May  2,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER* 
367 
written  a  book  which  conveys  the  most  recent  discoveries  and  truths  in 
plant  pathology,  in  language  so  plain  and  clear  that  even  he  who  runs 
may  read.  Indeed,  this  is  one  of  the  great  qualities  of  the  Professor’s 
book.  He  does  not  become  abstruse  nor  ambiguous,  but  begins  a 
practical  tale  from  the  beginning,  and  works  his  knowledge  out  in  well 
chosen  sequent  chapters. 
The  surroundings  of  the  plant,  its  food,  roots  and  root  hairs,  and  the 
functions  of  them ;  the  biology  of  the  soil  (quite  a  new  form  of 
expression,  grandly  chosen)  ;  causes,  and  the  nature  of  disease,  are 
points  which  form  the  matter  for  some  of  the  chapters,  of  which  there 
are  altogether  thirty. 
The  author  does  not  attempt  to  describe  or  diagnose  any  special 
disease  or  diseases  of  a  plant  or  plants.  He  has  successfully  written  an 
easily  understood  story  of  plant  life  in  many  of  its  phases,  showing 
where  plants  are  open  to  attacks,  how  they  are  attaoked,  and  suggests 
what  would  prevent  the  diseases.  As  an  elementary  book  for  young 
gardeners,  or  for  those  who  are  anxious  and  willing  to  become  better 
acquainted  with  what  we  may  term  the  inner  life  of  plants,  we  most 
strongly  recommend  this  work.  It  includes  a  good  index,  is  printed  in 
fine  large  type,  clearly,  and  on  stout  paper,  extending  to  309  pages ; 
yet  the  book  is  neat  enough  to  oarry  conveniently  in  a  jaoket’s  pocket. 
It  ought  certainly  to  be  plaoed  in  every  cultivator's  and  plant-lovers’ 
library. 
- - - — - 
Herbaceous  Borders. 
In  the  herbaceous  border,  more  so  perhaps  than  in  any  other  part  of 
the  garden,  there  is  a  tendency  to  let  matters  drift  Irom  season  to 
season,  and  I  think  it  is  chiefly  brought  about  by  neglecting  to  divide 
subjects  at  the  proper  time,  and  so  it  is  that  many  borders  do  not  get 
turned  over  very  frequently.  The  argument  that  is  used  sometimes 
against  hardy  plants  in  general  is,  tkat  they  are  permitted  too  much 
latitude,  and  beyond  a  slight  forking,  the  soil  hardly  ever  is  touched  ; 
but  where  summer  bedding  plants  are  only  grown,  the  borders  are  well 
dug  in  autumn  or  spring,  aod  so  bee  >me  “  sweetened.”  I  fear  there 
is  much  truth  in  the  assertion,  as  when  one  knows  that  under  ordinary 
circumstances  most  of  last  year’s  tenants  will  be  of  service  again  this 
year,  we  are  inclined  to  put  off  until  a  more  convenient  time  the 
overhauling  of  things  that  are  hardy.  It  is,  however,  unwise  to  defer 
too  long  a  duty  of  ti.is  description,  as  if  plants  require  splitting  up, 
and  the  opportunity  wa<  not  taken  in  autumn,  the  spring  of  the  year 
should  be  seized  lor  getting  on  with  the  work.  Some  subjects  will  go 
longer  than  others  without  very  much  attention  in  this  direction; 
others  again  demand  looking  after,  or  they  deteriorate,  besides  edging 
out  of  the  way  by  their  encroachment  some  subjects  in  the  borders 
equally  favuured.  To  state  a  cose,  one  has  not  to  go  further  than  the 
Starworisor  Sunflowers,  both  nsetul  in  their  season  of  blooming,  but 
feaiful  land  grabbers.  Give  them  a  space,  and  leave  them  undivided 
for  a  time,  and  they  soon  lay  claim  to  the  next  portion  of  the  border, 
and  swamp,  as  one  might  say,  any  small  and  less  robust  plant  growing 
there.  Nor  is  this  all,  for  the  neglected  border  is  not  long  in  notifying 
the  fact.  The  small  flowers  where  large  blossoms  should  be  ;  the 
untidy  and  straggling  appearance  of  everything  speaks  all  too  plainly 
of  a  need  for  division  of  roots,  of  a  thorough  diggii  g  of  every  part  of 
the  soil,  with  probably  an  addition  of  new  loam  and  manure  if  the 
same  is  wanted,  and  thus  give  a  n  w  lease  to  many  of  the  tenants. 
One  cannot  of  course  lay  down  a  rule,  that  near  a  given  date  certain 
plants  must  be  split  up,  just  in  the  same  way  as  one  knows  when  to 
sow  Runner  Beans.  I  sometimes  think  it  would  be  wdl  if  sued  an 
axiom  could  be  resorted  to ;  but  horticulture  declines  to  be  bound  by 
any  fixed  rules,  so  much  depends  upon  the  nature  and  habit  of  the 
plants  under  culture.  It  is  therefore  needful  that  growers  of  hardy 
plants  should  take  stock  now  and  again,  and  rectify  any  matters  that 
are  pressing. 
Opinions  vary  as  to  the  really  best  time  to  perform  the  duty, 
whether  autumn  or  spring,  but  if  division  was  necessary  last  October, 
it  is  doubly  so  now.  A  small  clump  producing  seven  or  eight  plump 
sho  ts  is  to  be  preferred  to  a  clump  with  twice  that  number  of 
weaklings;  we  see  this  often  in  Phloxes,  Lathyrus,  Delphiniums, 
Lupins,  Diely  tras,  Dorouicums,  that  in  congenial  soils  and  positions  grow 
quickly,  and  if  left  too  long  untouched  the  centres  of  the  clumps 
become  smotheied.  The  planting  of  new  species,  upon  which  we 
have  set  our  minds,  is  a  work  not  without  its  charms,  and  if  there  is 
one  error  into  which  the  hardy  plant  man  is  more  likely  to  tumble 
into  than  another,  it  is  the  danger  of  ordering  or  selecting  more  plants 
than  one  can  conveniently  accommodate.  When,  for  instance,  we 
peruse  some  list  fresh  from  the  firms  that  deal  specially  in  what  we 
best  like,  we  are  sometimes  tempted  to  order  them  only  to  find  that 
when  th<  y  grow  the  border  presents  an  overcrowded  appearance.  Such 
mistakes  come  to  i.  any,  and  the  note  of  warning  it  is  necessary  to 
heed  is  the  one  deprecating  overcrowding. — W.  F. 
Weather  In  London. — Thursday  of  last  week  continued  the 
succession  of  sunny  days  which  had  been  experienced  the  previous 
week.  Friday,  however,  though  bright,  was  very  much  colder  and 
windy  ;  while  on  Saturday  morning  some  gentle  showers  fell.  Sunday, 
again,  was  an  ideal  day;  Monday  somewhat  dull  and  oold,  with  frost 
in  the  early  morning;  and  on  Tuesday  the  conditions  were  dull  but 
milder.  As  we  go  to  press  the  day  is  agreeable,  though  hazy. 
Weather  in  the  North — The  past  week  has  been  one  of  bright 
sunshine,  and  although  coldish  easterly  winds  have  prevailed  the 
weather  has  been  good  for  the  season.  During  Monday  night  gentle 
rain  fell,  and  Tuesday  morning  was  dull  and  drizzly.  —  B.  D.> 
S.  Perthshire. 
Weather  in  Ireland.  —  The  bitter  climatic  conditions  of 
departing  March  has  been  pleasantly  relieved  by  the  present  sunny 
month.  In  the  early  days  a  few  slight  thunderstorms  swept  o’er 
portions  of  the  country,  and  accompanied  by  showers  of  hail,  which 
lasted  fortunately  for  a  very  short  period  ;  since,  the  weather  is  all  that 
can  be  desired,  with  an  occasional  sharp  wind,  but  a  complete  cessation 
from  rain.  ico.s 
Fruit  Prospects  and  the  Weather. — The  display  of  fruit  tree 
blossom  this  year  is  most  satisfactory  in  this  part  of  Bedfordshire, 
but  we  have  had  a  frost  this  morning  (April  29ch)  which  may  seriously 
alter  the  prospects  of  a  crop.  Many  Pears,  and  nearly  all  Plums,  with 
the  early  Cherries,  are  in  full  flower,  as  well  as  the  bush  fruits,  and 
everything  was  looking  most  promising.  Now  we  have  to  record  a 
minimum  temperature  of  22°,  or  10°  of  frost ;  and  this,  followed  by  a 
bright  sunny  day,  will  severely  test  the  hardiness  of  all  the  fruits 
named.  An  exceptionally  dry  state  of  the  atmosphere  will,  however^ 
possibly  serve  as  a  preventive  of  the  worst  results. — R.  L.  C., 
Ridgmont. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  —  The  thirteenth  annual 
dinner,  in  aid  of  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  will  take  plaoe  at 
the  Hotel  Cecil,  Strand,  W.C.,  on  Tuesday  next,  May  7th.  The  Hon. 
W.  F.  D.  Smith,  M.P,,  is  expected  to  occupy  the  chair.  Subscriptions 
for  the  chairman’s  list  will  be  gladly  received.  The  secretary  is  Mr 
B.  Wynne,  8,  Dane’s  Inn,  Strand,  W.C. 
The  Sherwood  Cup. — A  silver  cup,  valued  at  £10  10s.,  since  1898 
has  been  offered  annually  by  N.  N.  Sherwood,  Esq.,  for  competition  as 
the  Council  of  the  R.H.S.  have  thought  desirable.  In  1898  it  was 
offered  for  “  annuals,”  in  1899  for  “  vegetables,”  in  1900  for  Apples  and 
Pears,  while  this  year  the  competition  will  be  for  the  best  oolleoiion  o 
Orchids  shown  by  an  amateur  at  the  forthcoming  Temple  Show,  in  a 
space  not  exceeding  100  square  feet.  In  1892  it  will  probably  be 
offered  for  the  best  collection  of  hardy  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs 
shown  at  the  Temple.  Notice  of  intention  to  compete  for  the  cup  must 
be  sent  to  the  R  H.S.  Secretary,  117,  Victoria  Street,  eight  days  before 
the  competition  takes  place. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  fruit  and  flower  show 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  May  7th,  in 
the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  1  to  5  p.m.  A  lecture  on 
“  Alpines  and  Other  Small  Plants  for  Walls”  will  be  given  at  3  P.M.  by 
Mr.  E.  H.  Jenkins,  F. R.H.S.  Preceding  the  lecture  the  President  of 
the  Society,  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  will  confer  the  Victoria  Medal 
of  Honour  on  the  new  recipients — Sir  George  King,  K.C.E.I.,  Miss 
Ormerod,  L.L.D.,  Mr.  George  Norman,  and  Mr.  James  Sweet.  *  * 
The  Society  will  hold  its  fourteenth  great  annual  flower  show  in  the 
Inner  Temple  Gardens,  Thames  Embankment,  by  the  kind  permission 
of  the  Treasurer  and  Benchers,  on  May  22nd,  23rd,  and  24th,  1901. 
Schedules  may  be  obtained  on  application  to  the  Secretary,  R.H.S. 
117,  Victoria  Street,  S.W.,  enclosing  a  stamp.  *  *  We  received  on 
Wednesday  morning  the  Journal  of  the  Society  (vol.  xxv.,  part  3).  The 
volume  (7s.  6d.  to  non-Fellows)  opens  with  a  retrospect  of  the  doings  of 
the  now  famous  old  Society  since  1887,  the  year  of  our  late  Queen’s 
jubilee.  A  portrait  of  Thomas  Andrew  Knight,  F.R.S.,  the  first 
president  of  the  Society,  is  included  in  this  volume,  and  numerous  other 
illustrations  of  great  interest  brighten  the  500  odd  pages. 
