January  14,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
31 
Devonshire  Horticulture. 
Mr.  Berry  write.s:  "Re  page  7  of  January  7  is.sne,  ‘Mr. 
Berry  lias  been  assisted  by  an  extra  lecturer,  Mr.  Huntley,  of 
Somerset  C.C.,’  should  be  ‘of  Dor.set  C.C.’  ” 
Horticultuie  in  Prussia. 
The  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Horticulture  in  this 
portion  of  Germany  will  bold  its  great  annual  exhibition  in  the 
Bernburgerstrasse  from  April  29  to  May  8  next.  Communica¬ 
tions  .should  be  addressed  to  the  Secretary,  Berlin  N.  4, 
Invalidenstra.s.se  42,  Germany. 
Metropolitan  Public  Gardens  Association. 
The  officers  who  so  ably  manage  this  most  useful  institution 
are  making  an  appeal  for  funds  in  order  to  carry  on  their  work. 
What  that  work  is  we  hardly  need  to  explain,  for  the  monthly 
reports  of  its  transactions  are  generally  printed  in  our  pages. 
The  secretaries  addre.ss  is  83,  Lancaster  Gate,  London,  W. 
Protheroe  and  Morris’s  Register. 
We  have  received  from  Messrs.  Protheroe  and  IMorris,  horti¬ 
cultural  and  general  auctioneers,  land  and  estate  agents,  of 
67  and  68,  Cheap.side,  London,  E.C.,  their  January  Register  of 
nurseries,  market  gardens,  farms,  flori.sts’  .seed  businesses,  and 
partnerships  to  be  let  or  sold. 
The  Small  Holdings  Act. 
The  Board  of  Agriculture  have  recently  issued  a  return 
shonung,  from  the  introduction  of  the  Small  Holdings  Act, 
1892,  to  December  31,  1902,  the  extent  to  which  local  authorities 
utilised  their  powers  under  the  Act  for  the  acquisition  of  land. 
During  this  period  of  somewhat  over  ten  years,  eight  County 
Councils  in  England  and  one  in  Scotland  h.ave  acquired  under 
the  Act  land  amounting  in  all  to  653  acres.  Of  this  area,  32 
acres  have  since  been  relinquished,  while  248  acres  have  been, 
sold,  and  373  acres  let  to  small  holders.  The  average  cost  per 
acre  of  the  purchase  of  land  by  the  local  authorities  for  the 
purpo.se  of  small  holdings,  omitting  the  transactions  in  London, 
varied  fi-om  about  £14  in  Ross  and  Cromarty,  and  £23  in  Cam- 
bridge.shire,  to  £70  in  Devon,  the  average  of  449  acres  pur- 
cha.sed  being  nearly  £36.  An  average  amount  of  ai^proximately 
£2  per  acre  has  been  spent  by  the  County  Councils  in  the 
adaptation  of  the  land  for  small  holdings.  In  two  in.stances 
the  purchasers  of  small  holdings  have  availed  themselves  of 
the  provisions  of  Part  II.  of  the  Act  to  obtain  from  the  County 
Council  an  advance  to  enable  them  to  purcha.se. 
Mr.  A.  D.  Christie. 
After  a  period  extending  for  upwards  of  fourteen  years  as 
head  gardener  to  the  Marquis  of  Hertford,  Ragley  Hall,  War¬ 
wickshire,  Mr.  A.  D.  Christie  severed  his  connection  at  the  end 
of  last  year.  He  was  then  presented  with  a  beautiful  marble 
timepiece,  inscribed:  ‘‘To  A.  D.  Christie,  from  the  Marquis  of 
Hertford,  Christmas,  1903.”  Mr.  Christie’s  fellow  servants  at 
the  Hall,  the  employes  in  the  Gardens,  and  the  members  of  the 
Arrow  and  Ragley  Cricket  Club  (of  which  he  had  been  treasurer 
for  many  years)  presented  him  with  a  valuable  English  lever 
watch,  suitably  engraved,  together  with  a  silver  chain  and 
pendant,  the  latter  being  nicely  engraved.  No  one  was  better 
known  or  more  highly  respected  in  South  Warwickshire,  and  it 
is  pleasing  to  note  that  the  various  horticultural  and  other 
societies  have  recognised  the  valuable  services  .so  cheerfully  and 
willingly  rendered  by  Mr.  Christie  as  judge  at  their  shows,  as 
lecturer  at  their  monthly  meetings,  and  in  a  variety  of  other 
ways.  His  many  friends  in  Alcester  and  district,  at  a  public 
gathering  in  the  Corn  Exchange,  presided  over  by  the  High 
Bailiff  (Mr.  E.  A.  Jephcott),  recently  presented  Mr.  Christie  with 
a  beautiful  illuminated  address  framed  in  oak,  together  with 
a  purse  of  sovereigns.  From  the  passing  of  the  Local  Govern¬ 
ment  Act  until  the  time  of  his  departure,  Mr.  Christie  had  been 
a  member  of  the  Arrow  Parish  Council,  and  in  recognition  of  the 
faithful  manner  in  which  he  had  discharged  his  duties  a  resolution 
was  unanimously  passed  expressing  great  regret  at  his  resigna¬ 
tion,  and  it  was  also  resolved  that  the  .same  should  bo  recorded 
cn  the  minutes  of  the  proceedings.  Mr.  Christie  is  a  thoroughly 
hone.st,  con.scientious,  and  sober  gardener,  and  we  hope  that 
before  long  he  will  obtain  another  appointment.  His  successor 
at  Ragley  is  Mr.  Harding,  for  the  last  eight  years  foreman  at 
the  Rojml  Gardens,  .Sandringham. 
The  Late  Mr.  James  Smith. 
j  We  regret  to  announce  the  death  of  Mr.  James  Smith,  late 
head  gardener  at  Hopetoun,  South  Queensferry,  X.B.,  which 
occurred  on  December  27,  at  Hillview,  Maryfield  Place,  Bonny- 
N.B.  ^Ir.  Smith  was  a  highly  re.spected  Scottish  gardener. 
He  had  suffered  for  a  long  time  from  sciatica,  lumbago,  and 
similar  complaints. 
Brighton  and  Sussex  Horticultural  Society. 
In  the  annual  report,  the  ordinary  members’  list  shows  a 
substantial  increa.se,  which  is  very  gratifying  to  the  committee. 
Ihe  Chrysanthemum  Show  produced  a  profit  of  £15  3.s.  5d.. 
which  is  somewhat  less  than  usual,  but  the  weather,  although 
dry,  was  cold  and  cheerless.  The  working  expenses  of  the  year 
are  about  normal.  It  is  gratifying  nevertheless  to  the  com¬ 
mittee  to  be  able  to  i)i‘esent  a  balance  sheet  showing  a  profit 
on  the  year’s  working  of  £32  12s.  9d.,  and  a  balance  in  the 
hands  of  their  bankers  of  £193  14s.  6d.^  W.  B.  and  G.  ]il. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
The  monthly  committee  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at 
the  Caledonian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  on  Monday 
evening  last,  Mr.  C.  H.  Curtis  in  the  chair.  Seventeen  new 
members  were  elected.  The  death  of  two  members  was  re¬ 
ported  (^Ir.  Charles  Brown  and  Mr.  Henry  Sheppard).  The 
secretary  was  directed  to  pay  the  amounts  standing  to  their 
credit  in  the  society’s  books  to  tbeir  nominees  respectively. 
Three  members  applied  to  be  allowed  to  pay  the  higher  .scale 
of  contribution,  which  was  granted.  Nino  members  were  re¬ 
ported  on  the  sick  fund.  Messrs.  VV.  Gunner  and  T.  H.  Puzey 
were  appointed  to  audit  the  accounts  for  the  past  year. 
A  Small  Holdings  Scheme. 
Mr.  Tomkinson,  IM.P.  for  the  Cuewe  Division  of  Cheshire, 
has  given  his  constituents  some  details  of  a  scheme  promoted 
by  himself.  Professor  Long,  Mr.  Spear,  M.P.,  and  others  for 
bringing  labouring  men  back  to  the  land.  They  formed  an 
association  and  bought  a  derelict  farm  of  365  aci'es  at  Newdi- 
gate  at  £15  an  acre,  with  tithes  incliided.  Comprised  in  the 
liurcha.se  was  an  old  manor  house  with  a  moat  and  some  com¬ 
modious  farm  buildings.  The  land  itself  is  chiefly  fine  old 
pastui-e.  They  advertised  that  they  were  prepared  to  carve  up 
the  farm  and  sell  in  lots  varying  fi-om  three  to  twenty  acres, 
and  to  meet  individual  requirements  by  advancing  part  of  the 
purchase  money.  They  had  .something  like  1,200  applicants, 
and  from  these  selected  twenty-five  whom  they  regarded  as 
most  suitable.  They  will  pay  the  purchase  money  in  ten  years, 
10  per  cent,  being  paid  on  entering.  They  were  also  assisting 
to  erect  cottages  for  certain  of  the  tenants.  These  are  mostly 
people  who  have  made  a  little  money  in  other  occupations,  and, 
having  regard  to  the  fertility  of  the  land,  it  is  thought  that 
they  .should  do  well. 
Diaries  and  Memorandum  Books  for  1904. 
Mesvsrs.  Dobbie  and  Co.,  Rothesay,  present  their  clients  with 
a  neat  “  Memorandum  Book  and  Pocket  Guide  to  Gardening,” 
with  cultural  notes  on  flowers  and  vegetables,  as  well  as  contain¬ 
ing  tables  of  di.stances  at  which  to  plant,  or  quantities  of  seeds 
to  sow ;  and  there  are  hints  on  “  How  to  form  a  Horticultural 
Society  and  get  up  a  Flower  Show.”  *  *  Messrs.  Baker’s, 
seed  merchants,  Wolverhampton,  have  issued  a  neat  diaiy  bound 
in  dark  crimson  leather,  with  a  few  line.s’  space  for  memoranda 
for  each  day  of  the  year.  There  is  also  an  insurance  coupon 
enclosed  for  £1,000.  The  diary  has  a  self-opening  memo-tablet. 
*  *  The  ‘‘  Garden  Life,”  publishes  from  Hatton  House,  Great 
Queen  Street,  London,  an  ‘‘Amateur  Gardener’s  Diaiy  and  Dic¬ 
tionary.”  The  Diary  is  for  the  office,  not  for  the  pocket,  and  its 
object  is  to  point  out  when,  where,  and  how  the  mo.st  popular 
garden  plants  should  be  grown.  Reminders  are  furnished  for 
each  month,  and  there  are  blank  pages  for  notes  on  “  work  done.” 
*  *  “The  Garden  Diary”  (George  Allen,  Ruskin  House,  15(), 
Charing  Cross  Road  ;  cloth,  2s.  6d.  ;  leather,  3s:  6d.  net)  is  a 
book  for  he  or  she  who  would  mellow  the  fragrance  of  the  flowers 
with  the  beauty  of  poetry,  for  each  day  of  the  year  has  a  cho.sen 
verse  all  to  itself.  The  poets  of  times  long  past,  as  well  as  those 
of  the  present,  are  quoted,  and  with  their  names  appear  also  the 
dates  of  their  birth  and  death.  The  verses  occupy'  the  top  half 
of  the  pages,  and  the  space  l)en(‘ath  is  for  ‘‘  garden  and  Nature 
notes.”  We  shonld  add  that  Nature  notes  are  likewi.se  given. 
The  authoress  i-  Ro'e  Kings'ey. 
