556 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  30,  1904, 
Appointment. 
Mr.  Alex.  Gibson,  late  of  the  gardens,  Langton  Hall,  North¬ 
allerton,  Yorks,  as  gardener  to  Mr.  R.  K.  Michlethwait,  Zeals 
House,  Bath. 
Prince  of  Wales  and  the  Royal  Meteopologrical  Society. 
His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of  Wales  has  graciously  con¬ 
sented  ,to  become  patron  of  the  Royal  Meteorological  Society. 
This  gratifying  intelligence  was  communicated  to  Commander 
■Wilson-Barker,  President  of  the  Royal  Meteorological  Society, 
through  Sir  Arthur  Bigge,  private  secretary  to  his  Royal 
Highness. 
Royal  Gardencps’  Orphan  Fund. 
We  understand  that  the  treasurer  of  this  institution,  N.  N. 
Sherwood,  Esq.,  has  expressed  his  intention  of  giving  the  fund 
a  special  donation  of  £500. 
Where  are  the  Men  ? 
A  silver-gilt  medal,  the  highest  award  for  horticulture  at  the 
open  competition  held  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  has 
been  obtained  by  Miss  Verral,  a  lady  student  of  the  School  of 
Practical  Gardening  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  at  Regent’s 
Park. 
Mr.  G.  H.  Hollingworth. 
Mr.  G.  H.  Hollingworth  has  been  appointed  instructor  of 
horticulture  under  the  Gloucester  County  Council,  and  has  now 
taken  up  residence  in  Gloucester.  Mr.  xiollingworth  was  asso¬ 
ciated  for  some  years  with  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  but 
more  especially  with  Garden  JVoric,  after  leaving  which  he  acted 
as'  assistant  to  Mr.  Walter  P.  Wright,  horticultural  superinten¬ 
dent  to  the  County  of  Kent,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Ashford. 
From  thence  Mr.  Hollingworth  has  now  removed  to  Gloucester, 
where  he  a.ssumes  the  duties  of  chief  instructor,  and  in  which 
we  believe  he  will  render  excellent  service  to  his  new  county. 
Scottish  Pansy  and  Viola  Association. 
The  first  monthly  meeting  was  held  in  the  Religious  Insti¬ 
tution  Rooms,  Buchanan  Street,  Glasgow,  on  June  22,  for  the 
purpose  of  awarding  certificates  to  such  new  Pansies  and  Violas 
as  might  be  deemed  worthy.  There  was  a  good  attendance, 
and  many  interesting  varieties  passed  before  the  committees. 
The  awards  were  as  follows Fancy  Pansies,  first  class  certi¬ 
ficate  to  Mrs.  Q.  MacFadyean,  yellow  edged  (Dobbie  and  Co.); 
certificates  of  merit  to  Jessie  L.  Arbuckle,  white  edged  (Kay); 
Provost  Thomson,  bronze  colour  (Kay) ;  Mrs.  W.  Sinclair,  lemon 
edged  (Dobbie  and  Co.) ;  Mary  B.  AVallace,  yellow  edged  (Dobbie 
and  Co.).  Show  Pansies Certificates  of  merit  to  Provo.st 
Thom.son,  dark  self  (Kay),  and  James  Stirling,  primrose  self 
(Dobbie  and  Co.).  Violas : — Certificates  of  merit  to  Effie,  an 
improved  Butterfly  (Dobbie  and  Co.),  and  Criffie  Smith,  in  the 
nay  of  Dr.  MacFarlane  (Dobbie  and  Co.).  Next  meeting, 
July  13. 
British  Gardeners’  Association. 
The  hon.  sec.  (pro.  tern.)  of  the  British  Gardeners’  Association 
Mr.  W.  Watson,  Kew  Road,  Kew,  asks  us  to  state  on  behalf  o 
the  Committee  of  Selection  that  owing  to  the  pressure  of  corre 
spondence,  and  there  being  as  yet  no  paid  secretary  able  ti 
devote  his  whole  time  to  the  daily  increasing  work  of  the  asso 
ciation,  he  hopes  that  intending  members  and  others  wil 
excuse  any  delay  there  may  be  in  answering  their  letters;  als^ 
that  those  interested  in  the  association  and  willing  to  forwar( 
Its  intere.sts  will  render  great  service  by  applying  for  pamphlet 
and  terms  of  application  for  distribution,  or  by  sending  hir 
Die  names  of  qualified  gardeners  likely  to  become  members 
Donations  towards  the  £250  required  for  the  initial  expense 
will  be  welcomed,  it  being  felt  that  when  the  services  of  a  pai^ 
secie  niy  and  ofiSces  can  be  .secured  the  association  will  speedil 
e  able  to  make  its  presence  and  influence  felt.  The  forms  c 
Mp.  R.  Lewis  Castle. 
Mr.  R.  Lewis  Castle  (Gold  Medallist  of  the  Fruiterers’  Com¬ 
pany),  who  was  years  manager  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford’s 
experimental  fruit  farm,  is  open  to  an  engagement  in  any 
capacity  where  long  practical  commercial  experience,  together 
with  scientific  .study  of  horticulture,  is  requisite.  His  address 
is  Ridgmont,  Aspley  Guise,  Bedfordshire. 
Galeg-a  officinalis  albiflora. 
The  common  Goat’s  Rue,  as  Galega  ofiicinaiis  is  popularly 
named,  is  found  growing  wild  in  various  parts  throughout 
southern  Europe,  and  we  all  appreciate  its  value  as  an 
ornamental,  free  flowering,  robust  border  perennial  in  our  home 
gardens.  The  culture  is  of  the  simple.st — plant  it,  and  it  will 
grow.  At  the  same  time,  its  special  liking  is  for  a  good  sub¬ 
stantial  loam  in  an  open  or  even  sunny  part  of  the  garden. 
Propagation  is  usually  effected  by  division  of  the  crowns  in 
mid  spring,  and  the  plants  may  be  left  undisturbed  for  three 
or  four  years  at  least.  The  variety  albiflora  is  a  very  handsome 
plant,  and  quite  one  of  the  best  hardy  subjects  the  gaidener 
has.  G.  o.  bicolor  has  white  and  blue  flowers. 
The  Late  Mp,  Alexandep  Selatep. 
It  is  with  much  regret  we  have  to  announce  the  death  of 
Mr.  Alex.  Sclater,  of  Messrs.  Thos.  Methven  and  Sons,  Edin¬ 
burgh,  which  took  place  on  June  23,  aged  48  years.  For  some 
time  Mr.  Sclater  had  been  suffering  from  some  internal  com¬ 
plaint,  and  about  three  months  ago  was  seized  with  acute  illness, 
to  which  he  has  now  succumbed.  He  managed  the  seed  depart¬ 
ment  of  Messrs.  Methven’s  extensive  business  for  about  28 
years.  He  served  his  apprenticeship  with  Messrs.  Methven,  and 
after  a  short  period  with  Messrs.  Laird,  was  selected  by  the  late 
Baillie  Methven  as  head  shopman,  a  position  he  has  filled  with 
great  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the  firm  of  which  he 
was  latterly  a  partner.  With  gardeners  he  was  a  great  favourite, 
and  considered  a  high  authority  in  mo.st  departments  of  seeds, 
but  especially  amongst  Peas  and  all  the  Brassica  family.  He 
was  a  member  of  council  and  a  vice-president  of  the  Scottish 
Horticultural  Association.  Among.st  the  Edinburgh  market 
gardeners  he  was  a  universal  favourite.  He  was  buried  in  the 
Grange  Cemetery,  Edinburgh,  on  Saturday  last,  a  large  number 
of  friends  attending  the  funeral.  Many  wreaths  were  sent,  the 
most  noticeable  being  from  the  Scottish  Horticultural  Associa¬ 
tion,  the  staff  of  Methvens,  and  the  Edinburgh  market 
gardeners. 
Fpuit  and  Vegretables. 
The  full  effect  of  the  genuinely  summer  weather  we  have  had 
of  late  has  not  as  yet  been  felt  at  Covent  Garden.  The  Straw¬ 
berry  is  the  only  produce  of  which  any  special  show  is  made. 
The  market  is,  indeed,  flooded  with  this  luscious  fruit,  enormous 
quantities  coming  in  daily,  not  merely  from  the  district  border¬ 
ing  on  Southampton  Water,  whence  we  get  the  Royal  Sovereigns 
and  Nobles,  but  from  Cornwall,  Kent,  Surrey,  and  Middlesex. 
A  matter  which  is  arousing  some  feeling  among  fruiterers  is  the 
variation  in  the  weights  of  the  Southampton  baskets,  it  being 
contended  that  there  ought  to  be  a  more  uniform  .system 
adopted,  so  that  buyers  could  more  readily  estimate  the  quantity 
they  were  purchasing,  and  that  there  would  be  less  risk  of  the 
retailer  having  palmed  on  to  him  a  41b  basket  for  one  weighing 
5ib.  Excellent  arrangements  are  made  by  the  South-Westeni 
Railway  Company  for  dealing  with  the  Hants  Strawberry  crop, 
but  there  is  an  absence  of  rapid  transit  for  fruit  from  Kent  to 
the  northern  markets  through  the  absence  of  a  proper  connec¬ 
tion  of  the  South  Eastern  train  with  those  of  the  northern  lines 
from  London,  and  it  was  decided  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the 
National  Fruit  Growers’  Federation  to  take  immediate  steps 
to  endeavour  to  obtain  a  remedy  for  a  state  of  things  which  so 
seriously  handicaps  the  fruit-growing  industry  of  Kent.  So 
plentiful  and  cheap  is  the  home  supply  this  year  that  the  foreign 
fruit  grower,  who  has  hitherto  sent  thousands  of  tons  of  Straw¬ 
berries  to  the  English  market,  stands  no  chance  at  all.  Goose¬ 
berries  are  also  very  plentiful  and  cheap,  but  Cherries,  for  which 
Kent  is  famous,  are  not  likely  to  show  up  well  on  account  of 
the  cold  east  winds.  Among  the  vegetables,  huge  consignments 
of  Peas  are  arriving  daily,  with  the  result  that  the  price  i.s 
rapidly  diminishing,  and  Broad  Beans  are  also  very  fine  this 
year. 
