100 
July  30,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE 
Southampton  Show. 
It  gives  U.S  great  pleasure  to  state  that  we  owe  much  of  the 
excellence  of  the  interesting  views  of  this  show  given  last  week 
to  the  special  consideration  shown  to  our  representative  by  the 
secretary,  Mr.  Fuidge. 
The  School  of  Handicraft. 
The  annual  outing  of  the  School  of  Handicraft  Gr.rden  and 
Farm  Boys  and  Staff,  accompanied  by  the  band  of  the  school,  was 
held  on  July  16,  when  they  proceeded  down  the  river  to  Maiden- 
liead  on  the  “  Sunbury  Belle  ”  accompanied  by  friends.  The 
gardens  on  the  river  .side  were  much  admired,  the  Roses  looking 
particularly  well,  and  the  house  boats.  The  thanks  of  the  boys, 
i^’c.,  are  tendered  to  all  who  helped  towards  the  outing.  Amongst 
them  being  Mr.  H.  Veitch,  Cooper,  Faber  and  Co.,  Sutton  and 
Sous,  Watkin  and  Simpson,  Hurst  and  Son,  H.  B.  May,  and 
others.  The  party  was  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  A.  J.  Brown, 
horticultural  instructor. 
A  Strawberry  Feast. 
On  a  recent  sunny  morning,  two  costers  were  gaily  flying 
down  Piccadilly  in  a  ramshackle  cart  laden  with  fruit  and  vege¬ 
tables.  Strawberries  were  amongst  the  complement,  but,  alas! 
they  were  loosely  packed,  and  the  swaying  and  jolting  of  the 
vehicle  was  the  means  of  scattering  these  soft  ancl  luscious  pi’o- 
ducts  broadcast  over  the  roadway,  and  there  they  lay  or  rolled  like 
the  gravel  that  the  scavengers  scatter,  much  to  the  amusement 
of  the  hackney  drivers  and  ’bus-men.  But  a  trio  of  street  arabs 
made  good  the  occasion  by  diving  forth  among  the  traffic,  greatly 
to  the  danger  of  their  lives,  but  to  the  betterment  of  their 
stomachs  once  they  safely  landed  back  upon  the  kerb.stone.  They 
had  a  Strawberry  feast. 
‘  The  Century  Book  of  Gardening.” 
Less  than  two  years  ago  this  book  was  published  by  Geo. 
Newnes,  Ltd.,  Strand,  London,  and  Avas  so  successful  that  a 
second  edition  is  already  Avell  on  the  Avay  to  completion.  This  is 
being  issued  in  sixpenny  parts,  and  Ave  haA'e  contemiAlated  a  brief 
revieAv  of  the  earlier  issues,  Avhich,  hoAvever,  our  other  duties  have 
precluded  our  giving.  The  parts  are  now  up  to  No.  12,  and  as 
the  Avhole  phase  of  gardening  is  treated  herein  by  experts,  the 
illustrations  being  numerous  and  beautifully  reproduced,  Ave  have 
no  hesitation  in  saying  that  it  is  Avell  spent  money  to  secure  the 
numbers  as  they  come  out,  and  a  bound  volume  can  be  made  when 
all  are  is.sued.  When  the  last  appears,  if  not  before  then,  Ave 
hope  to  be  able  to  cive  the  Avork  due  notice.  Mr.  E.  T.  Cook  i.s 
editor. 
The  "Undergraduates”  at  Kew. 
There  are  sixty  of  these  young  men  at  KeAv,  and  not  one 
among  them  could  fail  to  make  more  than  the  living  wage  of  a 
guinea  a  Aveek  Avhich  they  are  alloAved.  For  no  applicant  is  con¬ 
sidered  Avho  has  not  serA^ed  fiA'e  years  as  a  gardener  and  accpiired 
a  knoAA'ledge  of  all  the  manual  details  of  the  trade.  When  the 
young  gardener  obtains  his  place  at  KeAV  he  is  at  once  taught 
that  he  is  one  of  the  aristocracy  of  the  profession.  The  labourers 
may  dress  as  they  please.  The  gardener  must  appear  in  a  blue 
serge  suit,  Avith  flannel  shirt  and  Ioav  collar.  And  he  works.  For 
those  tAA'o  years  he  has  a  tAveh^e-hour  day,  from  six  to  six,  and 
Avhen  that  day  is  over  he  is  ready  to  take  his  place  in  the  lecture- 
room,  notebook  in  front  of  him,  and  dive  into  the  chemisti’y  of 
plant  life.  No  one  but  a  man  determined  to  succeed  in  life  Avould 
throAV  up  his  easy  job  and  return  to  the  labourer’s  wage  for  a 
couple  of  years — pour  mieux  sautcr.  The  reAA’ard  comes,  hoAV- 
eA^er,  and  the  IveAA^  degree— or  rather  the  Kew  certificate — holds 
good  all  over  the  Avorld.  From  King  Leopold’s  private  gardens  to 
the  Botanical  Gardens  of  India  and  South  Africa  you  AA’ill  find  in 
charge  the  man  Avho  put  in  those  tAvo  years  at  a  guinea  a  Aveek 
at  KeAV.  And  the  curator  of  the  KeAV  Gardens  himself,  Mr. 
M  atson,  a  man  aa  Iiosc  knoAvledge  of  all  things  that  groAv  is  an 
amazement  to  those  Avho  consult  him,  Avas  once  a  gardener  under¬ 
graduate.  Noav  that  the  gardens  are  filling  up  Avith  early 
summer  A'isitors  you  may  be  aclAdscd  to  turn  for  a  moment  from 
the  shoAV  places  and  the  tea  tables  to  look  at  those  keen,  young 
men  avIio  are  fighting  their  Avay  from  gardening  to  botany.  For 
these  are  the  men  Avho  are  to  aid  Nature  in  planting  the  earth 
Avith  Avhat  it  Avill  foster;  the  men  Avho  are  intent  on  making  tAvo 
blades  of  grass  groAv  Avhere  but  one  greAv  before. — (“TP’s 
Weekly.”) 
AND  COTTAGE  GARDE  NEB. 
Tree  Planting  in  South  Africa. 
Mr.  J.  Barclay  revives  an  old  suggestion  for  the  “  ameliora¬ 
tion”  of  South  Africa.  He  pins  his  faith  to  trees.  He  writes: 
“  An  afforestation  of  the  country  to  the  extent  of  fi'om  five  to 
ten  per  cent.  avouIcI  undoubtedly  materially  alter  the  climate  for 
the  better.  Since  the  plantation  of  Avoods  around  Johannes¬ 
burg  the  annual  rainfall  in  that  district  has  increased  by  three 
inches.  By  planting  the  ridges  of  the  rolling  plains  of  the  Orange 
River  Colony,  their  area  Avould  be  protected  from  the  scorching 
hot  Avinds  of  summer,  and  their  moisture  Avould  percolate  tO'  the 
loAver  lying  soil,  Avhile  the  general  increased  moisture  of  the  soil 
AA’ould  very  likely  mitigate  the  seA^erity  of  the  terrific  summer 
thunderstorms..” 
East  Ham  and  District  Horticultural  Society. 
A  large  party  of  members  and  friends  of  this  society,  to  the 
number  of  about  130,  Ausited  the  gardens  and  grounds  of  Gun- 
nersbury  Park  and  Gunnersbui-j"  House,  on  Saturday  last,  by  the 
kind  permission  of  Leopold  de  Rothschild,  E.scj(.  The  day  Avas 
beautifully  fine,  and  the  A’isitors  Avere  free  to  Ausit  the  houses  and 
all  portions  of  the  grounds,  and  they  appeared  to  greatly  enjoy 
their  beauty,  and  the  evidences  of  high  class  gardening  seen  on 
eA^ejry  hand.  The  Japanese  garden  and  its  surroundings,  together 
with  the  long  Avindow  tank  containing  the  blue  Water  Lily, 
Nymphaea  stellata,  Avere  great  features  of  attraction.  Tea  Avas 
served  in  Avhat  Avas  formerly  the  conseiwatory  adjoining  Gunners- 
bury  House;  and  as  the  shades  of  evening  began  to  fall,  the 
Ausitors  took  leave  of  the  charming  grounds  deeply  grateful  for 
the  permission  given  to  aToav  them. 
Prices  of  Fruit. 
NeAV  Lisbon  xlpples  are  selling  at  14s.  a  case  first  hand.  The 
fruits  are  medium  in  quality,  but  the  supplies  Avill  be  plentiful. 
Some  very  fine  Mangoes  from  Bombay  have  made  their  appear¬ 
ance  in  Co'A'ent  Garden  Market.  They  are  selling  at  from  12s.  to 
18s.  a  dozen  fruits.  Vegetable  MarroAvs  bring  from  4s.  to  8s.  a 
dozen  in  Covent  Garden  Market,  tlie  usual  price  in  ordinary 
seasons  at  this  time  of  the  year  being  from  3s.  to  5s.  per  tally  of 
sixty.  Scarlet  Runner  Beans  sold  at  Cs.  a  dozen  pounds,  Avhich  is 
the  highest  iDrice  for  the  first  consignments  knoAvn.  Huge  quanti¬ 
ties  of  Bilberries  are  being  imported  this  season  in  consequence  of 
the  scanty  Black  Currant  crop  at  home.  In  one  week  recently 
many  as  20,000  packages  Avere  unloaded  at  Grimsby. 
A  Liondon  Fuchsia. 
Loixdon’s  atmosphere  in  Finsbury  aaus  amply  A’indicated  on 
Saturday  at  the  Cottager  floAver  shoAV,  Avhich  Avas  opened  in  Peel 
Institute,  St.  John’s  Lane,  ClerkenAvell.  A  Fuchsia,  reared  at 
the  model  clAvellings  in  St.  John’s  Square,  Avas  of  .such  remarkable 
groAvth  (says  the  “Daily  Telegraph”)  that  Mr.  Dean,  F.R.H.S., 
.said  it  deserved  photographing.  It  stood  nearly  4ft  high,  and 
was  3ft  across;  and  Mr.  J.  W._To.sh,  the  hon.  sec.  of  the  shoAV, 
assured  the  audience  that  four  j^ears  ago  the  groAver  (Mr.  Bird) 
bought  it  as  a  small  penny  plant.  Tliere  Avere  300  exhibits  in  the 
show,  all  testifying  a  surprising  healthiness,  seeing  that  they  had 
been  grown  on  AvindoAV  sills,  on  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  or  in  the 
backyards.  The  ex-mayoress  (Mrs.  W.  HoAves)  presented  the 
prizes. 
The  Protection  of  Orchards. 
Although  the  PreAW’iition  of  Diseases  (fruit  trees)  Bill  has  been 
dropped,  the  movement  in  faA'our  of  legislation  for  the  pi’otection 
of  oi’chards  and  plantations  is  being  A'igorously  pursued.  Mr. 
C.  W.  Radcliffe  Cooke,  aaEo  is  taking  a  leading  part  in  the  matter, 
seems  to  anticipate  that  the  objections  of  nurserymen  Avill  be  met 
if  the  provisions  of  any  future  project  of  legislation  are  extended 
to  all  fruit  growers.  He  Avrites  : — “  That  any  measure  of  tlie  kind 
Avill  occasion  some  trouble  and  inconvenience  to  the  nursery  trade 
is  undoubted,  but  not  more  than  agriculturists  noAV  experience 
by  the  Avorking  of  the  Acts  relating  to  the  diseases  of  animals. 
Ju.st  as  farmers  submit,  often  at  great  incoiiAmnience  and  pecu¬ 
niary  loss,  OAving  to  the  provisions  of,  and  the  restrictions  imposed 
by,  the  Acts  dealing  Avith  the  contagious  diseases  of  animals,  such 
as  foot  and  mouth  disease,  anthi’ax,  sheep  scab,  and  SAvine  fever, 
because  they  know  that  their  indu.sti';s’  at  large  Avill  be  benefited 
by  the  stamping  out  of  these  diseases,  so  nurserymen  and  fruit 
groAvers  Avill,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  exhibit  an  equal  amount  of  self- 
denial  and  pAiblic  spirit  for  the  sake  of  the  indu.stry  in  Avhose 
healthy  and  flourisdiing  condition  all  of  them  are  concerned.” 
