  have  to  be  abandoned,  which  is  matter  for 
great  regret,  as  Dahlias  were  cultivated  in  many  of  the  little  back  gardens 
with  considerable  success.  The  Society  is  self-supporting  and  self- 
governing,  but  as  the  subscription  is  low  the  income  from  that  source  is 
small,  and  it  is  supplemented  by  donations  from  ladies  and  gentlemen 
interested  in  the  work  of  the  Society.  The  Chairman,  after  alluding  to 
the  suitability'  of  the  fine  Queen’s  Hall  of  the  People’s  Palace  as  a  place 
for  shows,  went  on  to  say  the  membership  was  now  510  strong,  yet  they 
were  only  at  the  beginning  of  the  work.  As  he  believed  a  great  future 
was  mapped  out  for  the  Society,  they  had  started  a  children’s  section  as  a 
distinct  organisation  with  every  prospect  of  success,  and  were  interesting 
the  teachers  of  voluntary  and  Board  Schools  in  the  w'ork. 
The  health  of  the  Judges,  Messrs.  R.  Ballantine,  R.  Dean,  and  T.  W, 
Sanders,  who  give  their  services  gratuitously',  was  given,  and  in  respond¬ 
ing,  both  Mr.  Ballantine  and  Mr.  Sanders  alluded  to  the  improvement  in 
the  exhibits  seen  every  season.  They  particularly  alluded  to  the  culture 
of  Chrysanthemums  in  little  home-constructed  bouses,  stating  they  were 
surprised  in  November  last  to  notice  the  remarkable  advance  made  in  the 
production  of  specimen  blooms. 
In  responding  to  the  toast  of  the  Hon.  Secretaries,  Mr.  Harold  Boulton 
alluded  to  the  fact  that  on  a  few  occasions  Royalty  had  honoured  them  by' 
a  visit,  and  how  gratified  they  were  with  what  they  saw.  Testimony  was 
borne  to  the  valuable  services  to  the  Society  rendered  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Osborn, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Society,  who  duly'  responded  to  the  toast  of  his  health. 
The  proceedings,  which  were  throughout  of  an  animated  and  enjoyable 
character,  was  brought  to  a  close  by  the  singing  of  “Auld  Lang  Syne.” 
Lonicera  FRAGRANTISSIMA. — T.Ms  is  by  no  means  a  showy 
plant  at  any  time,  but  it  is  one  of  the  earliest  flowering  shrubs  we 
have,  and  is  also  remarkable  for  its  fragrance,  which  is  diffused  to  a 
considerable  distance,  and  resembles  the  common  IVoodbine.  The  first 
flowers  were  open  here  on  the  24th  ult ,  and  it  usu.ally  gives  a  succession 
of  bloom  during  the  early  part  of  the  year.  It  appears  to  be  perfectly 
hardy,  although  a  native  of  China,  but  I  find  it  advisable  to  plant  it 
aeainst  a  south  wall  in  order  to  get  the  flowers  as  early  as  possible, — 
W,  H.  Divers,  Eelvoir  Castle  Gardens. 
