December  17,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Appointment. 
Mr.  A.  Grant,  as  liead  gardener  to  Lady  Price  Fothergill,  Hensol 
Castle,  Pontyelun. 
A  National  Potato  Society. 
In  view  of  the  enormous  advance  in  the  price  of  Potatoes  tliis 
season,  the  heavy  losses  from  disease,  and  the  importance  of  the  crop, 
a  project  has  been  mooted  for  establishing  a  National  Potato  Society. 
.4  public  meeting  will  be  held  in  the  North  Room,  Hotel  Windsor, 
Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  on  Wednesday,  December  30,  at  3.0  p.m., 
to  fully  discuss  the  matter. 
Sending  Flowers  to  the  Continent. 
I  have  frequently  heard  of  difficulties  experienced  by  flower 
collectors  abroad  in  posting  plants  or  even  blooms  only  to  friends  in 
England,  and  there  are  countless  tales  of  confiscation  by  custom¬ 
house  officers  in  consequence  of  temporary  regulations  forbidding  the 
practice, because  innocent-looking  parcels  labelled  “flowers,  with  care,” 
too  often  “  contained  contraband  lace.”  The  latest  complaint,  says  a 
writer  in  “  News,”  concerns  flowers  posted  in  England.  A  corre¬ 
spondent  writes ; — In  ease  any  of  my  countrymen  in  England  have  an 
idea  of  sending  over  a  few  flower  roots  as  a  present  to  friends  in 
Germany,  they  may  perhaps  profit  by  the  information  afforded  by  the 
following  account.  A  few  days  back  a  small  box  of  about  a  dozen 
Violet  roots  w'as  sent  over  to  Germany  as  a  present  to  an  English  lady 
who  wanted  a  few  home  flowers  in  her  Avindow  box.  For  this  Is.  3d. 
was  paid  for  postage,  an  explanatory  letter  being  sent  separately.  The 
lady  writes  in  reply : — “  When  the  notice  came  that  there  was  a  parcel 
they  would  not  let  us  have  it,  saying  they  Avould  not  allow  it  to  go  out 
of  the  office,  fearing  an  infectious  disease.  They  informed  us  that  the 
roots  must  either  be  buraed  there  or  sent  back  to  you.  I  asked  if  I 
might  be  allowed  to  bring  away  the  little  bit  of  the  lid  on  Avhich  you 
had  Avritten,  and  after  many  serious  head-shakings  they  said  yes,  and 
actually  took  up  the  lid,  brushed  it  well  on  both  sides,  and  bleAV  on  it 
also.”  [Are  really  healthy  plants  forbidden  ? — Ed.] 
Agricultural  Experiments  at  St.  Andrews. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  St.  AndrcAvs  and  East  of  Fife  Farmers’ 
Club  on  Monday,  Dr.  John  H.  Wilson,  lecturer  on  Agriculture  in  the 
UniA’ersity,  gave  a  lecture  on  the  results  of  the  continuation  of  his 
experimental  Avork  during  the  past  season.  He  had  cultiA’ated  many 
varieties  of  Potatoes  of  his  OAvn  raising,  and  found  extreme  variability 
amongst  seedlings  from  one  and  the  same  fruit,  in  respect  of  form 
and  colour  of  tuber  and  floAver,  length  and  duration  of  stem,  and 
cropping  poAver.  A  good  many  of  the  seedlings  Avere  not  jiroof  against 
disease,  but  the  majority  seemed  disease-resisting.  No  means  had 
been  taken  to  shield  the  varieties  from  attack.  In  a  large  series  of 
crossed  SAvedes,  many  of  the  A’arieties  had  proved  to  be  of  most 
promising  character,  more  especially  those  having  Button’s  Magnum 
Bonum  as  seed  parent.  Visitors  to  the  plots  had  been  much  struck 
Avith  the  uniform  excellence  of  a  cross  betAveen  that  variety  and 
Crimson  King.  The  crosses  betAveen  SAvedes  and  yelloAv  Turnips, 
Avhich  had  floAvered  during  the  past  season,  shoAved  great  diversity  of 
seed-bearing  poAver.  In  certain  of  them,  the  plants  had  refused  almost 
entirely  to  bear  seed,  and  had  consequently  continued  to  branch  and 
bloom  for  a  long  time.  Other  crosses,  hoAvever,  had  produced 
abundance  of  fine  seed,  and  it  Avas  hoped  that  the  veiw  desirable 
intermediate  types  of  roots  shoAvn  by  the  parents  might  be  fixed  and 
perpetuated.  The  hybrid  characters  were  seen  in  the  floAver  and 
capsule  as  Avell  as  in  the  x’oot.  An  elaborate  and  expensive  experi¬ 
ment,  to  test  the  characters  of  hybi’id’Oats  Avhich  Avere  of  much 
interest  in  the  first  generation  last  year,  had  been  seriously  interfered 
Avith  by  the  deploi’able  Aveather  experienced  in  the  past  autumn.  The 
results  so  far  Avorkerl  out  shoAved  that  Oats  Avere  subject  to  the  same 
principles  of  Aariation  as  had  been  demonstrated  for  other  self- 
fertilised  plants.  In  conclusion,  illustration  Avere  shoAvn  of  Ergots 
disseminated  by  flies,  and  Finger-and-toe  perpetuated  by  Charlock. 
A  ncAv  disease  of  Potatoes  established  in  Fife  Avas  also  shoAvn.  It  is 
characterised  by  the  formation  of  loose  corky  tumours  on  the  tubers. — 
(“  Bt.  AndreAvs  Citizen 
557 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
Tlie  monthly  committee  meeting  of  this  society  Avas  held  at  the 
Caledonian  Hotel,  .4delphi  Terrace,  Btrand,  on  IMonday  evening  last, 
Mr.  Thomas  Winter  in  the  chair.  Four  ucav  members  Avere  elected. 
Eight  members  Avere  reported  on  the  sick  fund.  The  attention  of 
members  is  particularly  called  to  Rule  14,  a  member  having  just  noAV 
forfeited  his  sick  pay  through  neglecting  to  pay  his  subscriptions 
Avithin  the  limit  of  seven  months. 
Farm  Colonies  for  London’s  Unemployed. 
From  Poplar,  a  district  in  the  north  of  London.  Ave  hear  of  a 
recommendation  to  deal  Avith  unemployed  married  men  Avho  possess 
homes  in  London.  These  homes  are  to  be  maintained  unbroken  if  the 
men  Avill  at  once  go  to  Avork  in  the  country.  Mr.  Crook.s,  M.P.,  says 
plainly,  “  Giving  money  to  men  as  relief  is  pernicious — Avhat  is  Avanted 
is  the  opportunity  to  earn  a  Avage.”  .4  plan  running  on  similar  lines 
receiA'ed  influential  support  at  the  Mansion  House.  The  Bishop  of 
Btepney  Avishes  to  see  a  thousand  married  men  set  to  Avork  on  farm 
colonies  at  Hadleigh,  Lingfield,  and  Osca  Island  ;  and  the  conference 
of  citizens  appointed  a  committee  to  arrange  details  for  carrying  out 
the  scheme.  Public  support  should  not  be  Avanting ;  and  if  the  able- 
bodied  men  noAv  in  the  Avorkhouses  are  Avilling  to  embrace  the 
opportunity  of  returning  to  Avork  on  the  land,  the  result  of  their 
labours  Avill  be  Avatehed  Avith  the  keenest  interest. 
Miniature  Rifle  Clubs.  ’’ 
One  of  the  most  popular  rifle  meetings  of  this  year  Avas  that 
of  the  Society  of  Miniature  Rifle  Clubs,  held  at  the  Ci’ystal 
Palace,  from  March  23  to  April  1.  It  attracted  nearly  3,000 
entries,  and  Avas  a  pronounced  success.  Unfortunately,  Iioaa- 
ever,  the  Council  find  their  funds  so  Ioav  that  they  cannot 
guarantee  a  repetition  of  the  meeting  next  spring.  This  is  dis¬ 
appointing,  seeing  the  importance  noAv  attached  to  rifle  shoot¬ 
ing  as  a  means  of  national  defence,  and  the  Council  earnestly 
appeal  for  financial  assistance.  The  Society  is  incorporated 
Avith  that  of  tlie  “  Working  Men’s  Rifle  Clubs.”  Those  Avho  can 
assist  it  should  send  their  subscriptions  to  the  Secretai-y,  Society 
of  Miniature  Rifle  Clubs,  17,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  S.W. 
Baron  Sir]  Henry  Sebroder  and  “the  Hall.” 
Baron  Schroder  Avrites “  The  neAV  hall  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society — so  anxiously  desired  by  the  FelloAvs — is  noAv  in  course  of 
erection,  and  Avill,  the  Council  hopes,  be  completed  for  use  by  mid¬ 
summer  next.  The  total  cost  of  the  hall,  offices,  library,  Ac.,  including 
furniture,  Avill  be  about  £40,000,  and  the  Council,  of  Avhich  I  am  a 
member,  are  most  anxious  to  open  the  building  free  of  debt.  ToAvards 
this  sum  £23,000  has  been  contributed,  of  Avhieh  no  less  than  £8,471 
has  been  given  by  the  Council  and  officers  of  the  Society.  There  thus 
remains  a  balance  of  £17,000  still  to  be  raised.  At  px-esent  only  about 
one  in  ten  of  the  Fellows  has  contributed  to  the  building  fund.  In 
the  hope  that  the  others  Avill  see  their  Avay  to  do  so  I  have  been  asked 
to  make  this  appeal.  If  every  FelloAV  Avould  kindly  forward  a  con¬ 
tribution — some  giving  more  and  some  less — the  desired  object  Avould 
be  attained,  and  the  anxiety  of  the  Council  on  this  point  at  an  end. — 
J.  H.  W.  Schroder,  145,  Leadenhall  Street,  London,  E.C.” 
Autumn  Flowers  at  Oakbrook,  Sheffield. 
P’or  the  past  fcAv  weeks  the  gardener  at  Oakbx’ook,  Mr.  P.  Massey, 
has  had  such  a  shoAv  of  bloom  that  he  may  Avell  feel  some  sense  of 
pride  in.  At  the  time  of  our  visit  there  Avas  a  magnificent  batch  of 
Calanthes,  some  spikes  liaA-ing  50  floAvers,  Avith  others  to  folloAV ;  and 
Avith  the  pots  disposed  amongst  Ferns  and  foliage  plants,  they  had  a 
gx’and  effect.  We  also  noticed  Poinsettias,  and  a  noble  piece  of 
Eueharis,  with  some  50  or  60  flowers.  A  notable  feature  is  also  Avhat 
may  be  termed  a  truly  royal  display  of  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine. 
There  are  scores  of  plants  in  foux’-ineh  and  five-inch  pots,  and  in 
varioxxs  stages  of  advancement,  producing  a  veritable  blaze  of  colour, 
these  alone  x-epaying  one  for  a  visit.  The  gx-and  collection  of  Crotons 
.is  again  deserving  of  notice ;  for  colour,  style,  and  Aariety  they  are 
certainly  not  to  be  equalled  in  the  district.  Particularly  noticeable  are 
tAvo  gx-and  specimens  of  Leedsi.  The  eonserA-atory,  too,  is  a  mass  of 
flowers.  The  roof  is  profusely  adorned  Avith  Coboea  scandens  vai’iegata, 
and  below  are  Cypx-ipediums,  Narcissi,  BouA-ax-dias  (a  grand  lot). 
Salvias,  and  Chrysanthemums  in  all  A’arieties  and  colours^  Avhile  in  a 
cool  house  there  is  a  very  large  batch  of  Cyclamens  to  folloAV-oix  for 
a  succession  of  blooms.  These  are  such  that  no  one  could  Avish  better. 
The  profusion  of  floAvers  that  they  are  noAv  throwing  assures  one  that 
it  Avill  be  a  distinct  ti’cat  to  see  them  later  on. — W.  L. 
