June  30,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
561 
thank  you  for  all  you  have  done  to  bring  to  a  successful  issue 
this  department  of  your  University  College.  I  wish  it  every 
prosperity,  and  I  now  declare  it  from  to-day  open! 
A  visit  of  inspection  was  made  to  the  houses  and  exhibits  of 
the  students  of  the  horticultural  department,  a  sketch  plan  on 
the  back  of  the  programme  indicating  the  i^osition  of  the 
various  houses  and  exhibits,  enabling  the  visitors  to  find  them 
Avithout  difficulty.  The  staff  of  the  department  and  the  stu¬ 
dents  ac^ed  as  steAvards,  the  Avearing  of  green  and  Avhite  rosettes 
distinguishing  them  from  the  rest  of  the  company. 
The  special  exhibits  included  :  (a)  Living  and  preserved  speci¬ 
mens  of  common  insect 
and  other  animal  pests ; 
their  life  histories,  reme¬ 
dies,  and  preventive  mea¬ 
sures.  (b)  Plant  breeding ; 
diagrams  and  microscope 
preparations  showing  the 
fertilisation  of  floAvers,  the 
structure  and  development 
of  pollen.  (c)  Fungoid 
diseases ;  living  and  pre¬ 
served  specimens,  micro¬ 
scope  preparations  and  dia¬ 
grams  illustrating  the  life 
histories  of  common  fungoid 
pests ;  the  germination  of 
fungus  spores ;  the  mate¬ 
rials  used  to  prevent  or 
eradicate  disease.  (d) 
G-rafting  demonstration  ; 
students  practising  the  va¬ 
rious  methods  of  grafting, 
(e)  Marketing :  exhibit  of 
garden  produce  in  market¬ 
ing  shed,  (f)  Experiments, 
illustrating  the  Avork  of 
By  favour  of  the  Beading  Standard  plants  ;  the  transpiration 
of  Avater  by  plants ;  the 
manufacturing  processes  in  plants ;  the  influence  of  light, 
darkness,  and  light  of  various  colours  on  plant  life ; 
measAirement  of  groAvth ;  the  influence  of  gravity  on 
plants ;  sensitive  and  insectivorous  plants.  (g)  Spraying ; 
demonstration  on  the  preparation  and  use  of  Bordeaux  mixture  ; 
spraying  Potatoes  and  Tomatoes.  (h)  The  life  histories  of 
plants ;  the  vegetative  propagation  of  plants ;  parasitic  and 
semi-parasitic  plants ;  herbarium  and  Avater-colour  sketches  of 
British  plants,  (i)  Floral  decoration ;  table  decoration ;  bouquets 
and  buttonholes,  (k)  Bee  demonstration :  Observation  hive ; 
honey  extraction  and  bottling ;  preparation  of  sections. 
The  garden  Avas  in  the  most  excellent  condition,  and  the 
entire  function  Avas  highly  successful. 
Mr.  C  FOSTER.  F.R  H  S. 
Instructor  in  Practicrrl  Horticulture. 
Mr.  Brotherston  Accorded  the  Neill  Prize. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Caledonian  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  held  in  Edinburgh  on  June  22,  the  Neill  Prize 
of  £30  Avas  aAvarded  to  Mr.  R.  P.  Brotherston,  gardener  to  the 
Earl  of  Haddington,  at  Tyninghame,  East  Lothian.  This  prize 
is  awarded  every  second  year  to  some  distinguished  Scottish 
botanist  or  cultivator  from  the  interest  of  a  legacy  received  in 
1856  from  Dr.  Patrick  Neill,  the  first  secretary  of  the  society, 
and  is  much  coveted.  Mr.  Brotherston  Avas  born  in  Roxburgh¬ 
shire,  is  noAV  56  years  of  age,  and  commenced  his  career  at 
NeAvton  Don,  where  he  served  his  apprenticeship  under  Mr. 
Wm.  Thom.  He  then  had  a  varied  experience  at  Leuchie,  at 
lioxford  Hall,  under  Mr.  J.  Douglas,  V.M.H.,  and  Avith  Sir 
.James  Bumbes,  at  Argyle  Lodge,  Wimbledon.  He  has  now 
been  30  years  at  Tyninghame.  Mr.  Brotherston  is  one  of  those 
earnest  Scotsmen  Avho  make  their  Avork  their  hobby,  and  he 
evinces  the  greatest  interest  in  all  he  undertakes.  He  is 
specially  successful  in  groAving  hardy  fruit,  ornamental  and 
floAvering  shrubs,  and  herbaceous  plants,  and  does  not  neglect 
old  varieties,  if  good,  Avhilst  he  enefeavours  to  find  out  all  points 
in  the  neAver  sorts.  The  gardens  at  Tyninghame  shoAV  that  they 
are  under  the  care  of  an  enthusiast.  Mr.  Brotherston  also 
Avields  the  pen.  He  contributes  to  several  gardening  journals 
and  magazines,  and  one  of  his  latest  writings  is  a  book  on  the 
“Carnation,”  recently  published.  Having  been  brought  up  to 
do  everything  for  himself  through  all  stages  of  his  labours,  and 
taking  a  deep  interest  in  it  all,  he  may  be  taken  as  a  good 
example  of  Avhat  a  really  eminent  gardener  ought  to  be.  His 
name  adds  one  to  a  list  of  many  distinguished  men  who  have 
been  aAvarded  this  prize.  His  knoAvdedge  of  the  history  of  hortb 
culture  is,  Ave  believe,  unexcelled  at  the  present  time,  and  the 
-series  on  “  Old-time  Gardening,”  now  appearing  in  the  Journal, 
are  from  his  pen.  This  new  honour  is  thoroughly  deserved. 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
CORDON  GOOSEBERRIES  AND  CURRANTS.-  Shorten 
back  the  side  shoots  of  these  to  the  fifth  or  sixth  leaf,  training 
in  the  terminal  groAvths  their  full  length.  Avoid  cutting  the 
lateral  groAvths  closer  than  advised  above,  or  the  buds  in  the 
axils  of  the  leaves  Avill  burst  into  a  mass  of  Aveak  spray.  Bush 
Currants  may  also  have  the  summer  shoots  shortened  about  half 
their  length,  this  AA'ill  facilitate  the  Avork  of  netting,  and  allow 
light  and  air  freer  passage  to  the  fruit  and  remaining  growths. 
LAYERING  STRAWBERRIES.— Apart  from  the  plants 
required  for  pots,  the  required  number  of  these  should  be  laid 
doAAUi  for  forming  new  plantations.  Strong  young  plants, 
obtained  early  in  pots  or  turves,  Avill,  if  planted  in  firm,  Avell- 
prepared  land,  yield  heavy  crops  the  first  season.  In .  light 
soils  this  practice  of  frequent  renewal  of  the  plants  is  a  neces¬ 
sity,  if  large  crops  of  fine  berries  are  required.  If  neither 
turves  nor  pots  are  available,  j)eg  the  runners  into  the  soil  of 
the  beds,  after  first  loosening  it  Avith  a  fork,  and  giv-e  Avater 
until  the  layers  are  rooting  freely.  They  can  then  be  lifted 
with  good  balls  of  earth,  and  will  suffer  but  a  slight  check  on 
remoAml  to  permanent  quarters. 
FEEDING  APPLES  AND  PEARS.— If  fine  fruits  of  these 
are  desired  of  exhibition  form,  the  trees  bearing  these  must  be 
liberally  fed.  Thin  the  fruit  to  the  proper  nuniber  on  each  tree 
(according  to  the  habit  and  size  of  the  varieties),  and  apply 
manure  water  once  a  fortnight  if  the  trees  are  not  too  vigorous. 
The  liquid  food  should  alivays  be  given  Avhen  the  soil  is  moist, 
folloAving  rain,  or  an  application  of  clear  water. 
YOUNG  FRUIT  TREES.- If  the  present  dry  Aveather  con¬ 
tinues  it  may  be  necessary  to  w’ater  those  planted  on  light 
shalloAV  soils.  Should  the  trees  show  a  lack  of  vigour,  and  are 
making  little  progress,  give  water  as  required,  mulching  to 
prevent  evaporation.  No  effort  should  be  spared  to  induce 
good  sturdy  groAvth  in  the  early  stages.  When  young  trees  do 
not  get  Avell  away  at  the  outset,  they  too  frequently  present 
a  dwarfed,  stunted  appearance  for  some  years  afterwards. 
OVERCROWDING  OF  RASPBERRIES.— The  practice  of 
altoAving  the  suckers  to  form  dense  thickets  around  the  fruit¬ 
bearing  canes  cannot  be  too  severely  condemned.  Not  only  is 
this  detrimental  to  the  fruit,  but  the  growing  canes,  to  afford 
next  season’s  fruit,  are  severely  handicapped  when  dravvn  and 
smothered  in  such  a  manner.  Remove  all  Aveakly  growths,  and 
those  groAving  furthest  away  from  the  supports,  allowing 
approximately  a  sufficient  number  for  next  year  s  bearing. 
INSECT  PESTS.— Peaches  and  Cherries  on  walls  are  apt  to 
become  the  prey  of  aphides  if  the  pests  are  not  checked. 
Syringing  Avith  clear  water  once  or  twice  a  week  Avill  do  much 
to  maintain  the  former  clean  and  healthy,  but  if  gre^  fly 
makes  an  appearance,  dressing  Avith  a  liquid  insecticide  or 
tobacco  poAvder  should  at  once  be  resorted  to.  Mhen  the  attack 
is  only  slio^ht,  dipping  the  infested  shoots  in  tobacco  water  Avill 
be  found  a  sufficient  remedy.  The  black  aphis  is  liable  in  the 
press  of  work  at  this  season  to  obtain  a  strong  foothold  on 
Cherries.  One  or  tw'o  dressings  of  abol,  or  a  solution  of  quassia 
and  tobacco,  followed  by  syringing  Avith  clean  water,  will  usually 
be  found  effective  in  dislodging  this  persistent  enemy.  If 
Peaches  have  a  sufficiency  of  root  moisture,  and  the  syrmgings 
as  previously  advised,  there  need  be  feared  but  little  trouble 
from  red  spider. — J.  W.,  Newent,  Glos. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
VINES-  EARLY  FORCED  HOUSES.— When  the  Grapes 
have  been  cut  the  Vines  should  be  thoroughly  syrmged  to 
cleanse  them  of  dust  and  insect  pests.  The  AA-orst  of  these  is 
red  spider,  which  in  its  countless  numbers  so  impoverishes  the 
leaves  that  they  fall  prematurely,  and  the  buds  are  then  so 
ill-formed  and  nourished  that  the  gpwths  from  them  in  the 
foliowiiio-  year  are  Av-eak  and  the  fruit  poor.  Moderate  exten¬ 
sion  of  the  laterals  should  be  encouraged  from  the  extremities 
only  Vines  must  not  be  alloAved  to  go  to  rest  prematurely,  or 
they  will  make  a  second  growth  late  m  the  season  Ventilate 
to  4e  fullest  extent  day  and  night,  and  if  the  roof  lights  can 
be  removed  all  the  better. 
grapes  colouring.— The  free  circulation  of  rather 
dry  warm  air  contributes  to  high  flavour  and  good  flnisli. 
Vines  struggling  with  a  heavy  crop  should  not  be  subjected  to 
so  high  a  temperature  as  those  tvhich  are  luxuriant  and  carry¬ 
ing  no  more  fruit  than  can  be  considered  a  fair  crop,  but  rest 
must  be  afforded  them  at  night  by  allowing  the  temperature  to 
