April  30,  1903. 
JOUBNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
391 
culture,  died  in  London  on  Tuesday  last.  In  his  own  depart¬ 
ment  Mr.  Hanbury  kindled  something  of  the  enthusiasm  which 
Mr.  Chamberlain  has  brought  into  the  Colonial  Office,  and  he 
confessed,  indeed,  that  he  was  trying  to  imitate  Mr.  Chamber¬ 
lain’s  department.  He  established  an  Agricultural  Council  to 
advise  and  con.sult  with  him. 
In  a  leading  article,  “  The  Morning  Post  ”  says  :  ‘‘  He  will  best 
be  remembered  as  the  first  President  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture 
who  made  that  department  a  really  useful  factor  in  our  national 
life.  His  aim  was  to  bring  the  farmers  into  close  touch  with  the 
Administration.  As  a.  country  gentleman,  who  himself  farmed 
a  large  part  of  his  own  estates,  he  knew  what  the  agricultural 
interest  required  from  the  Government,  and  as  a  statesman  of 
long  experience  he  knew  what  amount  of  aid  the  Government 
could  afford.  It  was  almost  providential  that  such  a  man  should 
have  been  appointed  to  the  post  at  a  timei  when  the  country  was 
in  danger  of  losing  its  great  reserve,  a  sound,  healthj'  agricul¬ 
tural  population.  And  he  did  his  best  to  encourage  agriculture 
by  methods  which  were  not  artificial.  It  is  impossible  to  guess 
how  far  he  would  have  improved  the  prosperity  of  our  farmers 
if  he  had  not  been  so  suddenly  and  tragically  taken  away  in  the 
full  tide  of  his  career.  The  nation  can  ill  afford  toi  lose  such  a 
man  as  he  was:  conscientious  and  capable  in  details,  and,  to 
quote  the  leader  of  the  Opposition — strenuous,  indu-strious, 
vigorous,  frank,  friendly,  and  accessible.”  Agriculturists,  and 
Avith  them  horticulturists,  everywhere  will  mourn  his  untimely 
end. 
Mr.  James  W.  Withers. 
The  death  is  amiounced  in  the  American  paper.s  of  Mr. 
James  W.  Withers,  of  the  American  Gardening  Publishing  Com¬ 
pany,  New  York,  on  Monday,  April  13,  1903,  in  Jamaica,  West 
Indies,  whither  he  had  gone’  in  hopes  of  recuperating  his  health. 
He  had  been  suffering  from  a  complication  of  diseases  for  some 
time.  Mr.  Withers  Avas  born  in  Welshpool,  Montgomeryshire, 
England,  forty-two  years  ago.  After  receivnng  a  common  school 
education,  he  Avas  apprenticed  as  a  gardener  on  an  estate  near  his 
native  place  in  1879,  and  folloAved  his  A’ocation  successfully  at 
different  points  for  seAmral  years,  haA’ing  occupied  some  important 
gardening  positions,  and  Avinning  prizes  for  fruits,  floAvers,  and 
vegetables  at  the  leading  exhibitions  in  England.  In  188G,  on 
the  advice  of  Mr.  Brian  Wynne,  the  present  proprietor  and  pub¬ 
lisher  of  the  “  Nurseryman  and  Seedsman,”  he  went  to  London 
to  better  his  gardening  education,  and  there  secured  employment 
in  the  nurseries  of  John  Laing  and  Sons,  in  their  Begonia  de¬ 
partment,  groAving  many  of  the  firm’s  exhibition  blooms.  While 
there  he  officiated  as  a  judge  at  some  of  the  South  of  England 
shows.  The  last  three  years  of  his  residence  in  the  old  country 
were  spent  as  a  merchant,  buying  and  selling  on  Covent 
Garden,  the  Borough,  and  other  markets  of  London. 
Going  to  America  in  1892,  Mr.  Withers  entered  the  employ¬ 
ment  of  the  Oasis  Nursery  Company,  at  Westbury  Station,  Long 
Island,  then  under  the  management  of  Thomas  Griffin,  an  old 
country  acquaintance — a  concern  famous  for  its  collection  of 
tuberous  and  other  Begonias  at  that  period.  Subsequently  he 
formed  one  of  the  galaxy  of  gardeners  in  the  Pitcher  and  Manda 
establishment  at  Short  Hills,  N.J.,  Avhere  he  remained  until  1894, 
Avhen  he  joined  the  staff  of  the  “  Florists’  Exchange.”  His  con¬ 
scientious  AAmrk  on  behalf  of  this  journal  was  highly  Amlued  by  the 
publisher.  In  October,  1898,  he  purchased  “  American  Garden¬ 
ing  ”  from  the  A.  T.  De  La  Mare  Printing  and  Publishing  Com¬ 
pany,  Limited.  In  1901  his  firm  aa’us  converted  into  a  stock 
company,  incorporated  under  the  NeAv  Jersey  laws,  Avith  Mr. 
Withers  as  pre.sident  and  trea.surer.  Mr.  Leonard  Barron,  only 
son  of  the  late  Mr.  A.  F.  Barron,  is  the  editor  of  “  American  Gar¬ 
dening.” 
During  his  stay  in  the  United  States  the  deceased  did  some 
excellent  Avork  in  the  cause  of  horticulture.  He  took  a  keen  in¬ 
terest  in  exhibitions,  and  did  eA’erything  in  his  poAver  to  en¬ 
courage  them.  He  was  an  active  Avorker  in  various  horticultural 
organisations,  among  them  the  NeAv  York  Gardener.s’  Society, 
the  Horticultural  Society  of  Ncav  York,  the  American  Dahlia 
Society,  the  NeAV  York  Florists’  Club,  and  others.  His  seiwices 
as  a  judge  Avere  much  in  requisition  by  the  local  horticultural 
societies,  and  for  some  years  past  he  had  officiated  as  one  of  the 
NeAv  Y"ork  committee  of  the  Chrysanthemum  Society  of  America 
in  the  judging  of  noAv  seedlings  and  .sports.  In  the  untimely 
death  of  Mr.  Withers  horticulture  has  .surely  lost  a  A’alued  ex¬ 
ponent  and  true  friend.  He  leaA’os  a  AvidoAv  and  one  baby — a 
girl — to  mourn  his  early  and  sad  decease. 
- - - 
Stock,  Princess  Alice. 
This  is  an  excellent  variety  for  pot  culture.  At  the  pre.sent 
time  I  have  some  forty  plants  in  .5in  pots,  r.arrying  from  fifty 
to  sixty  fully  expandetl  blooms  each.  Out  of  a  packet  of  seed 
obtained  from  Messrs.  Sutton  and  Sons,  I  grew  forty-seven 
nlants,  only  six  of  Avhich  turned  out  to  be  singles.  They  are  a 
lovely  mass  of  white,  and  greatly  admired  by  all  who  .see  them. 
— WiLLi.AM  Bexbow,  Overross  House. 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
STRAWBERRIES  :  MULCHING. — StraAvberry  quarters  must 
receive  some  attention  during  the  month  of  May  in  order  to 
encourage  a  steady  groAvth  and  development  of  the  floAver  trusses. 
A  good  aid  to  this  is  mulching  with  rich  farmyard  manure,  which 
should  consist  of  equal  parts  of  long  and  short  material.  Being 
largely  surface  rooting  it  is  important  that  food  be  placed  Avhereby 
it  may  be  readily  Avashed  doAvn  into  the  immediate  surface  .soil  by 
copious  rains  or  liberal  Avaterings.  Mulching  also  serves  to  keep 
the  soil  moist,  tending  to  the  rapid  multiplication  of  the  fibrous 
rootlets  Avhich  are  productive  of  fruitfulness.  Finally,  mulching 
serv’es  the  most  useful  purposes  of  providing  later  on  a  good  rest 
for  the  fruit  Avhen  ripe.  The  straAA-y  parts  Avill,  by  the  period  of 
ripening,  haA'e  become  sufficiently  Avashed  and  dried  on  the  sur¬ 
face  to  be  serviceable. 
FEEDING. — In  addition  to  mulching  much  Augour  may  be 
imparted  to  the  growth  of  the  older  or  fully  established  beds  by 
.seA’eral  applications  of  liquid  manure,  dustings  of  soot,  or  light 
dressings  of  artificial  manure.  These  are  best  applied  round  the 
plants  so  that  the  roots  may  at  once  receiAm  the  benefit.  Give 
once  or  tAvice  preceding  the  setting  of  the  fruit,  after  Avhich  more 
frequent  doses  may  be  given  until  the  fruit  is  Avell  advanced  in 
colouring. 
TREATMENT  OF  YOUNG  PLANTS.— Recently  planted  StraAv- 
berries  should  be  subjected  to  treatment  in  accordance  with  their 
A’igour  and  strength.  Those  planted  in  late  autumn  if  not  well 
established,  must  be  limited  in  their  fruit  producing  so  as  not  to 
endanger  tlie  groAvth  at  the  expense  of  fruit.  Spring  planted 
StraAvberries  unless  exceptionally  strong  rooted  and  favourably 
deA’eloped,  are  seldom  capable  of  bearing  fruit  the  first  season. 
In  this  case,  either  limiit  the  number  of  bloomsi  or  clip  aAvay  the 
floAver  trus.ses  entirely.  Remove  also  runners  from  these  and  other 
plants.  Weeds  grow  apace  and  should,  therefore,  be  frequently 
hoed  doAvn,  choosing  dry  sunny  days  for  the  operation.  Fork  out 
any  of  a  deep  rooting  character. 
RASPBERRIES. — Autumn  or  spring  planted  canes  are  now, 
after  the  close  pruning,  Avhich  should  in  all  cases  be  giA’en  to  Rasp¬ 
berries  the  first  season,  throAving  up  strong  shoots  from  the  bpe. 
Any  disbudding  of  superfluous  shoots  may  be  effected  noAV,  as  it  is 
undesirable  to  alloAv  any  but  a  limited  number  of  strong  canes  to 
deA-elop.  From  established  quarters  there  Avill  be  springing  up 
betAveen  the  lines  and  clumps  a  host  of  suckers.  This  is  the  time 
also  to  reduce  these,  clearing  all  aAvay  entirely  at  a  distance  from 
the  irlants,  and  thinning  out  those  close  at  home.  The  hoeing 
doAvn  of  Aveeds  must  also  be  effected,  after  Avhich  mulch  the  whole 
of  the  bare  space  betAveen  the  roAvs  with  a  layer  of  rich,  farmyard 
manure. 
BLACKBERRIES.— Similar  treatment  as  accorded  to  Ka.sp- 
berries  may  be  meted  out  to  established  plants,  cutting  out  any 
Aveakly  or  superfluous  shoots,  destroying  Aveeds,  and  affording  a 
mulching  OA’er  the  roots,  so  that  they  may  receiA'e  an  ample 
supplv  of  nourishment.  Should  dry  Aveather  preA'ail,  Avater  must 
be  applied  to  assist  the  groAvth  of  young  plants. 
GOOSEBERRIES  AND  CURRANTS.— Bushes  furnished  with 
a  good  crop  of  berries  iioaa'  developing  AA'ill  requii'e  soine  additional 
assistance  other  than  that  received  from  the  soil.  Especially  will 
this  be  the  case  if  the  ground  is  someAvhat  poor  in  character  and 
food  near  the  surface  is  absent.  A  liberal  mulching  may,  there¬ 
fore,  be  giAmn,  together  Avith  liquid  manure. 
WALL  TREES. — Gooseberries  and  Currants  on  Avails  must  be 
fed  and  kept  in  Augour  largely  by  affording  ample  mulching  oyer 
the  roots  Avith  copious  supplies  of  water.  Frequent  attention 
should  be  given  to  Peaches  and  Nectarines  on  walls,  as  there  will 
still  remain  shoots  to  be  removed  for  Avhich  room  cannot  be  found, 
Avhile  the  groAvths  reserved  must  be  properly,  if  temporarily,  laid 
in.  Bearing  shoots  carrying  the  present  season’s  crop  may  be 
stopped  a  fe.AV  leaves  above  the  fruit,  and  the  latter  must  be 
gradually  thinned.  Wall  trees  often  begin  to  suffer  from  d^nes.s 
at  the  root  about  this  time  of  the  year,  with  the  result  that  attacks 
of  insects  are  prevalent,  infesting  the  points  of  shoots  of  Peaches, 
Nectarines.-  Plums,  and  Cherries.  The  soil  about  the  roots  mu.st, 
therefore,  be  thoroughly  moistened,  and  if  there  is  any  tendency 
to  poverty  of  the  soil  liquid  manure  may  be  beneficially  given. 
The  insects  AA’hich  are  the  most  likely  to  attack  the  shoots  at  this 
early  date  are  aphides.  They  must  be  destroyed,  and  this  i.s  best 
effected  by  dipping  the  points  of  shoots  in  an  insectincle  or 
syringing  AA’ith  the  same.  Clear  AA'ater  is  useful  in  maintaining 
tile  trees  clean,  if  used  frequently  in  Avariii  Aveather  toward.s  the 
close  of  the  afternoon,  applying  it  with  the  garden  engine,  or 
failing  that  a  syringe  or  hose  pipe. 
