362 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
April  23,  1903. 
Geo.  Monroe  Concert  Committee. 
The  committee  have  given  a  donation  of  £5  os  each  to  the 
Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution  and  the  Wholesale 
Fruit  and  Potato  Trades’  Benevolent  Society ;  also  £2  2s  each  to 
the  Surgical  Aid  Society  and  the  Charing  Cross  Hospital,  being 
part  proceeds  from  the  recent  successful  concert  held  at  the 
Holborn  Restaurant. 
Edinburgh  Men  in  Agriculture. 
Writing  in  the  “  N.B.  Agriculturist”  recently,  Professor 
Wallace  remarks  that  “  an  army  of  distinguished  students  of 
agriculture  from  Edinburgh  at  the  present  moment  occupy,  with 
hardly  an  exception,  as  agricultural  teacher’s  and  Government 
administrators,  all  the  highe.st  positions  open  to  them  in  the 
United  Kingdom.”  Such  testimony  will  be  received  with  plea¬ 
sure  by  all  the  sons  of  Scotland,  and  especially  in  Edinburgh. 
Our  Woodlands  Menaced. 
The  Welsh  County  Councils  are  viewing  with  alarm  the  fact 
that  a  million  a  year  is  going  from  that  country  alone  to  France 
for  pitwood  for  the  collieries.  The  French  Landes,  formerly  a 
waste,  are  supplying  the  wood  which  realises  so  much  money. 
The  reason  that  the  timber  is  not  obtained  locally  is  the  best 
possible  one — there  is  not  sufficient  of  a  suitable  character.  But 
this,  though  conclusive,  is  not  promising.  It  is  a  painful  truth 
that  during  the  last  twenty  years  more  trees  have  been  hewn  on 
“  the  Avooded  slopes  of  England  ”  than  have  been  planted,  and 
the  natural  corollary  of  this,  unle.ss  a  different  programme  is 
observ’ed,  Avill  be  that  half  a  century  hence  our  woods  and  forests 
Avill  be  almost  non-existent.  Unlike  crops,  the  planting  of  trees 
shows  no  tangible  result  for  many  years,  and  the  tendency  of  the 
age  is  to  cut  a  tree  down  Avhen  wanted  and  leave  the  future  to 
take  care  of  itself.  It  is  a  pity,  for  the  resources  of  timber  are 
ample  if  owners  of  land  could  but  be  persuaded  to  see  it.  This, 
apart  entirely  from  what  may  be  termed  the  sentimental  side  of 
the  question — a  treeless  land  is  but  rarely  romantic  or  poetic. 
Temple  Flower  Show,  May  26th,  27th,  and  28th. 
For  the  sixteenth  year  in  succes.sion  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  Avill  hold  their  great  annual  floAver  show  in  the  Inner 
Temple  Gardens  (by  the  kind  permission  of  the  Treasurer  and 
Benchers)  on  May  2G,  27,  and  28.  Every  year  the  desire  of 
growers  to  exhibit  increases,  and  the  officials  of  the  society  have 
a  very  anxious  task  in  endeavouring  to  do  ju.stIoe  to  those  growers 
Avho  regularly  support  the  fortnightly  shows  of  the  Society  held 
at  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  to 
encourage  others  also  to  come  forward.  The  space  is  absolutely 
limited  by  order  of  the  Temple  authorities,  noi  more,  or  larger, 
tents  may  be  erected ;  hence  every  new  exhibitor  Avhose  entry  is 
accepted  means  curtailment  of  the  space  allotted  to  previous  sup¬ 
porters.  The  Society  Avill  issue  an  official  catalogue,  comprising  a 
hi.story  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  particulars  of  the  meet¬ 
ings  and  exhibitions  held  at  the  Drill  Hall,  of  the  great  summer 
fioAA’er  shoAv  at  Holland  Hou.se,  Kensington,  on  June  25  and  26, 
and  of  the  fruit  an.d  A’egetable  show  to  be  held  at  ChisAvick  on 
September  29  and  30  and  October  1 ;  also  schedule  of  exhibits, 
Avith  the  names  and  addresses  of  all  the  Temple  exhibitors  entered 
up  to  Monday,  May  18.  There  Avill  also  be  the  programme  of  the 
nmsic  to  be  performed  each  day  by  the  band  of  His  Maje.sty’s 
Royal  Horse  Guards  (Blue).  The  judges  Avill  meet  at  the  secre¬ 
tary’s  tent  at  10.30  a.m.  on  May  26,  at  Avhich  hour,  punctually, 
the  tents  Avill  be  cleared  of  all  exhibitors  and  their  assistants. 
The  Fruit,  Floral,  and  Orchid  Conimittees  Avill  assemble  at  the 
secretary’s  tent  at  11  a.m.  .sharp,  and  the  shoAv  Avill  be  opened  at 
12.30.  All  plants  for  certificate  must  bo  entered  on  or  before 
Thursday,  May  21.  Address:  Secretary,  R.H.S.,  117,  Victoria 
Street,  London,  S.W’.  A  notice  on  a  postcard  Avill  be  sent  to  each 
exhibitor  on  Tuesday,  May  19,  vstating  the  number  of  square  feet 
allotted  to  him,  and  the  number  of  the  tent  (or  tents)  in  AA’hich  the 
exhibits  are  to  be  placed.  Xo  plants  can,  under  any  circum¬ 
stances,  be  entered  on  the  day  of  the  shoAV. 
Appointment. 
Mr.  C.  Best,  late  head  gardener  at  Chalfont  Park,  Gerrard’s 
Cross,  Bucks,  in  the  same  capacity  at  Syston  C’ourt,  near  Bristol, 
the  residence  of  J.  E.  Rarvlins,  Esq. 
Personal  Notes. 
Mr.  S.  B.  Dicks,  of  London,  has  arrived  in  Egypt  on  his  way 
to  South  Africa,  via  the  Red  Sea  and  the  East  Coast  route.  *  * 
Mr.  Peter  Barr,  V.M.H.,  who  has  been  touring  over  the  world 
for  the  last  few  years,  expects  to  be  in  England  again  by  the  end 
of  May. 
Mr.  James  Hunter  of  Lambton. 
The  friends  of  Mr.  Hunter,  Avho  is  retiring  from  his  long-time 
charge  of  the  gardens  at  Lambton  Castle,  Northumberland,  met 
and  pre.sented  him  Avith  a  testimonial  of  their  regard  on  the  16th 
inst.,  at  the  Queen’s  Head  Hotel,  Chester-1  e-Street,  South  Shields. 
The  testimonial  took  the  form  of  a  purse  of  gold  containing 
65  guineas,  and  AV’as  presented  by  Mr.  David  Thomson,  nursery¬ 
man,  of  Edinburgh.  In  our  next,  we  .shall  have  a  fuller  report  of 
this  interesting  meeting, 
Dorchester  Horticulturists  and  Lady  Gordon  Lennox's  Scheme 
At  a  general  meeting  of  the  Dorchester  Horticultural  Society, 
held  on  March  30,  the  secretary  read  a  letter  from  Lady  Blanche 
Gordon  Lennox,  in  answer  to  an  application  for  information  re¬ 
specting  the  Cottage  Garden  and  Ajuateur  Horticultural  Com¬ 
petition  for  the  counties  of  Oxfordshire,  Northamptonshire,  and 
WarAvickshire,  to  be  held  at  Broughton  Castle  on  August  Bank 
Holiday.  A  discussion  followed,  which  resulted  in  a  proposition 
by  the  chairman,  “  That  we  adopt  the  scheme  of  Lady  Gordon 
Lennox,  of  Broughton  Castle,  Banbury,  Avith  a  A’ieAV  to  competing 
as  a  village  in  the  next  annual  competition,  to  take  place  on 
August  3.  This  was  seconded  and  carried. 
Coming  of  Age  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Thomson. 
An  interesting  event  to  the  villagers  of  Clovenfords  and  dis¬ 
trict,  and  to  his  many  friends,  took  place  last  Thursday  evening 
in  the  coming  of  age  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Thomson,  of  the  Avorld-fanied 
firm  of  William  Thomson  and  Sons,  Ltd.,  TAA’eed  Vineyards.  The 
employees  of  the  firm  and  the  members  of  Clovenfords  Draughts 
Club,  of  which  Mr.  Thomson  is  president,  marked  the  occasion 
Avith  the  presentation  to  Mr.  Thomson  of  a  handsome  marble  clock 
and  pair  of  bronzes.  The  subscribers,  to  the  number  of  ninety, 
met  in  the  club-room,  Avhich  AV’as  tastefully  decorated.  The  com¬ 
pany  sat  doAvn  to  a  sumptuous  tea  provided  by  the  firm.  The 
chairman  of  the  evening  was  Mr.  David  Calderhead,  manager, 
Avho  Avas  supiAorted  by  a  number  of  prominent  residents.  The 
chairman,  in  the  course  of  a  few  remarks,  said  that  he  had 
knoAvn  Mr.  Thomson  for  tAventy  years,  and  he  had  no  doubt  that 
he  Avould  Avorthily  uphold  his  OAvn  good  name  as  aa  oII  as  the  fame 
of  the  TAveed  Vineyards.  He  had  pleasure  in  expressing  the 
sentiments  of  all,  and  in  congratulating  him  on  attaining  his 
majority.  They  all  joined  in  Avishing  him  long  life  and  pro¬ 
sperity,  and  many  happy  returns  of  the  day. 
The  Colonial  Office  and  Kew  Gardens. 
Probably  feAV  people  are  aware  that  Mr.  Chamberlain  has  a 
“  Botanical  Adviser,”  but  this  distinguished  office  Avas  conferred 
on  Sir  W.  T.  Thiselton-Dyer,  Director  of  Kew  Gardens,  last 
year,  and  since  then  relations  with  the  botanical  institutions  of 
the  Colonies  have  been  maintained  by  semi-ofiicia.l  correspond¬ 
ence.  For  some  time  past  Kew  has  been  serA’ing  as  an  advanced 
horticultural  school  for  the  training  of  gardeners  for  Colonial 
service;  some  sjxty  men  botanically  educated  at  Kew  are  now 
in  official  employment  in  various  parts  of  the  Empire.  Colonial 
botanical  institutions  fall,  roughly,  into  three  classes.  The  first 
class  are  administered,  like  Kew,  by  a  scientific  director ;  the 
second  class  are  in  charge  of  a  skilled  superintendent ;  while  the 
third  class  consists  of  “  Botanic  stations,”  Avhich  are  small  and 
inexpensive  gardens  devised  to  afford  practical  instruction  in  tho 
cultiA’ation  of  tropical  crops.  Each  is  in  charge  of  a  curator, 
Avho  is  an  expert  gardener  trained  at  KeAV.  At  the  present  time 
the  most  important  Colonial  botanical  institutions  in  intimate 
relation  with  KeAv  Gardens  are  those  of  Ceylon,  Jamaica,  and 
the  Straits  Settlements,  and  the  number  of  smaller  agencies  in 
communication  Avith  the  Gardens  is  annually  increasing. — (“  The 
Westminster  Gazette.”) 
