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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  2,  1901. 
The  Birthday  of  a  Great  Bvolutlonlst. — Mr.  Herbert  Sptncer, 
an  evolutionist  who  in  many  respects  rivals  the  late  Charles  Darwin, 
celebrated  his  eighty-first  birthday  on  Saturday  the  27th  ult.  He  is 
unhappily  rather  an  invalid,  but  sees  his  friends  as  usual  in  his 
Brighton  home.  It  is  expected  that  he  will  spend  the  summer  this 
year  again  near  Midhurst,  in  Sussex. 
Liverpool's  Freedom  for  Henry  Yates  Thompson,  Esq. — At 
the  Colluoil  meeting,  held  on  Wednesday,  the  24th  ult.,  under  the  presi¬ 
dency  of  the  Lord  Mayor,  it  was  unanimously  decided  to  confer  the 
freedom  of  the  city  on  Henry  Yates  Thompson,  Esq.,  for  his  valuable  gifts 
of  conservatory,  Palm  house,  statues,  &c.,  to  the  Sefton  and  Stanley  Parks, 
the  two  buildings  which  have  been  so  handsomely  erected  by  Messrs. 
Mackenzie  &  Moncur,  of  London  and  Edinburgh,  being  now  splendidly 
furnisbed  with  a  grand  selection  of  spring  flowering  bulbs  and  foliage 
plants,  and  a  decided  acquisition  to  the  public  at  large. — R.  P.  R. 
Tamworth  Early  Chrysanthemum  Show. — A  show  of  early 
flowering  Chrysanthemums  will  be  held  on  Saturday,  28th  September 
in  the  Town  Hall,  Tamworth.  All  takings  over  bare  expenses  will  be 
given  to  the  Tamworth  Church  Lads’  Brigade  Fund.  There  are  twenty 
classes,  the  first  of  which  offers  40s.,  30s.,  20s.,  15s.,  and  10s. 
respectively  for  prizes,  and  there  are  others  as  good.  For  further 
particulars  apply  to  Mr.  William  Sydenham,  Tamworth ;  Mr.  D.  B. 
Crane,  4,  Woodview  Terrace,  Archway  Road,  Highgate,  London,  N. ; 
Mr.  Robert  Cook,  Lichfield  Road,  Stafford;  or  Mr.  Joseph  Kent,  The 
Park,  Hanley. 
Poor  Prices  for  Daffodils. — Numerous  complaints  have  been 
circulated  through  the  agency  of  the  daily  press  regarding  the  failure 
of  the  cut  bloom  market.  The  bulb  growers  in  the  Fens  are  this 
season  having  a  disastrous  market  for  the  blooms  sent  to  London  and 
provincial  centres.  The  return  does  not  nearly  pay  for  the  cost  of 
labour  in  gathering  the  flowers.  Varieties  of  blooms  which  last  year 
sold  at  6s.  per  thousand  are  this  year  only  making  about  Is. ;  whilst  a 
Spalding  grower,  who  sent  away  a  large  consignment,  received  back 
3d.,  the  amount  remaining  after  the  payment  of  commission  and 
carriage.  These  ominous  tales  arise  regularly. 
Miscellanea. — Prof.  Fernard  estimates  that  the  annual  loss  to 
agriculture  from  insects  represents  300,000,000  dols.,  and  further  that 
only  a  small  portion  of  the  amount  is  unavoidable.  *  *  An  ex- 
Governor  of  Kansas  is  now  preparing  in  that  State  an  orchard  of 
880  acres  in  extent,  in  which  64,000  Apple  trees  are  to  be  planted.  *  * 
Among  the  insects,  while  the  perfect  state  is  generally  limited  to  a  few 
months,  certain  of  the  bees  live  for  a  few  years,  and  the  same  is 
probably  true  of  the  ants.  *  *  A  pair  of  robins  have  built  in  the 
centre  of  a  recurved,  spinous-leaved  plant  (Hechtia  argentea)  in  the 
Succulent  House  at  Kew.  *  *  Forty -three  acres  of  wooded  land  are 
to  be  bought  as  an  addition  to  Brockwell  Park  (86  acret )  in  London, 
S.E.  The  purohase  money  required  is  £66,858,  and  only  £500  is  now 
wanted  to  make  up  this  amount. 
Temple  Show. — The  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  hold  its 
fourteenth  great  annual  show  in  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens,  London, 
by  the  kind  permission  of  the  Treasurer  and  Benchers,  on  May  22nd, 
23rd,  and  24th.  This  magnificent  horticultural  display  is  now  recognised 
as  one  of  the  chief  events  of  the  London  season,  and  is,  as  all  gardeners 
know,  immensely  popular.  It  is  estimated  that  between  60,000  and 
100,000  persons  visit  the  show  every  year.  We  learn  that,  as  a  guide 
to  the  show,  the  Society  will  publish  an  official  catalogue  during  the 
three  days  of  the  show,  and  a  copy  will  be  presented  free  of  charge 
to  every  visitor.  The  Sooiety  guarantees  a  distribution  of  10,000  copies 
of  the  catalogue,  and  as  many  more  as  may  be  required.  Among  the 
contents  of  the  official  catalogue  may  be  mentioned — I. — An  historical 
sketch  of  the  R.H.S.,  since  its  establishment  in  1804,  in  the  reign  of 
George  III.  II. — Particulars  of  the  fortnightly  flower  shows  held  in 
the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Viotoria  Street,  S.W.,  and  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  on  October  10th,  11th,  and  12th.  III. — Names  of  plants 
and  groups  exhibited,  with  special  reference  to  any  new,  rare,  or 
noteworthy  varieties.  IV. — Full  names  and  addresses  of  all  exhibitors 
at  the  Temple  Show,  with  description  of  their  exhibits.  V. — Programme 
of  musio  to  be  performed  each  day  by  the  band  of  his  Majesty’s  Royal 
Horse  Guards  (Blues),  under  the  direction  of  Lieut.  Chas.  Godfrey, 
R.A.Mus.  The  schedule  of  this  great  show  reached  ns  on  Friday  the 
26th  ultimo.  It  is  a  mere  leaflet,  with  the  numbers  and  names  of  the 
classes.  Fuller  particulars  will  be  found  in  the  Society’s  “  Book  of 
Arrangements  ”  for  1901. 
A  Numerous  Election. — No  doubt  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  as  secretary 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  would  feel  he  had  earned  a  good 
night’s  repose  after  “  calling  over  the  names  of  144  new  Fellows  ”  at 
the  general  meeting  on  the  23rd  ult.,  as  reported  by  one  of  our 
contemporaries  last  week. 
Children’s  Concert. — A  conoert  was  held  on  Tuesday,  April  23rd, 
at  St.  James’  Hall,  Piccadilly,  by  the  Reformatory  and  Refuge  UnioD, 
at  which  a  choir  of  500  children  sang.  The  front  of  the  platform  was 
tastefully  deoorated  with  cut  Narcissi  and  Daffodils,  and  with  Ferns, 
Palms,  and  Spiraeas  from  Mr.  A.  J.  Brown  of  the  School  of  Handi¬ 
craft,  Chertsey. 
Notes  on  Our  Report  of  Dublin  Show. — In  report  of  show 
you  print  Mr.  Pigg  for  winner  of  Narcissus ;  this  should  be  Mr.  Rigg. 
You  likewise  omitted  Hippeastrums  from  Obelisk  Park ;  they  were  very 
fine.  Scarlet  seifs  predominated,  and  the  segments  of  the  flowers  were 
splendid.  Interspersed  with  them  were  Freesias  Leichtlini  major, 
superbly  grown  and  in  abundance;  also  Ferns,  principally  Ad iantums, 
were  also  requisitioned.  The  gardener  was  awarded  a  cultural  certificate, 
which  was  by  no  means  an  equitable  recommendation. — A.  O’Neill. 
Obelisk  Park,  Dublin. — Fresh  from  his  triumphs  at  Royal 
Hort.  tourney,  Mr.  Davies,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Goodbody,  Obelisk  Park, 
Blaokrock,  has  his  gardens  ablaze  with  flowers.  Apart  from  his  houses  of 
Hippeastrums  and  Freesias,  the  Dendrobiums  are  now  making  a  goodly 
show;  on  adjoining  benches  Tulips  and  Hyacinths  in  variety,  with 
abundance  of  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine  and  giant  white  Cyclamens. 
The  Dendrobes  flowering  at  time  of  visit  was  the  well  known  nobile  ; 
the  pendant  orange  blooms  of  densiflorum  were  in  quantity,  whilst 
Paxtoni  and  the  pretty  Jamesianum,  with  pure  white  petals  with  red 
lip,  had  flowered  well,  also  chrysotoxum,  and  several  smaller  plants 
coming  into  bloom.  There  was  a  very  profuse  quantity  of  flowers 
present,  and  were  excellently  staged. 
A  Note  to  City  Gardeners. — In  the  matter  of  providing  public 
pleasure  grounds,  it  would  be  well  for  those  who  are  of  a  trimming  and 
straight-lined  temper  to  consider  that,  whereas  a  garden  in  a  waste  or 
outlandish  district  is  made  to  look  all  the  better  by  regularity  and  art, 
by  the  artificial  as  distinguished  from  the  natural,  a  garden  in  the 
precincts  of  a  great  city  ought  to  have  as  little  appearance  as  possible 
of  human  ingenuity  and  art — ought  to  be  as  natural  looking,  as  wild 
looking  as  possible.  The  beautiful  in  such  a  case  is  largely  due  to 
effect  by  contrast.  Lord  Armstrong  had  this  in  his  mind  when  he  made 
to  Newcastle  the  inestimable  gift  of  Jesmond  Dene — the  city  garden 
that  has  not  its  equal  in  Europe. 
Song  Thrushes  and  Robin  Redbreasts  sing  daily  in  the 
warmer  houses  of  the  temperate  range  at  Kew.  One  of  the  thrushes 
is  quite  a  favourite,  and  well  known  to  habitues  of  the  range.  The 
bird  begins  his  afternoon  carol  about  four  o’clock  of  each  day.  The 
early  hours  of  the  morning  are  also  cheered  with  his  pure-voiced  solos. 
Heard  under  glass  in  this  way,  and  to  see  the  birds  free  amongst  the 
luxuriant  growth  of  Tree  Ferns,  Musas,  and  Bamboos,  there  is  a  unique 
and  pleasing  charm  attached.  Why  not  at  least  have  a  well-managed 
and  planned  aviary  in  large  conservatories  ?  Even  caged  canaries 
would  surely  enjoy  their  own  confined  little  lives  and  please  their 
owners  better  were  they  more  frequently  housed  with  plants  under 
glass. 
Edinburgh  Parks. — Mr.  M'Hattie,  the  new  head  gardener,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Public  Parks  Committee  of  the  Edinburgh  Town  Council, 
suggested  that  early  in  next  autumn  at  least  two  cricket  pitches  be 
made  at  the  meadows.  He  advocated  the  relaying  of  the  waste  places 
of  BruntBfield  Links  with  turf.  The  most  effective  method  of  dealing 
with  the  worn-out  shrubs  in  West  Prinoes  Street  Gardens  would  be  to 
remove  them  and  plant  them  afresh.  In  his  judgment  there  was  a 
great  lack  of  colour  in  the  gardens,  and  to  relieve  the  monotony  he 
suggested  the  formation  of  a  series  of  flower  beds  on  each  side  of  the 
lower  walk.  He  also  suggested  greater  variety  in  the  treatment  of  East 
Princes  Street  Gardens.  Mr.  M'Hattie  also  advised  that  the  playing  of 
golf,  cricket,  and  football  in  Roseburn  Park  be  delayed  till  the  autumn 
months.  With  reference  to  Inverleith  Park,  he  suggested  the  formation 
of  a  triangular  piece  of  ground  round  the  proposed  site  of  the  Kinloch. 
Anderson  sun-dial,  laid  out  in  an  ornamental  manner,  besides  other 
minor  improvements.  The  committee  approved  generally  of  the  report, 
and  gave  authority  for  the  works  reoommended,  which  will  cost 
about  £500. 
