576 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  24,  1903. 
as  a  great  encourager  of  gardening.  Compton,  made  Bishop 
of  London  in  1G7G,  Had  served  as  a  soldier,  but  became  the 
greatest  patron  of  gardening  of  that  age,  having  as  many  as  a 
thousand  species  of  exotic.s  in  his  “  Stoves  and  Gardens.”  Gar¬ 
dening  formed  a  relaxation  from  the  pressing  duties  of  his 
exalted  otticej  and  he  had  a  constr.nt  supply  of  new  plants 
forwarded  by  correspondents  travelling  abroad. 
But,  . it  is  .very,  clear  that  England  was  greatly  indebted  to 
the,  Dutch  for  many  novelties,  for,  while  they,  by  every  means, 
endeavoured  to  hinde.r  the  English  from  colonising  abroad,  or 
if  that  failed,  to  oust  them  from  their  factories,  the  Dutchman 
was  by  no,  means  selfish  in  retaining  what  his  neighbour, 
in  returp  fob  a  consideration,  was  anxious  to  obtain.  It  was 
in  this  way,  no  .doubt,  that  the  earliest  Cape  plants  reached 
Evelyn  and  others,  and  as  a  fact  both  French  and  Dutch 
traders  made  annual  trips  to  England  with  their  wares,  which 
they  appear  to  have  brought  with  them  and  travelled  about 
the  country  disposing  to  their  patrons.  Bona  fide  English 
introductions  were  very  largely  confined  to  America,  with 
which,  once  a  colony  had  been  established,  there  seems  to  have 
been  a  fairly  constant  communication,  and  as  early  as  16.34 
we  have  an  instance  where  a  Mr.  Gibb,  of  Bath,  is  mentioned 
as’  a  cultivator  of  exotics,  many  of  which,  he  himself  had 
brought  from  Virginia.  The  Public  Botanic  Garden  as  distinct 
from  the  private  physic  gardens  already  established  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  had  its  beginning  in  that  under  review,  and 
became  the  repository  of  collections  of  plants  that  would  other¬ 
wise  have  been  lost  as  well  as  affording  a  home  for  novelties 
of  all  kinds,  but  that  and  other  matter  must  be  left  over  mean¬ 
while. — B. 
• - - — - - 
Forestry. 
Cutting.  Trees  by  Electricity. 
It  is  reported  in  the  tterman  press  that  successful  experiments 
have  been  made  in  various  forests  of  France  in  cutting  trees  by  means 
of  electricity.  A  platinum  wire  is  heafed  to  a  wdiite  heat  by  an  electric 
current  and  used  like  a  saw..  In  this  manner  the  tree  is  felled  much 
easier  and  quicker  than  in  the  old  way;  no  sawdust  is  produced,  and 
the  sliglit  carbonization  caused  by  tlie  hot  wire  acts  as  preservative  of 
the  wood.  The  new  method  is  said  to  require  only  one-eighth  of  the 
time  eoiisumed'by  the  old  sawing  process. 
Forestry  at  Park  Royal. 
The  Koyal  Agricultural  Society,  it  is  stated,  have  decided  to  hold  a 
British  forestry  exhibition  in '  connection  Avith  the  Society’s  annual 
show  of  1904,  Avhich  will  be  opened  on  the  21st  of  next  .June.  It  is 
proposed  that  the  exhibits  shall  be  classified  in  the  folloAving  seven 
sections  : — (1)  Seeds  and  cones  of  forest  trees  ;  (2)  seedling  trees  and 
transplant,  shoAving  the  effects  of  nursery  treatment  as  to  cultivation, 
manuring.  I'oot-pruning,  &e. ;  (3)  Avoods  and  plantations ;  (4)  timbers, 
including  hand  specimens  of  home-groAvn  Avoods  of  A’arious  species ; 
(5)  insects  and  diseases,  shoAving  characteristic  examples  of  the 
attacks  of  game,  birds,  squirrels,  voles,  tkc. ;  (6)  plans,  maps,  models, 
&e.,  illustrating  Avorking  plans,  forest  exploitation,  manipulation  of 
timber,  tkc. ;  and  (7)  forest  and  niu'sery  tools,  instruments,  and 
appliances.  Specimens  of  exotic  timbers  that  cannot  be  produced  in 
this  country  Avill  not  be  shoAvn,  but  foreign-grown  specimens,  to  be 
placed  alongside  home-groAvn  materials,  Avill  be  accepted.  Lord 
(iranby  is  the  chairman  of  the  E.xhibition  Committee,  and  the 
principal  institutions  in  this  country  engaged  in  the  promotion  of 
scientific  forestry,  OAvners  of  forest  and  Avoodland  areas  in  Dreat 
Britain,  and  others,  are  iiiA-ited  to  lend  their  active  co-operation  in  the 
endeavour  to  make  the  exhibition  complete  and  thoroughly  I’epresen- 
tative  of  British  forestry. 
Prairie  Tree  Planting, 
Ceoi-.iic  L.  Clothier,  at  the  summer  meeting  of  the  American 
Forestry  Association  at  Minneapolis,  said:  ‘‘Tree  planting  on 
the  Minnesota  prairies  has  not  been  as  succe.s.sful  in  the  past  as 
it  should  have  been,  because  inferior  .species  Avere  largely  used. 
Xurserymen  have  foisted  such  Avorthless  shrubs  as  Diamond  Wil¬ 
low  upon  the  public  for  a  fence  post  tree.  CottonAvood,  Box 
Elder,  and  Silver  Maple  have  been  planted  on  upland  .sites,  ill 
adapted  to  the  groAvth  of  these  river  bottom  trees.  Little  care 
has  been  used  in  the  .selection  of  sites  for  plantations,  and  the 
proper  adjustment  of  the  forest  plantation  to  the  needs  of  the 
re-t  of  the  farm  has  been  overlooked.  Trees  have  been  planted 
too  clo.se  to  the  dwellings,  thus  cau.sing  snoAvdrifts  to  bury  the 
buildings  or'  impede  the  progress  of  the  farm  Avork.  Every 
-Minnesota  plantation  and  farmstead  should  haA'e  an  L-shaped 
protective  belt  on  the  north  and  Avest.  knoAvn  as  a  snoAv-break. 
To  be  of  any  value  the  snoAvbreak  must  be  bordered  on  the  .south 
and  east  by  an  open  space,  ten  or  tAvelve  rods  Avide,  known  as  a 
snoAV  trap,  into  Avhich  the  drifting  snoAV  A\’ill  collect.” 
A  Christmas  Greeting. 
Sincerely  do  Ave  Avish  that  all  our  readers  and  contributors 
may  pa.ss  a  happy  Christmas-tide,  and  that  the  XeAv  Year  may 
open  and  continue  to  be  to  them  both  a  pleasant  and 
prosperous  one. 
The  Chrysanthemum  Analysis. 
The  Journal's  Chrysanthemum  Analysis  is  being  prepared  by  Mr. 
E.  Molyneux,  and  Avill  be  published  next  Aveek.  This  valuable  con¬ 
tribution  Avill  thus  be  published  in  seasonable  time  for  the  execution 
of  orders  by  the  Chrysanthemum  trade  gro Avers.  The  analysis  Avill 
be  on  a  broader  basis  than  heretofore. 
The  "Gardeners’  Assistant.’’ 
Among  the  resolutions  made  at  the  Ncav  Year  (and  Ave  all  make 
resolutions)  should  be  this  one;  That  AvhosoeA’er  does  not  possess  the 
“•  Gai'deners’ Assistant  ” — Avdiieh  is  the  fullest  and  best  guide  for  the 
practical  gardener's  study — make  the  resolve  to  take  it  out  in  parts,  as 
is  noAV  being  offered  by  the  Gresham  Publishing  Company.  The 
Avork  is  handsome,  both  outside  and  in  ;  it  has  coloured  plates  and 
innumerable  illustrations  ;  it  deals  AAuth  all  phases  of  gardening ;  was 
Avritten  by  ex^Aerts ;  and  has  just  been  brought  up-tO-date.  -For 
particulars,  see  our  adA’ertisement  pages. 
Extensions  at  Covent  Garden  Market. 
Visitors  Avho  kneAV  Covent  Garden  IMarket  as  it  AA’as  only  a 
year.  ago.  on  re-inspection  now,  Avill  be.  able  to  observe  a  consider¬ 
able  addition  to  the  buildings  of  the  market  area.  During 
the  past  snmmer  the  large  vegetable  yard  or  square,  Avhich  is 
looked  doAvn  npon  by  the  offices  and  .shops  in  Tavistock  Street, 
has  been  nndermined  for  huge  cellars  and  storage  chambers, 
and  overhead  there  has  been  reared  a  large  and  really  orna¬ 
mental  building,  qnite  beautiful  indeed  if  Ave  compare  it  Avith 
the  .ILH.S.  Horticultural  Hall!  The  lower  .storeys  of  this 
square-built  edifice  form  an  open  shed  Avhich  at  the  present 
moment  is  fully  packed  Avith  Christmas  evergreens,  Avhile  above 
there  i.s  a  .roomy,  light,  and  comfortable  floral  hall  Avith  booth.s 
around  the  Avails  and  tAvo  roAvs  .back  to  back  doAvn  the  middle. 
Each  booth  or  stall  has  its  oavu  private  office.  Availed  off.  This 
hall  is  reached  either  from  Tavistock  Street  or  the  upper  part 
of  the  Market  by  broad  flights  of  stairs,  one  from  either  side, 
these  meeting  at  the  entrance  to  the  hall.  The  addition  has 
been  greatly  needed  for  a  long  time,  and  every  .stall-space  i.^ 
already  occupied.  It  Avas  Only  opened  a  Aveek  or  two  ago. 
Snaithing  Brook,  Sheffield. 
,  Since  our  notes  on  Snaithing  Brook  appeared  in  the  spring, 
the  oAvner  (H.  H.  AndreAV,  Esq.)  has  unfortunately  pas.sed 
aAvay,  having  died  suddenly  Avhile  in  XeAv  York.  The  gardens 
are  very  beautiful,  and  a  credit  to  the  gardener,  IMr.  Sharpe, 
Avho  has  quite  a  Avealth  of  floAvers  for  Christmas.  An  immense 
Bougainvillea  glabra  is  still  coA'ered  Avith  bloom,  a  splendid  batch 
of  Cyclamens  are  in  full  floAver  ;  then  there  is  a  grand  lot  of 
Begonia  x  Baron  (?)  de  Rothschild,  Avhich  appears  to  be  quit-’ 
as  free  as,  but  Avith  larger  floAvers  and  paler  in  colour  than, 
Gloire  de  Lorraine.  There  are  a  feAv  choice  Orchids  in  floAver, 
and  others  are  uoav  throAving  floAver  spikes.  Dendrobium 
Ijrimnlinum  gigantenm  has  spikes  fully  a  yard  long,  and  .shoAv- 
inc:  Avell  for  floAver.  Coleus  thyrsoideus  is  also  in  floAver  here, 
the  beautiful  blue  being  a  Avelcome  addition  at  this  .season. 
There  are  also  Roman  Hyacinths  and  Xarcissi,  Azaleas  and 
Poin.settias ;  also  grand  Primulas  of  Webbs’  and  Fisher,  Son, 
and  Sibray’s  strains.  There  is  still  a  nice  shoAv  of  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums,  and  the  establishment  Avill  apparently  not  be  short  of 
floAvers  or  floAvering  plants  for  the  Christmas  season.  There 
are  some  good  Tomatoes  and  Grapes.  The  vineries  are  being 
prepared  for  starting.  Cinerarias  look  promising,  and  there 
are  a  nice  lot.  Out  of  doors  all  i.s  trim  and  neat,  and  it  may 
be  hoped  that  ere  long  something  definite  may  be  knoAvn  as  to 
the  future  of  this  beautiful  seat. — W.  L. 
