572 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
December  18,  1902. 
brought  over  from  last  year ;  the  expenditure  had  been 
£85  19s.  4d.,  which  included  £69  12s.  prize  money  awarded,  a 
balance  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer  of  £6  6s.  8d.  being  earned 
forward.  The  report  and  balance-sheet  were  adopted. 
Some  reductions  of  the  amount  of  prizes  in  several  classes 
was  made  to  the  amount  of  £8  or  thereabouts,  which  appeared 
to  be  a  wise  proceeding  in  view  of  the  present  state  of  the 
society’s  finance.  In  the  course  of  revising  the  schedule  of 
prizes  it  was  announced  that  class  10  for  six  green-edged 
Auriculas,  in  not  less  than  three  varieties,  and  not  more  than 
two  of  one  variety,  would  read  grey-edged  instead  of  green. 
Some  conversation  took  place  as  to  the  pin-eyecl  character 
of  some  of  the  new  varieties  of  Alpines,  and  it  was  reported 
that  on  the  occasion  of  the  Midland  Auricula  Show  at  Birming¬ 
ham  this  year  a.  resolution  was  passed  affirming  the  importance 
of  the  judges  of  Auriculas  asserting  the  old  principle  that  a 
protruding  style  should  be  a  disqualification.  Class  31  was  made 
to  read  instead  of  a  basket  of  Primrose  and  Polyanthus  plants, 
it  should  be  a  collection  staged  on  a  table  space  4ft  by  3ft,  the 
plants  in  or  out  of  pots.  Sir  John  T.  I).  Llewelyn,  Bart.,  was 
re-elected  president;  the  vice-presidents  were  re-elected  also, 
with  the  addition  of  the  name  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Bentley,  Stakehill, 
Manchester;  Messrs.  T.  A.  Wellesley,  J.  Sargent,  and  S.  Mor¬ 
timer  were  elected  on  the  committee,  and  Mr.  T.  E.  Henwood 
re-elected  lion.  sec.  and  treasurer,  with  many  thanks  for  his 
valuable  services  to  the  society.  A  vote  of  thanks  was  passed 
to  the  chairman  for  presiding. 
Newport  (Mon.)  Gardeners’  Association. 
The  usual  meeting  of  the  above  society  was  held  on  Wednes¬ 
day,  December  10,  when  a  most  interesting  and  instructive 
paper  on  “  Insect  Pests  ”  was  read  by  Mr.  Reeves,  head  master 
of  Crindan  Schools.  Mr.  Reeves,  who  is  an  ardent  enthusiast  in 
the  study  of  “  creepy  crawly  ”  things,  dealt  chiefly  with  the 
woolly  aphis,  commonly  calied  American  blight.  He  pointed 
out,  however,  that  it  was  not,  as  commonly  supposed,  imported 
from  America,  but  exported  from  this  country  to  America.  It 
is  easily  distinguished  by  a  woolly  appearance  on  the  growths 
of  the  Apple  tree,  causing  a  cankerous  growth,  and  is  most 
hurtful  to  the  tree.  By  the  winged  females,  which  are  seen 
from  July  to  October,  and  by  the  wind,  the  blight  is  spread 
from  tree  to  tree.  It  also  goes  to  the  roots  of  the  trees  during 
winter.  This  aphis  is  found  all  over  Europe,  not  only  on  Apple 
trees,  but  on  the  young  growths  of  many  forfcst  trees.  In 
America  the  plan  is  being  tried  of  raising  a  stock  of  aphis-re¬ 
sisting  Apple  trees,  as  stocks  for  grafting ;  the  Northern  Spy 
and  Majetin  are  recommended  as  being  suitable  for  that  pur¬ 
pose.  For  the  destruction  of  the  blight  101b  of  quassia,  to  be 
boiled  in  fifty  gallons  of  water,  to  which  add  101b  of  softsoap. 
In  using  add  one  gallon  of  water  to  each  gallon  of  the  liquid. 
The  Pear  midge  was  also  shortly  dealt  with.  A  discussion  fol¬ 
lowed,  in  which  Messrs.  Sharratt,  Kenward,  Basham,  Jones, 
Powell,  and  others  took  part.  A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was 
accorded  Mr.  Reeves  'for  his  able  paper,  which  was  thoroughly 
enjoyed.  Mr.  F.  S.  Daniels  presided  over  a  good  attendance  of 
members. — J.  Pegler. 
CARTER  S  OF  FOREST  HILL. 
Primulas  are  as  much  a  speciality  with  this  firm  at  their 
Forest  Hill  Nursery  in  south-east  London,  as  Cinerarias,  Cal¬ 
ceolarias,  and  Cyclamens  are.  They  have  been  cross  fertilising, 
as  is  necessary  if  progress  is  desired,  and  a  number  of  their 
novelties  are  really  very  promising.  Glancing  at  the  already 
named  varieties,  in  the  first  place  the  following  are  the  more 
remarkable: — Holborn  Carmine,  Holborn  Scarlet,  Princess  May, 
and  Elaine  among  the  singles.  To  the  writer  these  were  certainly 
the  most  pleasing.  Elaine  is  a  Fern-leaved  variety,  with  large 
white  flowers.  Holborn  Blue,  Holborn  Vermilion,  Holborn 
Rose,  Rose  Queen,  Holborn  Carmine,  and  Holborn  Salmon  are 
described  by  their  names.  In  habit  each  differs  very  slightly 
from  its  neighbour,  the  trusses  being  in  all  cases  erect,  handsome, 
well-formed,  and  of  large  size.  Amongst  the  double  varieties  I 
fell  particularly  in  love  with  Vivid,  coloured  a  rich  crimson 
amaranth.  The  trusses  are  very  large.  Aurora  has  decided  pink 
flowers.  Lilac  Queen,  Snowflake,  and  Carmine  Empress  are 
each  first  class  varieties,  the  latter  being  slightly  deeper  in 
colour  than  a  variety  named  Prince  of  Wales,  which  is  rosy 
salmon.  Snowflake  is  pure  white  at  first,  but  becomes  blush- 
pink  as  it  grows  in  age.  Altogether  about  10,000  plants  are 
grown,  and  mostly  in  5in  pots.  At  the  time  of  my  visit,  in  the 
dull  days  of  February,  the  operators  were  actively  manipulating 
the  camel’s-hair  brush  to  pollinate  the  flowers.  Amongst  the 
novelties,  some  of  which  are  likely  to  be  offered  in  commerce  at 
once,  are  various  crosses  between  such  as  the  following :  — 
Holborn  Carmine  x  Hercules,  Hercules  x  Holborn  Blue,  Holborn 
Scarlet  x  Holborn  Vermilion,  Holborn  Blue  with  an  ordinary 
blue  Primrose,  Ruby  x  Hercules,  and  others.  I  need  not  now 
describe  the  results  of  these  crosses,  but  would  add  that  in  most 
cases  the  novelties  are  very  fine,  and  represent  new  combina¬ 
tions  of  colour.  The  flowers  have  been  increased  in  size  and 
substance.  A  new  variety,  named  King  Edward  VII.  (Elaine  x 
Bouquet),  is  a  most  beautiful  sort,  with  splendid  large  flowers 
of  a  spotless  white.  The  petals  are  nicely  fringed  and  the  foliage 
is  very  robust.  This  is  a  single  flowered  Primula,  but  its  com¬ 
panion  is  here  also,  bearing  the  title  Princess  of  Wales  (a  double), 
having  a  white  ground  speckled  with  rose.  Carter’s  Brilliant 
Prize  Cinerarias  were  promising  most  satisfactorily. 
A  Curious  Chair. 
One  of  the  most  wonderful  pieces  of  furniture  in  the  world, 
a  vegetable  chair  grown  from  a  single  seed,  is  in  the  possession 
of  a  Mr.  T.  P.  Lukens,  of  Pasadena,  California.  A  gardener  in 
Korea  planted  a  seed  of  the  Gingko  tree  about  twenty-six  years 
ago.  It  grew  into  a  creeper,  which  the  gardener  set  about  to 
fashion  by  ingenious  twistings,  compressions,  and  trainings  into 
an  arm-chair,  much  pruning  and  binding  being  necessary  before 
his  object  was  accomplished.  The  chair  w  eighs  more  than  1001b, 
and  is  even  hardier,  sturdier,  and  more  imperishable  than  oak. 
It  is  5ft  Jin  high  and  25in  wide.  The  bark  has  been  removed, 
and  the  surface  has  taken  a  rich  polish.  The  Gingko  tree  was  one 
of  the  earliest  types  of  vegetation  to  appear  on  the  globe,  extend¬ 
ing  far  back  into  the  cretaceous  period. — (“  Sun.”) 
The  Brown  Beurre  Pear. 
A  variety  one  can  highly  commend,  not,  perhaps,  for  hand¬ 
some  appearance,  but  as  a  richly  flavoured,  juicy,  melting  dessert 
Pear,  and  though  lacking,  in  our  experience,  in  sugariness,  it  is, 
nevertheless,  a  fine  eating  fruit.  Our  illustration  depicts  the 
appearance  of  a  typical  fruit,  looked  at  from  the  side.  The  Pear 
is  generally  about  3in.  long  by  2Jin.  broad.  The  skin  is  tough 
and  moderately  thick,  not  smooth,  bronzy-brown  in  colour,  and 
speckled  with  tiny  dots  of  a  lighter  colour.  The  eye  is  set  con¬ 
siderably  to  one  side  in  a  shallow  basin.  The  Pear  is  firm  and 
solid,  a  good  keeper,  and  good  traveller.  To  grow  it  well,  it 
requires  a  wall,  bearing  freely  as  a  cordon. — Ed. 
Brown  Beurre  does  not  rank  among  the  higher  favoured 
exhibition  sorts,  though  all  the  same  a  most  dependable  Pear.  Its 
name  implies  its  skin  colour ;  its  size  is  medium,  its  cropping 
qualities  most  regular  as  an  open  air  tree,  and  quality  distinctly 
commendable.  These  are  all-round  attributes  that  cannot  be 
attached  to  every  good  Pear.  It  is  said  to  be  a  very  old  variety, 
and  is  certainly  one  deserving  of  better  acquaintance.  It  is 
distinguishable  in  the  greenness  of  the  flesh  immediately  beneath 
he  skin.— W.  S. 
The  Brown  Beurre  Pear. 
