January  15.  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
57 
growers  and  their  workers,  and  beyond  this,  you  will  have  an 
increased  and  intelligent  rural  population,  the  backbone  and 
absolute  necessity  of  any  country. 
In  a  letter  before  us,  a  friend  says: — “In  regard  to  fruit 
oultui'e  it  seems  to  me  one  of  the  real  wonders  of  the  age,  that 
capital  which  is  so  plentiful  in  this  country  has  not  long  ago 
been  largely  diverted  into  the  fruit  growing  industry,  seeing  the 
great  possibilities  of  success  which  must  be  apparent  to  all.  The 
wonderful  demand  which  has  sprung  up  for  good  Apples  and 
Pears  is  so  great  that  private  enterprise  cannot  possibly  cope 
Avith  the  matter  successfully,  Avith  the  result  that  shreAvd  indi- 
A'iduals  ill  other  lands  are  reaping  a  rich  harvest  Avhicli  should  be 
essentially  our  oAvn.” 
Mr.  A.  T,  Matthews. 
With  reference  to  himself,  the  secretary  Avrites: — “Till  the 
year  1893  I  Avas  engaged  in  practical  agriculture  and  had  some 
experience  also  in  groAA’ing  fruit  and  vegetables  for  market.  I 
farmed  in  Oxfordshire,  Berkshire,  and  Surrey,  and  I  am  Avell- 
knoAvn  as  a  breeder,  exhibitor,  and  judge  of  pedigree  cattle; 
acted  as  judge  at  all  the  principal  sIioavs  from  the  ‘  Royal  ’  doAvn- 
Avards.  For  many  years  I  Avas  a  member  of  the  committee  of  the 
Oxfordshire  Agricultural  Society,  and  the  Council  of  the  Jersey 
Cattle  Society.  When  the  late  Earl  of  W’^inchilsea  started  his 
agitation  and  the  National  Agricultural  Union  in  1893,  I  threAV 
in  my  lot  Avith  him  and  Avas  secretary  to  the  Union  till  its  amalga¬ 
mation  Aviththe  British  Agricultural  Organisation  Society  in  1901. 
I  never  Avas  connected  Avith  the  British  Produce  Supply  Associa¬ 
tion.” 
- - 
The  Story  of  a  Fossil  Fern. 
The  second  of  a  series  of  Christmas  museum  lectures  Avas 
delivered  in  the  Pliilosophical  Hall,  Leeds,  on  Wednesday, 
December  31,  by  Mr.  H.  CToAvther,  F.R.M.S.  The  subject 
chosen  Avas  "  The  Story  of  a  Fossil  Fern.”  Tire  lecturer  pointed 
out  the  fossil  Ferns  that  are  to  be  found  in  Leeds,  illustrated  to 
AA’liat  plants  these  Avere  i-elated,  and  Iioav  some  of  them  Avere  so 
Avell  preserved  that  one  could  make  thin  sections  of  them,  look 
through  them,  and  see  the  actual  tissues  of  wood  as  they  Avere 
groAving  many  centuries  ago.  Specimens  of  the  Fern  Avere  shoAvn 
from  photographs  taken  of  fossil  trees  found  in  the  quarries  at 
MeaiiAvood,  and  in  other  parts  of  Leeds  and  neighbourhood.  Mr. 
CroAvther  proceeded  to  explain  the  formation  of  peat  on  the 
moors,  and  the  burial  and  exposure  of  the  forest  at  LeasoAve,  in 
Cheshire.  This  forest,  Avhich  has  been  long  under  Avater,  is  noAV 
in  parts  reappearing,  and  Mr.  CroAvther  recently  visited  the  site, 
and  took  a  number  of  photographs,  Avhich  Avere  used  in  the  recent 
lecture.  Although  the  man  in  the  street  Avould  be  inclined  to 
doubt  the  relationship  betAveen  the  Fern  and  the  Avorking  and 
getting  of  coal,  the  lecturer  successfully  established  such  connec¬ 
tion.  and  concluded  Avith  an  explanation  of  the  relation  of  the 
coal  period  as  it  probably  appeared  in  Leeds,  Avitli  the  fossil  Fern 
Avhich  formed  the  subject  of  the  lecture.  A  number  of  lantern 
slides  from  photographs  taken  by  Mr.  Crowther  in  coal  pits  and 
on  Leasowe  Forest  enhanoed  the  interest  of  a  very  instructive 
address. 
Perennial  Plants  from  Seeds. 
Ilere'.s  a  few  flowers.— C)/»i6c/tne. 
At  this  season  of  the  year  \a  hen  one  is  making  a  selection  of 
.seeds,  a  feiv  note.s  on  Avhat  one  knovs  to  be  good  things  do  not 
come  ami.ss,  therefore  I  hope  my  little  article  may  not  be  out 
of  place.  It  is  alvays  a  pleasure  to  a  gardener,  be  he  amateur 
of  professional,  to  impart  to  others  any  ii.seful  information  that 
he  may  posse.ss.  Equally  it  is  a  pleasure  to  receive  hints  from 
another,  and  it  is  this  policy  of  helping  one  another  that  enables 
us  to  get  the  best  out  of  the  plentiful  .store  provided  by  a 
bounteous  Nature. 
Mo.st  of  the  Avell-knoAvn  hardy  perennials  Ave  are  in  the  habit  of 
purchasing  from  a  nurseryman,  and,  of  cour.se,  this  i.s  ahA’ays  the 
best  Avay  Avhere  one  wants  an  immediate  effect  and  one  has  the 
means  at  our  disposal.  But  Avhen  one  is  not  bound  to  time,  and 
Avishes  to  derive  much  pleasure  from  the  cultivation,  there  are 
many  perennials  easily  raised  from  seed,  and  Avhat  can  be  more 
pleasant  than  to  AA'atcli  the  groAvtli  of  a  plant  from  the  seed  stage 
to  its  maturity  as  one  Avatches  and  cares  for  a  child  from  the 
moment  of  its  birth?  Then  in  sowing  mixed  seed  of  a  good  strain 
of  some  popular  floAver,  one  ha.s  ahvays  the  prospect  of  a  neAV 
shade  of  colour  or  some  other  neAV  development  turning  out. 
Among  the  many  hardy  perennials  giving  variety  in  colour  aa'c 
have  Asters  (Michaelmas  Daisies),  Anemones,  Aquilegia.s  (Colum¬ 
bines),  Carnations,  Gaillardias,  Hollyhocks,  Pansies,  Pentste- 
mons,  Polyanthus,  Pyrethrums,  &c.  All  the  foregoing,  AA'ith 
ordinary  care,  are  easily  groAvn  from  seed,  and  if  a  good  strain 
of  any  of  them  i.s  soAvn  one  may  look  foiuvard  to  as  choice  a 
A’ariety  of  colour  as  one  could  Avish  for. 
To  mention  a  feAv  good  things  .separately,  taking  Asters  first, 
Ave  have  such  a  large  variety  uoav  of  this  popular  perennial  that 
one  may  anticipate  a  choice  selection  fi’om  a  small  packet  of  seed. 
Among  Aquilegias  of  late  there  has  been  much  improvement, 
Skinneri  (scarlet,  tipped  yelloAv),  cserulea  hybrida  (yelloAV,  spurs 
and  sepals  blue),  and  the  long  spurred  varieties  being  A^ery  fine. 
Anemone  St.  Brigid.  the  Irish  Anemone,  is  ea.sily  raised  from  seed, 
producing  abundance  of  floAvers  in  numerous  shades  of  red,  Avhite, 
and  blue. 
Of  Aubrietias,  violacea  (purplish-violet)  and  Leichtlini  (rosy 
carmine)  are  distinct  in  colour,  invaluable  for  spring  bedding  and 
edging.  From  seedling  Carnations  one  cannot  expect  a  full  per¬ 
centage  of  double  floAvers,  but  if  one  of  their  many  special  strains 
offered  is  sown,  a  very  serviceable  collection  in  Avealth  of  bloom 
and  colour  aaTU  be  obtained.  Chelone  barbata  is  not  often  met 
Avith,  though  easily  groAvn,  and  its  tall  spikes  of  Pentstemon-like 
floAvers  look  aa  oII  in  a  border. 
Of  border  plants  none  are  .so  strikingly  handsome  as  the  tall 
groAving  Delphiniums.  The  colour  is  mostly  confined  to  blue,  of 
Avhich  Ave  get  a  Amriety  of  shades,  but  in  sulphureum  (Zalil) 
Ave  have  a  good  yelloAv,  and  Delphinium  nudicaule  is  a  scarlet  of 
dAA'arf  habit,  a  A'ery  pretty  plant  indeed.  There  are  also  a  fcAv 
good  Avliite  varieties.  Though  not  to  the  fancy  of  many,  the 
Gaillardias  are  very  shoAA  V  and  readily  raised  from  seed  in  great 
variety. 
Lathyrus  lalifolius,  the  Everlasting  Pea,  Avhich  one  sees  so 
much  of  in  cottage  gardens,  is  a  charming  perennial  climber, 
producing  masses  of  shoAvy  red  floAvers,  and  its  Avhite  fonu,  though 
stiff  in  appearance,  deserves  to  be  culth-ated  more  than  it  is. 
Pink  Beauty  is  a  good  recent  addition  of  this  floAver,  so  useful  for 
cutting.  Pentstemons  are  good  hardy  border  floAvers  that  have 
been  much  improved  of  late  years,  yet  Ave  should  see  them 
oftener  than  Ave  do. 
The  perennial  Phloxes  one  often  sees  in  poor,  unhealthy  con¬ 
dition,  yet  there  is  nothing  more  handsome  Avhen  Avell  treated. 
We  are  apt  to  forget  that  this  is  a  thirsty  and  also  a  hungiw  plant. 
Of  late  years  it  has  advanced  greatly,  and  Ave  have  noA\-  many 
A-arieties' dAvarfer  in  groAvth,  larger  and  more  brilliant  in  floAver, 
Lemoine’s  being  a  A'ery  good  strain. 
Among  Poppies  nothing  is  more  striking  than  Papaver 
orientale,  seed  of  new  hybrids  of  this  noAV  being  offered.  Brac- 
teatum  and  pilo.sum  are  very  distinct  colours,  and  their  brilliant 
gloAA'ing  hues  give  a  border  a  fine  appearance.  EA'eryone  is  fond 
of  the  light  and  shoAvy  blossoms  of  Papaver  nudicaule.  and  it  is 
easily  raised.  What  is  more  charming  in  the  spring  than  a  good 
bed  of  Polyanthus?  A  batch  of  seedling.^  commencing  to  bloom 
bringing  many  a  delightful  surprise.  Primro.ses  may  be  classed 
Avitirthese,  aiid  a  soAving  of  Dean’s  hybrids  Avill  yield  good  results. 
Yirginie  (AA'liite)  and  the  iieAv  Electric  Blue  are  very  fine.  Pyre- 
thrAims  are  ahvays  A'aluable  for  cutting,  and  a  very  fair  percentage 
of  good  floAvers,\single  and  double,  may  be  expected  from  seed. 
Scabiosa  caucasica  is  also  very  useful  for  cutting,  its  bright 
lavender  flowers  ensuring  it  a  place  in  the  border.  Lutea  i.s  a 
velloAV  form  of  it.  Fearing  I  shall  encroach  on  too  much  A'aluable 
space,  I  must  conclude.  resei'A-iug  for  another  time  notes  on 
various  other  little  iteiU'.-  J.  .  J.,  OsAvestry. 
