193 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
August  28,  1902. 
Missouri  Botanical  Garden. 
The  thirteenth  report  of  the  garden  has  been  issued.  It 
contains  the  reports  of  the  director  and  the  officers  of  the  Boaid , 
also  an  exhaustive  illustrated  scientific  paper  on  the  Yuccese,  by 
Dr.  Trelease.  The  number  of  species  and  varieties  of  plants  now 
cultivated  in  this  garden  is  9,967.  The  number  of  visitors  during 
1901  reached  a  total  of  91,262. 
Appointments. 
Mr.  James  Williams,  for  the  past  four  years  general  foreman 
at  Skelton  Castle,  the  residence  of  W.  H.  A.  Wharton,  Esq., 
M.F.H.,  has  been  appointed  head  gardener  to  Col.  Chaloner, 
Guisborough  Abbey,  Guisborough,  Yorks.  *  *  Mr.  Charles 
H.  Buck,  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens,  Chiswick, 
as  representative  in  the  north  of  England  and  in  Scotland,  to 
Messrs.  Wm.  Bull  and  Son,  nurserymen,  King’s  Road,  Chelsea. 
Gladioli  from  Langport 
From  Messrs.  Kelway  and  Son,  of  Langport,  we  have  received 
some  magnificent  spikes  of  Gladioli,  in  the  following  varieties  . 
W.  Newoombe,  flowers  of  enormous  size  (6in  either  way),  and 
coloured  a  lovely  salmon-pink  tint,  very  distinct  and  charming; 
Taunton  Deane,  strong  blooms,  close-set  spike,  colour  bright 
crimson-carmine,  with  yellowish  throat ;  Shazada,  a  good  ama¬ 
ranth-purple  Gladiolus,  but  rather  loose-built  spike;  Lady 
Wimborne,  broad,  and  finely-arranged  spike,  flowers  large,  even, 
and  beautifully  opened,  colour  white,  faintly  suffused  with 
lilac-purple,  and  lias  a  bright  purple-lined  throat ;  Mayoi  of 
Swansea,  form  rather  “  raked,”  blooms  good,  and  coloured  deep 
scarlet,  with  tea-shaded  throat ;  lastly,  Air.  Hobhouse,  one  of  the 
best  in  every  way,  a  charming  rose-crimson  variety. 
Scottish  Appointment. 
Mr.  William  Wiliamson,  Tarvit,  Cupar-Fife,  has  been  ap¬ 
pointed  horticultural  lecturer  for  the  East  of  Scotland  Agri¬ 
cultural  College,  Edinburgh.  Mr.  Williamson  has  occupied  the 
position  of  head  gardener  of  Mr.  J.  Home  Rigg  of  Tarvit  for  the 
past  thirty  years.  He  has  been  a  very  successful  horticulturist, 
as  shown  by  his  successes  at  the  Dundee  and  Edinburgh  exhibi¬ 
tions,  taking  the  leading  fruit  prizes  at  Dundee  for  many  years. 
He  enters  on  his  new  sphere  of  labour  in  November,  which  com¬ 
prises  visiting  and  lecturing  throughout  the  twelve  counties 
associated  with  the  college,  the  subjects  of  lecture  being  varied 
to  suit  the  circumstances  of  the  different  districts.  Air.  M  illiam- 
son  is  the  author  of  two  important  volumes,  viz. :  “  The  Horti¬ 
cultural  Handbook,”  and  “  The  British  Gardener.” 
The  Law  as  to  the  Usa  of  Barbed  Wire. 
Inquiries  which  reach  us  from  time  to  time  would  go  to  show 
that  many  of  our  readers  are  not  aware  of  the  existence  of  an 
Act  of  Parliament  under  which  the  use  of  barbed  wire  for  fences 
along  public  roads,  streets,  or  other  thoroughfares,  leaves  the 
owner  open  to  action  for  damages  for  any  injuries  caused  by 
such  wire.  For  the  information  of  those  of  our  readers  who 
may  not  be  already  cognisant  of  its  existence,  we  may  mention 
that  under  this  Act  it  is  provided  that  :  Whereon  land  adjoining 
a  highway  a  fence  is  made  with  barbed  wire,  or  in  or  on  which 
barbed  wire  has  been  placed,  and  such  barbed  wire  is  a  nuisance 
to  such  highway,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  local  authority  to 
serve  notice  in  writing  upon  the  occupier  of  such  land,  requiring 
him  within  a  time  therein  stated  (not  to  be  less  than  one  month 
nor  more  than  six  months  after  the  date  of  the  notice)  to  abate 
such  nuisance.  If  on  the  expiration  of  the  time  stated1  in  the 
notice  the  occupier  shall  have  failed  to  comply  therewith,  it  shall 
be  lawful  for  the  local  authority  to  apply  to  a  court  of  summary 
jurisdiction,  and  such  court,  if  satisfied  that  the  said  barbed 
wire  is  a  nuisance  to  such  highway,  may  by  summary  order 
direct  the  occupier  to  abate  such  nuisance ;  and  on  his  failure 
to  comply  with  such  order  within  a  reasonable  time  the  local 
authority  may  do  whatever  may  be  necessary  in  execution  of  the 
order,  and  recover  in  a  summary  manner  the  expenses  incurred 
in  connection  therewith. 
Our  Fruit  and  Bulb  Number. 
On  the  25th  of  next  month  (September),  which  is  the  earliest 
issue  after  the  great  Crystal  Palace  fruit  show  of  which  we  hope 
to  have  a  full  and  interesting  report,  the  Journal  of  Horticulture 
will  be  devoted  to  articles  on,  and  illustrations  of,  bulbs  and 
also  fruit  culture.  Fruit  and  bulbs  will  thus  both  receive  a 
goodly  share  of  attention,  and  we  can  promise  a  very  useful  and 
attractive  number.  The  text  and  the  illustrations  will  be  of  a 
special  nature.  If  our  readers  can  add  to  the  interest  of  the 
issue  by  sending  notes  for  the  Readers’  Views’  page  or  other 
department,  we  shall  appreciate  their  efforts. 
Cassell’s  Dictionary  of  Gardening. 
This  useful  publication  has  now  reached  the  16th  part,  and 
maintains  the  excellence  in  point  of  illustrations  which  we  noted 
at  the  start.  The  condensed  form  of  description  is  somewhat  of 
a  trouble  till  one  practises  from  the  pages,  but  one  must  not 
grumble,  seeing  each  part  is  furnished  for  seven  bawbees  apiece. 
In  dealing  with  the  genus  Prunus,  which  includes  the  Apricot, 
Plum,  Cherry,  Peach,  and  Nectarine,  the  editor  (Walter  P. 
Wright)  places  each  of  the  species  with  their  botanical  name 
under  the  English  appellation.  Thus  under  Plums,  is  placed  all 
the  species  of  this  fruit,  as  the  Cherry  Plum,  the  Cocomilla 
Plum,  the  true  Plum,  the  Bullace,  and  so  on.  Garden  varieties 
of  Prunus  communis,  the  true  or  common  Plum,  of  course  come 
under  the  English  name.  To  those  who  understand  the  plan, 
and  all  should  be  able  to,  the  arrangement  will  find  favour. 
This  part  carries  the  work  up  to,  and  includes  part  of  the 
dictionary  of  the  Rose. 
The  Year,  1901. 
As  affecting  vegetation  the  weather  was  chiefly  remarkable 
for  the  scanty  rainfall  during  the  growing  period  of  the  year. 
The  deficiency,  says  Ed.  Alawley,  in  his  “  Report  on  the  Pheno- 
logical  Observations,”  was  not  confined  to  any  part  of  the  British 
Isles,  but  was  more  keenly  felt  in  the  English  counties  than  in 
either  Scotland  or  Ireland.  Wild  plants  came  into  flower  very 
late,  but  not  quite  as  late  as  in  the  previous  year,  which  was 
an  exceptionally  backward  one.  The  swallow,  cuckoo,  and  other 
spring  migrants  were,  as  a  rule,  rather  behind  their  usual  dates 
in  reaching  these  islands.  The  crops  of  Wheat,  Barley,  and  Oats 
were  all  more  or  less  above  average  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
On  the  other  hand,  in  England,  although  there  was  a  fair  yield 
of  Wheat,  that  of  Barley  and  Oats  was  very  deficient.  Hay 
proved  everywhere  a  small  crop,  and  especially  so  in  the  southern 
districts  of  England.  Beans,  Peas,  Turnips,  Swedes,  and  Pota¬ 
toes  were  mostly  under  average  in  England,  but  either  good  or 
fairly  good  elsewhere.  The  yield  of  Hops  proved  singularly 
abundant.  Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums  wrere  nearly  everywhere 
below  average,  especially  Apples,  but  the  small  fruits,  as  a  rule, 
yielded  well.  Taking  farm  and  garden  crops  together,  seldom 
has  there  been  in  England  a  less  bountiful  year. 
Tree  Planting  in  Shedden  Park,  Kelso 
With  a  foresight  recognised  in  all  their  business  dealings, 
Messrs.  Laing  and  Mather,  the  King’s  nurserymen  and  seedsmen 
of  Kelso,  set  about  some  time  ago  selecting  some  of  their  finest 
standard  ornamental  trees,  planting  them  in  suitable  tubs  to 
be  in  readiness  for  the  demand  expected  to  occur  amongst  their 
clients  in  planting  commemorative  Coronation  trees,  or  “King’s” 
trees.  With  a  generosity  also  characteristic  of  the  firm,  Messrs. 
Laing  and  Alather  cordially  offered  some  fourteen  of  the  finest 
of  these  trees  to  the  trustees  of  Shedden  Park,  to  plant  in  suit¬ 
able  vacancies  around  the  park ;  also  to  x’eplace  some  fallen 
monarchs  that  fell  in  the  terrible  gale  of  December  14,  1900. 
The  trustees  very  readily  accepted  the  offer,  and  these  trees, 
now  permanently  planted,  being  tall  and  well  grown,  are  already 
an  ornament  to  the  park ;  but  very  shortly  their  beauty  and 
utility  will  be  greatly  enhanced  as  they  increase  in  size  and 
shade.  Amongst  the  trees  we  were  pleased  to  notice  that  some 
of  the  graceful  white  Birches  (Betula,  alba)  were  included,  also 
the  wide  spreading,  symmetrical  bee-loving  Limes  or  Linden 
trees  (Tilia  vulgaris),  also  the  gorgeous  varied-hued  Sycamores, 
Maples,  or  Acers,  so  well  known  for  their  autumnal  effect.  But 
the  “King  of  the  Forest”  amongst  trees  was  not  omitted;  and, 
in  compliance  with  the  express  wish  of  the  King  for  com¬ 
memorative  Oak  trees  to  be  planted  in  public  parks  in  com¬ 
memoration  of  the  historic  event,  a  specimen  of  the  British  Oak 
(Quercus  pedunculata)  was  given  a  prominent  place,  and  which 
will  be  afterwards  known  as  “  The  King’s  Tree.” 
