r  280 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  4,  1901 
Tunbrldgre  Wells  Horticultural  Society.  —  The  adjourned 
meeting  of  the  above  society  was  held  on  March  28th  at  the  Pump 
Room.  Mr.  P.  W.  Braybrooke  presided,  and  there  was  a  representative 
attendance.  The  report,  which  has  already  been  published,  was 
adopted  after  revisions,  suggested  by  Mr.  Charlton  and  others,  in 
favour  of  continuing  the  show  next  summer,  in  the  hope  of  getting 
better  local  support.  The  committee. was  increased  by  the  addition  of 
several  members  of  the  Tunbridge  Wells  Gardeners’  Society  and  others, 
and  it  was  pointed  out  that  to  abandon  the  show,  as  some  proposed, 
would  be  a  great  mistake,  especially  in  view  of  the  probability  of  the 
discontinuance  next  summer  of  village  shows  on  the  Sussex  side  of 
Tunbridge  Wells.  Mr.  Charlton  said,  to  hold  no  show  in  the  town 
would  be  to  deprive  it  of  one  of  its  attractions  at  a  time  when  the 
season  was  on.  It  was  decided  to  give  more  variety  to  the  show. 
Edinburgh  Chrysanthemum  Show.  —  We  have  named  the 
Chrysanthemum  Exhibition  of  the  Scottish  Horticultural  Association 
the  “  Edinburgh  Chrysanthemum  Show,”  and  doubtless  the  title  is 
more  familiar  than  the  longer  one  quoted  in  this  sentence.  We  have 
received  the  schedule  of  prizes  to  be  awarded  at  the  show  of  November 
this  year.  The  exhibition,  by  the  way,  takes  place  on  the  14th,  15th, 
and  16th  of  that  month,  and  the  amount  to  be  competed  for  reaches 
over  £440.  Along  with  the  usual  City  of  Edinburgh  prize,  the 
Scottish  Challenge  Cup  and  others,  we  notice  on  page  10  of  the  schedule, 
a  first  prize  of  £20,  a  second  of  £15,  and  third  of  £10,  respectively, 
offered  for  a  trade  floral  exhibit.  The  class  is  for  “  the  most  effective 
and  meritorious  exhibit  of  bouquets,  baskets,  wreaths,  crosses,  or  other 
floral  designs,  on  a  table,  20  feet  by  10  feet,  with  decorative  plants  and 
foliage,  at  the  discretion  of  the  exhibitor.”  Such  a  feature  ought  to  be 
of  very  great  interest  to  the  general  public.  In  the  gardeners’  and 
amateurs’  cut  flower  section,  class  I.  furnishes  a  grand  Victoria 
Memorial  prize  of  £20  and  a  gold  medal,  for  twenty  vases  of  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  in  twenty  varieties,  three  blooms  of  each.  The  second, 
third,  and  fourth  prizes  are  respectively  £15,  £10,  and  £5.  The  City  of 
Edinburgh  prize  of  course  provides  a  piece  of  plate  of  the  value  of  £20 
as  first  prize,  and  £10,  £8,  and  £5  for  the  remaining  prizes.  These 
are  perhaps  the  principal  classes,  though  special  prizes  are  offered  in 
twelve  classes  altogether,  and  surely  sufficient  is  presented  to  draw 
forth  the  very  best  efforts  of  gardeners  in  all  parts  of  the  United 
Kingdom.  All  entries  close  on  Friday,  the  8th  of  November.  Anyone 
wishing  a  schedule  should  write  to  the  hon.  secretary  of  the  association, 
Mr.  Peter  Loney,  6,  Carilton  Street,  Edinburgh. 
Boycotting  tbe  Market  Gardeners. — -A  boycotting  struggle 
between  the  market  gardeners  of  the  Lothians  and  the  greengrocers 
of  Edinburgh  has  begun  this  week.  Some  time  ago  the  committee 
of  the  Edinburgh  Market  Gardeners’  Association  unanimously  recom¬ 
mended  that  the  members  of  the  association  should  abandon  the  plan 
of  selling  by  the  system  of  “  fourteen  to  the  dozen,”  and  should  adopt 
the  more  business-like  plan  of  selling  by  the  “even  dozen,”  just  as 
was  now  done  by  the  market  gardeners  and  all  the  other  vegetable 
merchants  in  the  other  towns.  According  to  an  agricultural  con- 
temporary,  at  the  next  general  meeting  of  the  association  this 
recommendation  of  the  committee  was  carried  by  a  large  majority, 
the  new  system  to  come  into  force  with  the  beginning  of  April.  The 
Edinburgh  greengrocers  are  up  in  arms  against  the  proposal  to  sell 
by  the  system  of  twelve  to  the  dozen,  and  they  are  threatening  to 
boycott  any  and  every  market  gardener  who  will  not  give  “  fourteen 
to  the  dozen.”  This  proposal  to  establish  a  boycott  on  the  subject 
is  being  strenuously  supported  by  some  Glasgow  vegetable  dealers, 
who,  although  they  have  to  buy  by  the  “  even  dozen  ”  in  the  Glasgow 
Market,  are  anxious  to  see  a  rupture  between  the  Lothian  market 
gardeners  and  the  Edinburgh  greengrocers,  as  the  Lothian  market 
gardeners  have  for  some  time  had  a  large  direct  trade  in  supplying 
greengrocers  in  the  mining  towns  of  the  west,  which  the  Glasgow  men 
regarded  as  their  special  preserve.  It  is  not  at  all  likely,  however, 
that  the  threatened  boycott  in  the  Edinburgh  market  garden  trade  will 
come  to  much.  If  any  trouble  be  caused  in  that  way  the  market 
gardeners  assert  that  they  will  sell  to  the  public  at  wholesale  rates, 
and  the  Edinburgh  public  would  then  get  their  vegetables  in  the 
Waverley  Market  at  less  than  half  the  price  which  they  have  to  pay 
to  the  retailers  for  them.  Besides,  the  hawkers  or  hucksters,  who 
already  do  a  considerable  trade  in  Edinburgh,  would  then  have  a 
splendid  innings,  and  would  have  little  difficulty  in  oapturing  practically 
all  the  trade  at  present  held  by  the  retailers. 
flndbeckia  californica. 
For  the  spacious  hardy  plant  border  or  for  the  less  reserved  areas 
of  the  wild  garden,  this  finely  conspicuous  plant  is  indeed  a  splendid 
subject.  Of  late  years  it  has  taken  a  prominent  position,  and  we  have 
had  occasion  to  call  attention  to  this  and  other  Rudbeckias  in  times 
past.  About  twenty-five  species  are  known,  and  with  these  are 
included,  according  to  the  latest  authorities,  the  species  of  Echinacea, 
Lepachys,  and  Obeliscaria,  which  some  botanists  have  considered  to 
represent  distinct  genera.  In  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  about  ten 
species  are  grown,  and  these  comprise  all  the  best  marked  types,  for 
there  is  a  strong  family  resemblance  running  through  the  Rudbeckias, 
as  in  many  other  groups  of  the  Composite. 
R.  californica,  which  we  illustrate,  is  in  several  respects  a  note¬ 
worthy  perennial  plant ;  it  is  of  free  growth  and  strong  habit, 
succeeding  in  ordinary  garden  soil,  and  is  quite  hardy.  Next  to 
R.  maxima  it  has  the  largest  conical  disc  of  the  genus,  which  imparts 
much  character  to  the  flower  heads.  It  oonaes  near  to  R.  laciniata,  or 
what  is  known  in  gardens  as  R.  diversifolia,  but  the  leaves  are  ovate  or 
oblong,  and  not  cut  or  varied  in  form  like  that  species.  The  plant 
attains  a  height  of  5  feet  to  6  feet,  though  in  a  wild  state  it  is  found  to 
be  dwarfer,  occasionally  not  exceeding  2  feet  in  height.  The  flowers 
are  large,  the  rays  florets  often  2£  inches  long  and  bright  yellow,  the 
high  cone-shaped  disc  being  of  a  brownish  tint.  R.  californica  is  found 
growing  on  moist  ground  in  the  Sierra  Nevada,  California,  and  according 
to  Gray  it  was  there  first  found  by  Bridges.  The  present  is  a  favourable 
season  of  the  jear  in  whioh  to  plant  Rudbeckias. 
Shrubby  Calceolarias. 
Although  to  some  extent  these  plants  are  not  so  popular  as 
formerly,  yet  well  grown  and  profusely  flowered  beds  are  in  early 
summer  much  admired,  and  if  the  plants  are  placed  in  beds  situated 
in  a  cool  rather  than  a  very  hot,  dry  position,  it  is  surprising  what  a 
length  of  time  they  will  remain  in  good  condition.  To  enable  them  to 
do  this  the  plants  should,  dur  ng  March  and  April,  have  the  hardiest 
possible  treatment  in  the  Irames  where  they  have  been  wintered.  The 
best  plants  are  always  secured  from  cuttings  inserted  in  autumn  in 
cold  frames.  Very  little  attention  is  required  during  winter  beyond 
temporary  protection  from  severe  frosts  and  keeping  the  frames  closed 
until  February.  The  cuttings  do  not  form  roots  until  then,  but 
remain  fresh  all  the  same.  The  base  of  each  cutting  forms  a  callus, 
which  is  the  matter  exuded  from  the  cutting  alter  its  insertion  in  the 
soil.  It  collects  on  the  edge  of  the  cut  surface  just  below  the  joint 
of  the  cutting  and  there  hardens.  From  this  hardenel  ring  or  callus 
the  roots  originate,  growing  and  multiplying  rapidly  in  rich  sandy 
soil,  which  forms  the  cutting  bed.  The  cutting  also  commences 
growth,  and  if  the  top  or  centre  of  each  is  taken  out,  each  joint  will 
push  growth,  a  bushy  plant  soon  resulting. 
There  is  the  danger  of  them  becoming  crowded,  especially  if  the 
cuttiugs  were  inserted  thickly,  hence  it  is  desirable  to  remove  all  but 
those  4  inches  apart,  and  transplant  on  another  bed  of  soil.  In  forming 
this  bed  it  may  with  advantage  be  done  on  a  hard  base,  placing  first  a 
layer  of  manure  quite  decomposed,  and  on  this  a  good  mixture  of. 
loamy  soil  about  4  inches  thick.  The  bed  should  be  enclosed  with 
rough  boards,  on  which  can  be  laid  some  temporary  protection  if 
necessary  to  shield  the  plants  from  severe  frosts.  Pit  or  frame  lights 
are  of  course  the  best,  but  sticks  laid  across  supporting  mats  will  do 
very  well.  The  best  time  to  remove  the  young  plants  is  when  they 
break  into  growth  after  the  first  topping.  They  will  soon  start  freely 
into  growth,  and  may  be  kept  hardy  and  stocky  by  affording  them 
abundance  of  air.  When  new  growth  has  extended  4  inches  top  once 
again,  thus  insuring  bushy  short  plants.  By  this  time  the  fibrous 
roots  will  have  incre'sed  and  extended  into  a  dense  mat  round  the 
plants.  The  latter  may  then  be  lifted  with  ease  and  safety  and  planted 
permanently. 
Early  April  is  a  very  suitable  time  to  plant  out,  preparing  the  bed 
or  border  by  freely  digging  and  mixing  in  well-decomposed  manure. 
Lift  with  as  much  soil  as  possible  adhering  to  the  roots,  and  place 
6  inches  apart,  sinking  nicely  below  the  surface.  Tue  ball  of  the 
plants  being  moist  and  the  bed  moist,  no  water  will  be  required  so 
early  in  the  season.  Hot  weather  occurring  in  May,  however,  may 
dry  the  soil  considerably,  and  render  a  good  watering  necessary. 
When  the  surface  has  dried  again  alter  this  loosen  it  with  a  hoe  to 
maintain  a  crumbly  surface,  which  acts  as  a  mulch,  and  helps  to 
retain  the  moisture  while  at  the  same  time  admitting  warmth. 
Loosening  the  surface  also  renders  the  necessity  for  frequent  watering 
unnecessary.  When  dry  hot  weather  sets  in,  a  mulching  of  manure 
will  assist  in  keeping  the  soil  cool. — E.  D.  S. 
