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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  23,  1902. 
Appointment. 
Mr.  C.  H.  Holloway,  late  head  gardener,  Kilmeston  Manor, 
Alresford,  as  head  gardener  to  the  Right  Hon.  Lord  Aberdare, 
Longwood,  "Winchester. 
Horticultural  Teaching  in  Scotland. 
The  Dundee  and  Brough ty  Ferry  district'  (Forfar)  have 
taken  the  lead  for  years  past  in  providing  instruction  in  horti¬ 
culture  by  means  of  lectures.  The  first  of  a  course  of  lectures 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Technical  Education  Committee  and 
the  Dundee  Horticultural  Association  was  given  in  the  Grove 
Academy  on  the  loth  inst.  The  lecturer  was  Mr.  Robert  Dow, 
Longforgan,  who  had  for  his  subject  “  Our  Common  Mushrooms, 
and  How  to  Know  Them.” 
A  Nursery  Decision. 
The  following  note  from  the  American  “  Florists’  Exchange  ” 
is  interesting: — “At  San  Jose,  California,  the  superior  court 
recently  rendered  a  decision  and  judgment,  which  makes  it  obliga¬ 
tory  on  a  nurseryman  to  sell  fruit  trees  that  will  grow,  bear  fruit, 
and  approach  a  general  standard.  About  a  year  ago,  L.  P. 
Brackett,  a  fruit  grower  of  Santa  Clara  County,  bought  some 
Prune  trees  of  M.  Martens  and  set  out  three  acres.  After  three 
years  of  care  and  culture,  the  trees,  which  never  had  made  but  a 
moderate  growth,  died.  Suit  was  brought  against  the  nursery¬ 
man  for  damages,  and  the  judgment  rendered  is  for  $1,500. 
The  suit  turned  on  the  word  ‘  merchantable.”  Expert  testimony 
was  furnished  to  show  what  a  fruit  tree  must  be  to  reach  the 
standard  expected  by  the  law.  The  court  decided  that  any  person 
who  is  deceived  into  buying  trees  that  only  cumber  the  ground, 
but  never  thrive  or  bear  fruit,  is  entitled  to  be  recompensed  to 
the  actual  amount  of  the  loss  sustained.  The  above  clipping  sets 
one  thinking.  The  court’s  decision,  inasmuch  as  it  relates  to  a 
person’s  being  deceived  into  buying  trees,  &c.,  is  sound  ;  but  from 
what  appears  in  the  clipping  it  is  not  clear  that  the  seller  of  the 
Prune  trees  deceived  the  buyer.  That  it  took  three  years  for  the 
trees  to  die  ought  to  be  good  proof  that  they  were  in  a  pretty 
good  condition  when  planted.  Too  much  depends  on  circum¬ 
stances  of  soil,  situation,  moisture  and  general  treatment,  to 
make  it  safe  for  a  nurseryman  to  obligate  himself  ‘  to  sell  fruit 
trees  that  will  grow,  bear  fruit,  and  approach  a  general  standard.’” 
Appointment  to  Mr,  T.  R.  Sim. 
Mr.  T.  R.  Sim,  who  was  recently  voted  a  grant  of  £250  by  the 
Cape  Government  for  a  work  on  Forest  Flora,  is  the  eldest  son 
of  the  late  Mr.  John  Sim,  Gateside,  Strachan,  Aberdeenshire. 
He  received  an  excellent  education  at  Aberdeen  Grammar  School, 
on  the  completion  of  which  he  obtained  a  splendid  training  in  his 
adopted  profession  at  Kew  Botanic  Gardens,  London.  About 
fourteen  years  ago  he  left  Banchory,  and  was  fortunate  in  securing 
an  appointment  as  curator  of  the"  Botanic  Gardens,  King 
William’s  Town,  where  in  the  new  field  opened  up  to  him  he 
gradually  acquired  an  extensive  and  varied  knowledge  of  his 
pursuit  as  relating  to  Cape  Colony.  His  work  on  “  The  Ferns  of 
South  Africa  ”  is  regarded  as  the  standard  work  on  the  subject, 
and  many  other  valuable  contributions,  including  a  handbook  of 
“  Ka.ffrarian  Ferns,”  have  earned  for  him  a  high  place  in  his 
profession.  His  latest  work,  the  value  of  which  as  already  stated, 
has  been  recognised  in  a  tangible  way  by  the  Government  grant 
of  £250,  is  on  Forest  Flora,  and  is  received  as  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  science.  Some  time  ago  he  was  given  an  Important 
Government  appointment  in  the  Forestry  Department,  where  he 
gained  great  distinction,  and  was  repeatedly  promoted,  and  only 
recently  the  Government,  which  for  some  time  has  had  under 
consideration  the  future  management  of  the  forests,  and  the  lay¬ 
ing  out  of  new  plantations  in  Natal,  made  an  offer  to  Mr.  Sim  of 
the  responsible  position  of  Conseiwator  of  the  Forests  in  Natal, 
and  which  Mr.  Sim  has  now  accepted.  As  a  scientist,  Mr.  Sim 
has  risen  to  a  position  of  great  eminence,  and  to-day  is  recognised 
as  one  of  the  foremost  botanists  in  South  Africa.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  London  ;  the  Linnaean  Society, 
&c.  Before  leaving  for  South  Africa  it  may  be  reoalle_d  he  was 
the  jubilee  gold  medal  essayist  of  the  North  of  Scotland  Horti¬ 
cultural  Association.  In  South  Africa  he,  at  an  early  stage,  was 
successful  in  winning  the  first  prize  for  an  essay  on  irrigation, 
being  one  of  the  series  of  comnetitions  inaugurated  by  Cecil 
Rhodes,  who  was  Premier  at  the  time. 
The  Scottish  Heather  in  Canada. 
One  of  the  most  interesting  emigrants  from  Scotland  last 
year  w*as  a  plant  of  Scottish  Heather,  transported  root  and 
branch  with  the  object  of  founding  a  new  colony  in  Canada.  It 
was  sent  by  Mr.  Eliot,  of  Goldenacre,  snugly  packed  in  a  special 
case  with  special  precautions  to  ensure  its  safe  arrival ;  and  Mr. 
Henderson,  the  Town  Clerk  of  Ottawa,  who  acted  as  emigration 
agent  at  the  other  side,  now  writes  to  say  that  the  newcomer  has 
justified  its  hardy  upbringing.  There  need  be  no  fear  but  the 
Heather  will  stand  the  rigour  of  a  Canadian  winter.  It  needs 
no  encouragement. 
Begonia  Flowers  from  Norwood. 
No  firm  in  or  around  London  has  done  more  to  exhibit  the 
merits  of  the  tuberous  Begonia  in  its  varied  colours  than  Messrs. 
John  Peed  and  Son,  of  Roupell  Park  Nurseries,  South  Norwood. 
During  the  wreek  the  Messrs.  Peed  sent  to  us  a  selection  of  blooms 
picked  from  plants  grown  all  summer,  and  growing  still,  in  the 
open.  Even  now,  the  third  wmek  in  October,  these  flowers 
measure  Sin  across,  are  stout  and  dense  in  substance,  smooth, 
even,  and  well  opened,  and,  lastly,  possessing  remarkably  fine 
colours.  The  varieties  are  orange,  scarlet,  white,  crimson,  pink, 
and  salmon.  The  best  effect  with  these  is  obtained  by  harmonising 
colours  that  are  nearly  alike. 
Orchards. 
To  the  townsman  there  is  nothing  about  a  farm  of  greater 
charm  than  the  orchards,  which  are  very  beautiful  when  covered 
by  their  snowy  blossom,  and  again,  later,  when  drooping  below 
a  load  of  purple  and  golden  fruitage.  Few  townsmen  know  how 
gloriously  beautiful  are  the  orchards  of  Somerset  and  Devon  in 
late  September,  for  few  make  holiday  then;  but  those  who  do 
for  once,  have  alwrays  in  their  memory  pictures  of  heavy-fruited 
orchards,  trees  laden  with  fruit  of  rich  red  and  gold,  and  heaps 
abundant  beneath  the  old  gnarled  trees  of  ruddy  glowing  Apples, 
like  sparkling  fires  among  the  grass.  It  is  generally  granted  that 
fruit  trees  are  ornamental  as  well  as  useful.  Could  they  not  be 
planted  more  frequently  in  shrubberies? 
The  New  Riviera. 
Messrs.  Elder,  Dempster,  and  Co.  have  adopted  the  above 
heading  in  advertising  their  Jamaica  hotels  and  the  Imperial 
Direct  West  India  Mail  Service,  which  the  firm  established  at 
the  beginning  of  last  year.  This  title  for  Jamaica  is  likely  to 
attract  attention  from  those  in  the  habit  of  visiting  the  Riviera, 
and  a  change  of  programme  for  the  winter  and  early  spring 
months  would  be  found  beneficial  to  frequenters  of  “  the  sunny 
South.”  Too  muph  is  not  olaimed  by  any  means  in  the  classifi¬ 
cation,  by  name,  of  the  beauties  and  health-giving  properties 
of  Jamaica,  for  that  land  of  bright  sunshine  in  the  Caribbean 
Sea  provides  the  most  marvellous  and  beautiful  scenery,  and 
every  shade  of  climate  that  man  can  desire.  In  lieu  of  the 
pretty  villas  of  Italy  which  dot  and  relieve  the  landscape,  the 
picturesque  homes  of  the  planters  beautify  the  scenery  of 
Jamaica.  The  new  portion  of  the  Constant  Spring  Hotel  is  to 
be  opened  December  1  with  a  garden  party  and  other  enter¬ 
tainment. 
Notes  from  Beauly,  N.B. 
The  weather  here  is  very  much  of  a  piece  with  that  of  the 
southern  counties.  The  difference  in  latitude  in  no  appreciable 
degree  can  be  detected  in  any  of  the  general  forms  of  vegetation. 
There  is,  however,  one  natural  feature  which  excels  immensely 
anything  of  the  kind  to  be  met  with  this  season  in  the  southern 
counties,  namely,  the  autumn  tints  in  the  foliage.  I,  to-day, 
stood  on  a  commanding  eminence  overlooking  the  mammoth 
building  of  Beaufort  Castle^  the  seat  of  Lord  Lovat.  It  lies  on 
the  banks  of  the  river  Beauly,  in  an  extensive  basin,  probably, 
where  in  former  ages  the  waters  of  the  Firth  of  that  name  lashed 
their  waves  against  the  encompassing  walls  of  Nature’s  muni¬ 
tions.  This  extensive,  undulating  area  is  more  or  less  covered 
with  forest  trees,  comprising  all  kinds,  and  consequently  all 
shades,  from  the  deep  red  of  C’ornus  sanguineum  to  the  soft 
primrose  of  the  weeping  Birch  and  emerald  green  of  Quercus. 
I  do  not  remember  of  ever  seeing  a  more  pleasing  prospect,  and 
truly  a  visit  to  this  part  of  the  Highlands,  is  worth  the  expense 
and  time  it  entails. 
