April  9,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
319 
at  the  moment.  A  well-known  firm  placed  a  man  in  a  good 
s^uation.  When  comfortably  installed  he  at  once  informed 
them  that  unless  they  promised  to  pay  twenty  per  cent,  on 
everything  he  ordered,  custom  would  be  withdrawn.  In  speak¬ 
ing  to  the  head  of  the  firm — for  this  is  no  secondhand  tale — I 
asked  ;  “  Wliy  did  you  not  expose  him  ?  ”  Pecuniary  considera¬ 
tions  were  the  chief  obstacle  to  such  a  course,  I  nas  told,  and 
it  would  tell  against  the  firm  if  discovered  what  sort  of  a 
person  had  been  recommended.  Thus  we  have  the  two  sides  of 
a  sordid  subject. 
It  remains  to  be  «een  if  the  Bill  becomes  law  how  far  it 
will  remedy  the  admitted  evil  and  assist  the  “  helpless  victims.” 
Custom  has  ere  now  proved  too  strong  for  legal  procedure,  and 
I  fear  the  .system  is  too  cleeply  rooted  to  be  easily  rectified. 
Personally,  it  will  make  littlo  difference.  Over  a  period  which 
now  extends  to  the  teens  of  years,  I  have  from  time  to  time 
received  small  sums  in  the  shape  of  discount.  I  can  truthfully 
saj’  that  never  once,  by  word  or  dead  on  my  part,  have  these 
been  sought  for;  and  I  know  they  have  come  far  less  seldom 
than  promised.  In  no  spirit  of  Pharisaism  is  such  a  statement 
made,  but  to  show  that  nurserymen  are  not  bound  to  gar¬ 
deners,  as  one  of  them,  at  least,  would  have  the  world 
believe. 
Very  few  men  have  the  opportunity  to  order  more  than  is 
absolutely  necessary  in  the  way  of  seeds  or  plants.  Expendi¬ 
ture  has  been  reduced  in  many  establishments  to  the  lowest 
possible  working  limit ;  and  even  putting  this  aspect  of  the  case 
on  one  side,  taking  the  general  body  of  gardeners  throughout 
the  country,  we  shall  find  there  is  a  sense  of  honour  erxisting 
amongst  them  equally  as  strong  as  that  which  prevails  in  other 
walks  and  stations  of  life.  Writers  to  “The  Times”  may  feel 
some  sense  of  relief  in  airing  opinions  as  to  the  seduction  of  men 
by  bribery  from  single-eyed  service  to  their  employers,  yet  it  is 
a  generally  conceded  opinion  that  no  craft  or  profe,ssion  can 
show  a  greater  proportion  of  men  who  toil  continuously, 
honestly,  and  in  a  most  disinterested  manner,  often  at  a 
ridiculous  rate  of  remuneration,  to  give  of  their  best  to  those 
who  employ  them. 
Gardeners  for  the  kindness  which  is  thus  shown  them  might 
retaliate  with  no  little  freedom ;  but  who  amongst  us  would 
sully  the  pages  of  the  Journal  with  accounts  of  the  wrongdoings 
and  corruption  existing  in  other  directions?  One  is  tempted 
to  wonder,  should  the  Bill  become  law,  if  employers  will  insist 
on  a  five  per  cent,  reduction  on  all  catalogue  prices!  Or  will  the 
“  helple.ss  victims,”  anticipating  such  a  course,  protect  them¬ 
selves  with  an  all  round  rise  at  such  a  rate? 
For  my  own  part,  I  care  nothing  what  “  My  Lords  and 
Faithful  Commons”  do  with  the  Corrupt  Practices  Bill.  They 
may  pass  or  reject  as  it  pleases  them  ;  but  though  the  payment 
and  receipt  of  discount  may  in  some  measure  be  checked,  while 
human  nature  exists  as  we  know  it,  .so  also  will  the  disburse¬ 
ment  of  commissions. — Provincial. 
- - 
^  Birds  and  Gooseberry  Buds. 
I  am  obliged  to  Mr.  Thomas  Fletcher  and  Mr.  J.  Miles  for 
their  information  as  to  this  subject.  Will  Mr.  Fletcher  kindly 
give  me  the  address  of  anyone  who  sells  Royle’s  threader  and  the 
cops,  and  state  the  price  of  the  cops ;  also  about  how  many  bushes 
a  oop  will  thread?  Would  not  the  expense  be  heavy  on  an  acre 
of  bushes,  containing  more  than  900  ?  I  have  over  eight  acres  of 
Gooseberries.  Am  I  to  understand  from  Mr.  Miles’  statement 
that  if  the  bushes  are  sprayed  with  caustic  soda  and  potash  at 
the  end  of  October  the  operation  will  keep  the  birds  from  eating 
the  buds  all  through  the  wdnter?  I  spray  my  Apple  and  Plum 
trees  with  this  wash,  but  not  until  February,  as  that  is  supposed 
to  be  the  best  time  to  kill  the  larvae  and  eggs  of  insects.  But  if  I 
had  reason  to  believe  that  spraying  the  Gooseberry  bushes  in  the 
autumn  would  keep  the  birds  from  eating  the  buds,  I  would 
certainly  spray  them.  It  might  be  suppo.s€d,  however,  that  the 
effect  of  the  wash  would  wear  off  in  a  month  or  two.  I  have  had 
reason  to  conclude  that  this  caustic  wash  keeps  rabbits  and  hares 
from  gnawing  the  bark  off  young  trees,  but  have  not  seen  how 
long  it  would  have  this  effect,  because  my  time  of  spraying  has 
been  near  the  end  of  the  time  when  these  animals  are  troublesome 
in  fruit  plantations.  I  had  thought  of  trying  to  .spray  with  lime- 
wash  containing  some  adhesive  substance.  Has  any  reader  tried 
this?  I  fancy  that  if  the  limewash  were  strained  it  could  be 
sprayed  through  a  coarse  nozzle.  But  what  would  be  the  best 
stuff  to  add  to  the  limewash  to  make  it  stick  well  on  the  bushes? 
What  do  nurserymen  use  to  make  whitewash  adhere  to  their 
glass? — Fruit  Grower. 
P.S. — Since  writing  the  note  above  I  have  seen  “  R.’s  ”  letter, 
stating  that  he  applied  limewash  “  lart  month.”  Presumably 
this  means  February,  as  hi.S’  letter  was  probably  written  before 
the  end  of  March,  to  appear  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  of 
April  2.  Then  am  I  to  assume  that  February  is  early  enough  to 
adopt  measures  for  keeping  birds  off  Gooseberry  bushes  ?  I  was 
under  the  impression  that  they  began  to  eat  the  buds  late  in  the 
autumn  or  early  in  the  winter. 
[A  number  of  interesting  letters  are  unavoidably  held  over. — Ed.]  | 
The  Gardeners'  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. 
A  sum  of  £67  15s.  has  just  been  forwarded  from  the  Victorian 
Era  Fund  to  the  unsuccessful  candidates  who  had  been  subscribers 
to  the  institution.  A  similar  amount  will  again  be  sent  to  them  on 
October  1  from  the  same  fund. 
Examination  in  Horticulture. 
Candidates  wishing  to  sit  for  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s 
Examination  in  Horticulture  on  Wednesday,  April  22,  and  who 
have  not  yet  sent  in  their  entries,  are  requested  to  forward  same 
without  delay  to  the  Secretary  R.H.S.,  117,  Victoria  Street, 
London,  S.W. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
The  monthly  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at  the  Cale¬ 
donian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  on  Monday  evening  last. 
Mr.  Chas.  H.  Curtis  in  the  chair.  Eleven  new  members  were 
elected,  and  one  other  nominated.  The  membership  now  exceeds 
1,000,  Seven  members  were  reported  on  the  sick  fund. 
Temple  Flower  Show, 
For  the  sixteenth  year  in  succession  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  will  hold  its  Great  Spring  Flower  Show  in  the  Inner 
Temple  Gardens  (by  the  kind  permission  of  the  Treasurer  and 
Benchers)  on  May  26,  27,  and  28.  Copies  of  the  schedule  can 
now  be  obtained  on  application  to  the  Secretary  R.H.S.,  117, 
Victoria  Street,  London,  S.W.  Applicants  should  enclose  a 
stamped  envelope  ready  addressed  to  themselves. 
The  Journal  Dahlia  Analysis. 
The  yearly  analysis  of  the  different  sections  of  the  Dahlia, 
prepared  by  Mr.  E.  Mawley,  of  Berkhamsted,  is  being  made 
ready,  and  we  trust  to  be  able  to  publish  the  same  in  a  fortnight 
or  three  weeks.  In  the  same  issue  there  will  be  other  features 
of  interest  to  Dahlia  specialists,  and  should  those  of  our  readers 
who  love  and  take  an  interest  in  the  flower,  feel  that  they  could 
add  something  of  a  useful  nature  in  the  way  of  a  note  on  culture 
or  any  other  phase,  we  should  be  pleased  to  hear  from  them. 
Valuable  Orchids  Sold. 
The  whole  of  the  well-known  choice  and  rare  established 
Orchids  formed  by  the  late  Mr.  Robt.  Tunstill,  and  known  as  the 
Monkholme  Collection  (says  the  “  Daily  News  ”)  were  sold  by 
public  auction  at  “  Monkholme,”  Birrei-field,  near  Burnley,  last 
week,  by  Messrs.  Protheroe  and  Morris.  The  collection  was  a 
unique  one,  and  the  prices  realised  may  be  admitted  under  the 
same  category.  A  few  of  the  “  lots  ”  and  their  prices  realised 
may  be  mentioned  as  follows  :  Cypripedium  Priam,  seven  growths, 
old  and  new,  200  guineas;  six  bulbs  Cattleya  Percivaliana  alba, 
55  guineas ;  one  old  and  two  new  growths  Cypripedium  aureum 
Surprise,  85  guineas;  two  old  and  two  new  growths  Cypripedium 
Maudise  magnifica,  70  guineas;  and  numerous  other  lots  ranging 
from  thirty  to  fifty  guineas. 
Liverpool  Parks  Committee. 
Few  cities  are  so  fortunate  as  Liverpool  in  the  matter  of  gifts 
to  the  parks  and  aviaries,  the  later  being  two  handsome  bronze, 
statues  of  “Mercator”  and  “Columbus,”  presented  by  that 
estimable  gentleman,  Henry  Yates  Thompson,  Esq.,  who  has  also 
presented  the  magnificent  Palm  house  which  they  are  intended 
to  adorn.  These  latter  complete  the  series  which  Mr.  Thompson 
at  the  first  intended,  and  are  certain  to  find  many  admirers.  It 
was  only  fitting  that  the  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the  donor  should 
be  received  with  such  hearty  acclamation.  At  the  same  meeting 
Mr.  George  Rowlands,  of  West  Derby,  was  awarded  by  the  Estate. 
Committee  the  sum  of  £265  as  compensation  for  land  which  at 
pre.sent  is  occupied  by  glass  houses,  and  which  is  wanted  by  the 
corporation  for  the  new  Carnegie  library.  Alderman  Fred. 
Smith  was  earnest  when  making  his  remarks  regarding  the  delay 
in  rightly  acknowledging  the  gift  of  Wavertree  playground. 
