358 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  28,  1904. 
the  home.  Fuclisia  Countess  of  Aberdeen  is  liberally  Lnomi 
and  Pteris  Alexandi'a  furnishes  a  good  fein,  either  for  cutti  ig 
Irom  or  for  other  purposes. 
The  Greenhouse,  Kew. 
The  greenhouse  in  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  ))eing  a  model 
in  the  variety  and  beauty  of  its  collection  of  plants,  can  furnish 
an  interesting  and  useful  paragrapli  at  all  seasons.  The  sub- 
jt'Cts  now  abloom  comprise  all  that  are  commonly  to  be  found 
in  average  greenhouses  and  conservatories  of  private  gardens, 
together  with  some  that  are  not.  It  is  the  rule  at  Kew  to  try 
new  plants,  that  is,  plants  which  have  for  a  time  been  over¬ 
looked  and  neglected,  and,  having  agreed  upon  .something  a 
little  out  of  the  common  line  ;  and  to  cultivate  a  sufficiently 
numerous  batch  to  make  a  brave  display.  High  culture  is 
aimed  at,  and,  excejit  in  a  few  instances,  I  think  the  men  in 
charge  succeed  exceedingly  well.  The  sy.stem  of  arranging  the 
plants  in  batches  (advocated  sixty  years  ago  liy  Loudon  as  the 
best  and  truest  to  the  laws  that  govern  art  and  beauty),  by 
themselves,  with  perhaps  another  batch,  eitlier  of  taller  or 
dwarfer  plants,  intermixed  for  a  contrast,  is  one  which  affords 
a  practical  le.sson  to  us  all. 
To  the  plants,  then,  and  the  following  might  be  named: — 
Arctotis  aspera,  6ft  high,  with  seven  to  eight  shoots,  ter¬ 
minating  in  clusters  of  the  richest  orange  composite  flowers:  a 
splendid  greenhouse  subject  ;  Scutellaria  mociniana,  with  deep 
scarlet  labiate  flowers;  Tetratheca  pilosa,  with  showers  of 
mauve  flowers,  an  illusti'ation  of  wliich  appeared  in  the  Journal 
for  May  30,  1901. 
Another  mauve-purple  flowered  gem  is  Erica  propendens, 
wliich  has  come  prominently  to  the  front.  Lathyrus  pubescens, 
with  blue  flowers  fi'eely  pi’oduced,  comes  from  Chili,  and  fur¬ 
nishes  an  admirable  climber  for  the  root.  Planted  out  in  a 
border  under  the  stage,  the  plants  have  made  10ft  of  growth. 
Also  on  the  roof  is  Clianthus  Dampieri,  Lonicera  sempervirens 
(Trumpet  Honeysuckle),  and  Fuchsias.  Crowea  angustifolia, 
with  five-pet  ailed,  pink  flowers,  is  repre.sentative  of  an  order  of 
plants  that  furnish  many  liorticultural  favourites,  and  one  of 
the  Myrtaceae  is  seen  in  Darwinia  Hookeriana,  with  reddish- 
ctiestnut  pendant  blossoms.  Azalea  indica  Illuminator  is  a 
single  variety  of  the  highest  excellence,  the  bright  magenta-rose 
of  the  corolla  being  very  beautiful  and  effective.  Polygala 
myrtifolia  grandiflora  is  a  fine  old  subject — at  least,  the  type  is  ; 
and  the  odorous-leaved  Agathosma  rugosa,  with  'dull "  white 
flowers,  is  also  an  ancient  friend.  Regonia  echinosepala  may  be 
compared  to  B.  Haageana  or  B.  incarnata.  It  flourishes  in  the 
cool  greenhouse,  and  makes  a  ma.ssive  resplendent  plant.  A  few 
.sweetly-colon-red  (primrose-yellow)  Auriculas,  named  “  Queen 
Alexandra,”  on  a  corner  of  one  stage,  deserve  notice,  while  the 
lovely  gra.ss  which  has  been  specially  mentioned  in  tliese  pages 
in  a  recent  issue,  and  named  Arrhenatherum  eiianthum,  pre¬ 
sents  an  exquisite  scene  beneath  Dielytra  spectabilis.  Funkia 
ovata  aureo-variegata  as  an  edge-plant  niay  be  noticed,  and 
numerous  displays  of  Spiraeas — \'an  Houttei,  confusa,  japonica 
-are  eunployed.  The  Amaryllis  are  very  fine,  and  fill  one  of 
the  eiuls  Acacia  pulchella  and  A.  armata  are  both  specially 
hne,  aiuf  a  large  Rhododendron,  brought  in  from  the  open, 
almost  fills  a  centre  bed.  The  new  Corydalis  thalictrifolia  as  a 
pot  or  basket  plant  is  uncommonly  successful.— AVandep.ing 
- ♦ - 
NOTES 
Lord  Redesdale. 
We  are  informed  by  the  secretary  to  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  that  Lord  Redesdale  has  been  awarded  the  Victoria 
Medal  of  Honour  in  horticulture.  He  is  the  late.st  recipient 
of  it. 
Narcissi  from  Tilg-ate,  Crawley. 
Owing  to  the  ci’owded  nature  of  the  Drill  Hall  and  pressure 
of  work  at  the  exhibition  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on 
April  19th,  our  reporter  omitted  to  notice  the  collection  of 
Daffodils  .staged  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Xix  (gardener,  E.  Neal),  from  the 
gardens  at  Tilgate  House,  Crawley,  and  which  received  a  silver 
Flora  medal. 
Re-afToresting  of  the  Black  Country. 
A  large  and  successful  gathering,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
IMidland  Re-afforesting  Association,  was  held  on  Thursday, April 
21,  in  the  Town  Hall,  Wednesbury,  for  the  purpose  of  hearing 
an  address  from  IMr.  P.  E.  !Martineau,  on  “  The  Re-afforesting 
of  the  Black  Countiy.”  At  the  close  of  the  address  a  committee 
to  assist  the  Midland  Re-affore.station  Association  was  formed. 
The  T-range,  Kew. 
Among  the  interesting  plants  in  flower  here  are  Erica 
coccinea,  Tritonia  speciosa,  Scilla  peruviana,  Brodiaea  .si^eciosa, 
Anoiganthus  breviflorus,  and  Ornithogalum  arabicum.  These 
are  in  the  Cape-house.  In  the  warm  houses  are  Gesnera  car- 
dinalis  (red)  and  G.  regina  (violet-blue).  Physostelma  Wallichi, 
Avith  palest  creamy  flowers  like  those  of  a  Hoya,  is  on  the  roof ; 
while  the  evil-smelling  Dracontium  gigas,  ivith  chocolate-red 
.spathe,  Avas  opening  on  Saturday  last  in  the  Victoria  Regia 
house.  The  bed  for  the  reception  of  the  latter  has  been  built, 
and  the  plant  Avill  shortly  be  planted.  Cochliostema  Jacobian.i  , 
Avith  bnght,  shoAvj',  blue  floAvers,  is  very  rarely  met  Avith  .’a 
cultivation. 
Royal  Hopticultupal  Society. 
The  next  fruit  and  floAver  shoAv  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  Avill  be  held  on  Tuesday,  May  3rd,  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  Gate,  We.stminster,  1.5  p.m.  At  three  o’clock  a 
paper  on  ”  Enemies  of  the  Apple  Tree,”  by  Mons.  Chas.  Baltet, 
Avill  be  read.  At  a  general  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  held  on  Tuesday,  April  19th,  51  iieAV  FelloAA's  Avere 
elected,  making  a  total  of  498  elected  since  January  1. 
The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Redesdale  has  been  compelled  to  resign 
his  seat  on  the  council  of  the  society  oAving  to  illness  in  his 
family  nece.ssitating  his  absence  from  England.  The  council 
have  elected  AV.  A.  Bilney,  Esq.,  of  Fir  Grange,  Weybridge,  to 
the  seat  on  the  council  thus  vacated  by  his  lord.ship. 
The  Small  Holdings  Association,  Ltd. 
An  estate  has  been  acquired  knoAvn  as  CudAvorth,  near  th 
pretty  village  of  NeAvdigate,  in  Surrey,  and  about  2i  miles  froi 
HolniAA’ood  Station  (Avhich  is  31  miles  from  London  Bridge  air 
V  ictoria),  6  miles  from  the  market  toAvn  of  Dorking,  8  mile 
market  town  of  Horsham  on  the  mid-Sussex  line  t 
liiighton,  vVorthing,  Bognor,  and  other  important  seasid 
toAvns,  6  miles  from  Horley,  and  8  miles  from  Redhill  on  th 
main  line  from  London  to  Brighton.  It  has  been  acquired  fo 
the  purpose  of  supplying  small  holdings  of  land  to  selectei 
pel  sons  Avho  intend  to  live  upon  and  cultivate  it,  and  areas  o 
from  3  to  2o  acres  in  extent  are  noAv  offered  for  sale.  The  lam 
i^s  chiefly  first-rate  grass  on  a  clay  loam,  and  is  specially  suitabl 
tor  garden  farming,  a  stream  running  right  through  the  pro 
perty.  there  is,  hoAvever,  some  excellent  arable  land  .still  fo 
are  required  to  pay  doAvn  10  per  cent  of  th 
’  1 balance  in  half-yearly  instalments  extendinj 
interest  at  5  per  cent., when  the  pro 
peity  Avill  become  their  ab.soliite  freehold.  Buyers  of  the  large 
wldcb  w  V?  If the  excellent  farm  buildings 
+1  r  iijlotted  to  them  at  a  nominal  annual  rental.  Tin 
Lee  of  thereabouts 
Lee  of  law  charges,  and  on  the  area  purcha.sed  buvers  ar, 
required  to  pay  the  cost  of  the  cultivation  where  the  lam 
and  rMes^  K  "1’  ^^ith  the  tith. 
the  ici^t'^^  v  p  App  ications  .should  be  hiade  t< 
vne  secictaiy,  CudAvorth  Manor,  NeAvdigate.  Siirrev. 
Elementary  School  Gardens  for  Warwickshire. 
A  neAv  departure  on  the  part  of  the  Education  Committee 
of  the  WarAvickshire  County  Council  is  certainly  a  step  in  the 
right  direction.  The  School  Management  Sub-committee  states 
in  its  reiiort  that  it  has  sanctioned  elementary  school  gardens 
at  a  number  of  places  in  the  county,  Avith  the  significant  adden¬ 
dum  :  “As  the  Board  of  Education  have  declined  to  express 
an  opinion  Avhether  a  local  education  authority  may  provide 
land  for  school  gardens  for  the  use  of  children  attending  non- 
provided  schools,  Ave  have  required  managers  of  non-provided 
schools  at  Avhich  there  are  no  school  gardens  to  provide  the  land 
at  their  OAvn  co.st.”  The  .scheme  briefly  is  this:  that  each  pupil 
— Avho  must  be  over  13  years  old — shall  be  given  an  opportunity 
to  .study  practical  gardening  out  of  .school  hours.  A  plot  of  land 
Avill  be  allotted  to  him  exclusively,  on  Avhich  methods  of  groAving 
bush  fruits  AAill  be  demonstrated  by  an  efficient  teacher.  The 
classes  Avill  be  held  at  least  tAvice  a  Aveek  during  spring  and 
summer,  and  notebooks  recording  the  various  operations  and 
the  time  and  manner  of  performing  them  Avill  be  kept  by  the 
pupils  themselves,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  local 
insti-uctor.  The  Staff-instructor  of  Horticulture  Avill  attend  to 
inspect  the  ground  at  periodical  intervals,  and  explain  the 
.sy.stem  of  laying  out  and  cropping  the  plots  and  other  matters 
incidental  to  successful  gardening. 
