123 
JOURNAL  OF  HORriCULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
fol  ruary  5,  1303. 
Book  on  Table  Decoralioiis. 
In  reply  to  your  query,  I  may  say  that  the  date  of  book 
on  “Table  Decorations,”  by  John  Perkins,  is  1877.  I  purchased 
a  copy  of  same  in  1892,  but  perhaps  it  is  now  out  of  print. — 
William  McHardy. 
Tbe  Bothy  Plan. 
I  would  like,  through  the  medium  of  the  Journal,  to  tender 
my  congratulation  to  Mr.  Arnold  for  the  excellence  of  his  bothy 
plan,  figured  on  page  105.  I  most  particularly  admired  and 
envied  his  dealing  with  the  “items  of  cost,”  which  clearly  dis¬ 
plays  his  grasp  of  the  subject.  As  an  explanation  (not  an  excuse) 
for  the  omission  in  my  “items”  sheet  of  the  labour  bill,  I  would 
like  to  remark  that  I  was  led  to  think,  by  thei  wording  of  your 
footnote  to  a  correspondent’s  letter  in  issue,  December  18,  1902, 
that  that  portion  of  cost  was  not  asked  for,  though  I  acknowledge 
the  estimate  would  not  be  complete  without  it.  My  “items  of 
cost  ”  in  other  ways  is,  I  know,  very  erratic,  but  “  ’tis  better  to 
have  tried  and  lost  than  never  to  have  tried  at  all.”  I  thank 
you  for  your  appreciating  remarks  on  my  humble  attempt,  and 
since  I  cannot  actually  offer  the  winners  my  hand,  I  do  so  in 
spirit,  through  the  Journal. — Wm.  Roavles,  The  Gardens,  Irwell 
Bank,  Eccles. 
Fugitive  Notes. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  those  who  took  iiart  in  the  discussion  on 
inventions  in  these  columns  some  time  ago  have  made  a  note 
of  the  paragraph  on  page  97  of  the  Journal,  under  the  heading 
of  “A  Profitable  Use  of  Cull  Apples.”  The  machine:  .therein 
mentioned,  as  being  fed  Avith  Apples  at  one  end,  and  turning 
them  out  perfect  jelly  at  the  other  in  the  short  space  of  three 
minutes,  should  lie  AvortliA'  of  more  than  passing  reference. 
Modifications  applied  to  such  a  machine  as  this  should  prove 
useful  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  in  seasons  of  glut  for  the  rapid 
conversion  of  surplus  fruit  into  preseiwes  of  some  form  or  other. 
The  critics  Avill,  hoAvever,  most  probably  declare  this  but  a  com¬ 
mercial  invention,  and  American  at  that. 
The  timely  appeal  made  by  “  H.  K.,”  on  page  98,  should  serve 
to  bring  home  to  gardeners  generally  the  need  for  a  greater 
measure  of  support  on  their  part  toAvards  the  Gardeners’  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution.  The  institution  has  many  friends  in 
high  places,  but  Ave  must  never  forget  that  its  primary  object 
is  to  assist  indigent  gardeners  and  their  AvidoAvs ;  and  from  the 
ranks  of  the  former  nothing  like  a  fair  share  of  the  necessary 
aid  to  the  funds  is  forthcoming.  In  the  list  of  candidates  for 
this  year’s  election  I  noticed  the  name  of  one  Avhom  neither  he 
nor  his  friends  ev^er  expected  to  need  the  society’s  help.  Less  than 
Gd.  a  Aveek,  my  brother,  Avill  assist  either  yourself  or  some  other 
to  reject  the  cold  shelter  of  the  “  house”  Avheii  nearing  the  end. 
There  is  no  A'alid  reason  Avhy  1,000  gardeners  should  be  unable 
to  subscribe  their  guineas  in  the  present  year,  and,  if  they  only 
Avould,  feAv  in  numbers  Avould  be  those  sent  empty  and  dis¬ 
heartened  away;  or,  in  other  Avords,  are  unsuccessful  candidates. 
[Sir]  F.  T.  Barry’s  communication  in  reference  to  Gamellias  in 
the  open  air,  on  page  95,  is  a  most  interesting  one.  The  Journal 
has  from  time  to  time  recorded  instances  of  these  plants  groAving 
and  floAvering  outside.  In  the  West  of  England  I  have  seen 
a  very  fine  specimen  of  C.  Donckelaari  flourishing  in  the  open 
Avithout  protection  of  any  kind,  producing  in  spring  hundreds 
of  very  beautiful  blossoms.  I  have  also  noted  them  in  Derby¬ 
shire,  but  here,  though  Aveather  of  any  de.scription  seemed  to 
have  no  effect  upon  the  plants,  groAvth  Avas  painfully  sIoav,  oAA’ing, 
I  presume,  to  the  roots  being  in  an  unfavourable  soil.  Provided 
a  suitable  rooting  medium  is  found  for  them,  there  appears  to 
me  no  reason  Avhatever  Avhy  Camellias  should  not  be  more  exten¬ 
sively  groAvn  in  floAver  gardens. 
Many  gardeners  Avill  look  longingly  uiion  Mr.  Arnold’s  bothy 
plan  in  the  issue  of  January  29.  For  a  one-storey  elevation  it 
AA’ould  hardly  be  possible  to  improve  upon  this  design.  Some  of 
us  may  think  the  kitchen  and  dining-room  might  have  been 
placed  nearer  each  other,  and  in  more  impo.sing  buildings  than 
is  here  represented.  Both  are  frequently  combined  Avithout  in 
any  degree  affecting  the  comfort  or  appetites  of  the  youthful 
inmates.  This  is,  hoAvever,  merely  by  the  Avajq  and  there  is  no 
AA’ish  on  my  part  to  adversely  criticise  a  most  excellent  arrange¬ 
ment,  upon  Avhich  the  author  is  to  be  sincerely  congratulated. 
Some  of  us  Avith  past  experiences  in  remembrance  can  only 
hope  that  here  is  a  style  of  dAvelling  to  be  more  generally 
adopted  for  the  Avelfare  of  young  gardeners  by  the  oAvners  of 
gardens. — A  Pbovixcial  F.R.H.S. 
Gardening  iil  the  Black  Country. 
Often  Avhen  I  have  travelled  through  the  dull,  smoky,  black 
regions  Avhich  embrace  portions  of  Staffordshire,  Warwick,  Salop, 
and  Worce.ster,  I  have  felt  great  compassion  for  the  people  whose 
lives  are  passed  amid  surroundings  that,  to  me,  seem  almost  a 
desolation.  No  beautiful  fresh  green  fields,  no  lovely  hedge 
roAvs,  or  orchards,  or  large  fruitful  gardens — nothing  but  a  vast 
mining  and  iron  smelting  region,  Avith  a  constant  pall  of  brownish- 
black  smoke  rolling  in  every  clirection  overhead.  Even  if  the 
inhabitants  make  gardening  a  hobby,  their  choice  of  plants  has 
to  be  limited ;  yet  Avhat  a  solace  it  is  to  have  a  bed  of 
“Geraniums”  or  Violas,  and  a  fcAv  of  the  commoner  shrubs! 
The  more  I  see  of  city  life  and  of  habitation  in  “  black  ”  regions, 
the  more  am  I  convinced  that  the  population  cannot  go  on  Avith¬ 
out  the  presence  of  trees,  and  shrubs,  and  floAvers  ;  for  be'  the 
charms  of  the  scene  ever  so  great  Avhere  these  are  not,  yet,  in  the 
end,  “the  artificial  joys”  become  a  Aveariness  to  the  flesh,  the 
mind,  and  the  spirit,  and  Nature  (by  Avhich  I  mean  the  emblems 
of  rural  nature)  is  the  sole  restorer.  Our  public  parks  and  open 
spaces  are  an  imperative  nece.ssity,  and  should  be  cherished  with 
a  jealous  care. 
I  am  tempted  to  Avrite  thus  far  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  HoAvard 
Dickinson’s  (hon.  secretary  of  the  Dudley  Horticultural  Society, 
AVorcestershire)  to  “  The  Daily  Noavs.”  A  .suggestion  having 
been  made  to  cultivate  the  pit  mounds,  Mr.  Dickinson  says' he 
is  “  afraid  it  Avill  scarcely  pay  the  British  Avorking  man  to  try 
to  cultivate  the  pit  mounds  unless  he  ha.s  them  for  a  feiv  years 
rent  free  (probably  it  Avould  pay  the  landoAvners  to  alloAv  this 
concession).  The  subsoil,  as  a  rule,  is  extremely  cold  and 
‘  unkind,’  and  in  addition  to  this  Ave  live  (he  observes)  at  a  great 
height — 700ft  above  sea  level — and  it  is  naturally  very  bleak. 
Four  parks  have  been  made  out  of  pit  mounds  at  Dudley,  but 
the  labour  of  levelling  and  top-dres.sing  is  A'ery  expensive,  and 
with  all  this  trouble  groAvth  is  sIoav  except  in  a  feAv  cases.”  He 
concludes  by  saying:  “  AVe  shall  do  our  utmost  to  improve  the 
parks  and  foster  cultivation,  for  Ave  are  fully  aAvare  that  more 
might  be  done.”  There  is  certainly  a  good  “opening”  for  the 
Parks  Committee  of  Dudley  Corporation  (if  there  is  such  a  com¬ 
mittee!)  and,  in  such  .a  region,  Avhat  finer,  more  refreshing,  or 
more  interesting  hobby  is  there  than  gardening,  as  an  alternative 
to  the  daily  toil  of  the  subjected  Avorkman? — Rusticus. 
Setting  Up  Grapes  for  ExkiMtion. 
Yes!  Grapes  are  A-ery  often  seen  inefficiently  set  up  for 
exhibition  -  much  too  often.  AA"e  have  cA'en  seen  Grapes  carried 
to  a  shoAv  in  a  message  basket  ;  and  I  doubt  Avhether  some  of 
the  advice  given  by  your  contributor,  “  D.  T.,”  is  up  to  date 
and  good.  First  of  all,  I  should  make  it  a  rule  neA^er  to  stage 
more  than  one  bunch  on  each  board.  If  one  large  board  is  used 
for  three  or  four  bunches,  it  is  possible  that  Avhen  they  are  being 
staged  the  exhibitor  Avould  prefer  to  change  their  order,  or  make 
some  other  change,  but  finds  it  impossible  to  do  so.  Have,  there¬ 
fore,  a  board  for  each  bunch,  and,  instead  of  the  de.sign  Avhich 
you  publish  on  page  103,  I  AAOuld  suggest  one  fat  board  (Avithout 
an  upright  head-piece),  Avith  another  board  hinged  behind  it, 
and  Avith  a  hook  or  a  screAv  to  fasten  it  to  the  desired  angle,  when 
placed  on  the  exhibition  table.  The  bunch  can  be  fastened  over 
the  top  by  means  of  a.  piece  of  string  to  a  small  scrcAv-nail  placed 
in  the  back  of  the  board. 
Then,  as  to  carrying  them  ;  a  much  simpler  plan  than  having 
to  screAv  each  board  into  the  box  is  depicted  in  the  rough  sketch 
on  page  129.  Have  a  good  strong  deal  box,  Avith  hinged  lid, 
fitted  Avith  lock  and  key,  Avith  tAVo  Avooden  straps  on  the  bottom 
as  shoAvn,  and  a  number  of  slots  near  the  top  at  a  suitable  height 
for  the  boards  ;  also  a  strong  handle  at  each  end.  In  this  Avay 
a  board,  Avith  bunch,  can  be  removed  or  put  into  the  box  very 
(piickly,  Avhich  is  often  a  matter  of  considerable  importance  Avhen 
staging,  and  if  the  boxes  are  properly  carried  there  Avill  be  no 
danger  from  the  Grapes  rubbing.  Besides,  they  hang  in  a  much 
more  natural  position  than  shoAvn  in  the  sketch  on  page  103, 
and  more  can  be  put  into  a  box  of  eciual  size.  On  the  exhibition 
table  the  boards  can  be  adjusted  to  the  most  suitable  angle, 
according  to  the  judgment  of  the  exhibitor.  One  more  point. 
I  don’t  like  to  see  a  bunch  of  Grapes  embedded  in  cotton  wool. 
The  bunch  looks  a  great  deal  better  if  put  on  a  board  Avhich  has 
no'  covering  but  plain  Avhite  paper  tightly  .stretched  over  the 
board  and  fastened  at  the  back.  The  Avhole  of  the  bunch  is  then 
seen,  instead  of  a  part  being  hidden  by  being  sunk,  be  it  only 
a  very  little,  into  the  cotton  Avadding  recommended  by  “  D.  T.” 
Bunches  of  good  Grapes  are  never  so  big  that  it  is  better  to 
hide  a  part  of  them,  and  a  very  little  often  turns  the  balance. 
But  let  it  not  be  thought  that  I  am  recommending  huge  bunches. 
I  only  deal  Avith  effectiA'e  staging. — P.  T. 
