EDITORIAL NOTICE. ADVERTISEMENTS should be sent to the PUB. LISHER, 41, Wellington Street, Covent Garden, w.c. Letters for Publication as well as specimens and plants for naming, should be addressed to the EDITOR, 41, Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London. Communications should be WRITTEN ON ONE SIDE ONLY OF THE PAPER, sent as e irly in the week as possible, and duly signed by the writer. If desired, the signature will not be printed, but kept as a guarantee of good faith. Special Notice to Correspondents.-The Editor does not undertake to pay for any contributions or illustrations, or to return unused communications or illustrations, unless by special arrangement. The Editor does not hold himself responsible for any opinions expressed by his correspondents. Newspapers.-Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the Editor to see. AVERAGE TEMPERATURE for the ensuing week, deduced from observations of Forty-three Years at Chiswick-48 4°. ACTUAL TEMPERATURES: LONDON.-Wednesday, October 17 (6 P.M.): Max. 62°; Gardeners' Chronicle Office, 41, Wellington Street, SALES FOR THE ENSUING WEEK, MONDAY TO FRIDAY Dutch Bulbs at 67 & 68, Cheapside, E.C., by Protheroe & Morris, at 10.30. MONDAY AND TUESDAY— Indoor and Outdoor Nursery Stock, Statuary, &c., at 489, King's Road, Chelsea, by order of Mr. J. H. Stone, by Protheroe & Morris, at 12. MONDAY Nursery Stock at The Nurseries, Bellingham, by order of Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, by Protheroe & Morris, at 12. Sale of Bulbs, Plants, &c., at Stevens' Rooms. TUESDAY Clearance Sale of Fruit Trees at Fairley and Elms WEDNESDAY— Clearance Sale of Nursery Stock at The Field House Palms, Plants, Azaleas, &c., at 67 & 68, Cheapside E.C., Sale of Bulbs, Roses, Plants, &c., at Stevens' Rooms. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY 750,000 Coniferæ and other stock at Hollamby's Nurseries, Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells, by Protheroe & Morris, at 11.30 Our Professor F. W. Oliver's address to the Botanical Section of the Herbaria. British Association at York, some portions of which have been published in our columns, has not been allowed to pass unchallenged. The first portion contained a most interesting summary of what is known and of what is inferred of the history and gradual development of the seed. Read in connection with Dr. Scott's memoir on seed-structures in plants which had till now been considered as of Fern-like affinity, it serves to give a clear account of what is now passing in the minds of those whose studies are devoted to these recondite subjects. The second half of the address had reference to the rise and progress of the new school " of botanists, and to the future destiny and use of herbaria. In the Sep. tember number of the Journal of Botany, Mr. James Britten repudiates the views as to the function of our great herbaria held by the professor. It is quite true that the study of botany has undergone a very great change during the last half century, and equally true that the change has been highly beneficial in extending the bounds of knowledge and in directing attention to departments previously neglected. But whilst this is incontrovertible there is something to be said on the other side. The laboratory pupil, if for distinction sake we may so call him, quits his table much better equipped in certain limited departments than his predecessor did, but whether he is likely to prove a better allround botanist, using that word in its most comprehensive sense, has yet to be shown. Professor Oliver, in his address, speaks depreciatingly of our two great herbaria, because they are not associated with any particular teaching institution. But, surely, like great libraries, they are at the disposal of all, and if the "schools" do not make use of them, so much the worse for the schools. A herbarium fulfils the purpose of a vast book of reference, and if the "student" does not make use of the resources at his disposal, it is he who is the loser. Doubtless there is something to be said in favour of the association of a teaching staff with our museums. Such collections, for instance, are not half as much appreciated as they might be, for want of a teaching staff in addition to the conservators. The example of our hospitals is sufficient to show how much their efficiency and their progressive development are secured by association with a teaching body; so if the botanists of the modern school were made practically acquainted with the work done in the herbaria, they would soon cease to regard those collections in the light of " scrapheaps." The preparation of an important monograph of any group, with all the research that it entails, all the careful comparison, weighing of evidence from all sources, and judgment that it necessitates, is surely better calculated to make a man a "botanist "than any amount of specialised laboratory work, however important it may be. For the compilation of such a monograph a garden is most desirable, but its resources are not available at all seasons, so that the herbarium becomes essential. Again, the practical applications of botany are assuming such large proportions that there is no fear of our herbaria languishing from disuse, as the professor seems to fear, for it is to the herbaria that we must turn for the identification of useful plants of all descriptions; it is to them that we must look for information as to the localities in which they grow, and the climatal conditions under which they flourish. The facts are so obvious that we need not do more than mention the services which the herbaria render to horticulture. In fact, as gardeners, we cannot dispense with either the botanist of the old school or the student of the new. It is as important for us to know the life history of a Dandelion, as revealed in the laboratory, as it is to know the conformation and all that depends upon it of the Welwitschia, to adopt the illustration used by the professor. Both may seem remote from the practical, everyday work of the ordinary gardener, but as regards the extension of that knowledge on which ultimately all good practice must depend, it is certain that we cannot afford to neglect any increase of knowledge. "A public herbarium fulfils a variety of purposes with which the schools' have, and can have, nothing to do. At the National Herbarium, for example, the botanical history of the last two or three hundred years can be traced; the types of Linnean species, of the early American collectors, and the great Sloane Herbarium are therein preserved; and so far from showing any signs of becoming ' obsolete,' they are constantly consulted by botanists from all parts of the world, both by personal visits and by correspondence. Apart from these, the student of the British flora, the amateur botanist, the horticulturist, the elementary teacher, and the intelligent inquirer find the herbarium a convenient centre for prosecuting their studies, and for obtaining information which they could not readily obtain elsewhere. If Professor Oliver's ideal were realised, botany would become the sole possession of the schools; and not only the foreign systematist, but the general public, the private student, the amateur, and the monographer would be excluded from consideration. The National Herbarium and that at Kew are supported by public funds; it is, therefore, manifestly but common justice that the public rather than the schools should have the prior claim to their services." GILIA CORONOPIFOLIA.-The illustration on page 277 of the present issue will serve to draw attention to a plant that has long been cultivated in gardens, but is not so well known at the present day as its merits justify. A description of the flowers as shown by Messrs. G. & A. CLARK, LTD., Dover at a meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on August 28, was published on page 169 of cur issue for September 1, and the growing plants are referred to in an article on this nursery on page 280 of our present issue. Messrs. CLARK inform us that the plant is a biennial, the seed of which, if sown in May, will produce flowers in the July of the following year. The plants grow to a height of 3 to 4 feet under the best conditions, and produce flowering spikes about 2 feet in length. The ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Society's annual general examination in the principles and practice of horticulture will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 1907. The examination will be held simultaneously in as many different centres in Great Britain and Ireland as circumstances may demand. Society is willing to hold an examination wher ever a magistrate, clergyman, schoolmaster, or other responsible person accustomed to examina. tions will consent to supervise one on the Society's behalf. A copy of the syllabus may be obtained by sending a stamped and directed envelope to the Society's offices. Intending candidates should send in their names not later than March 16. A scholarship of £25 a year for two years is offered by the Society in con. nection with this examination. Copies of the questions set at the examinations 1893-1905 may be obtained from the Society's offices, Vincent Square, Westminster, S.W., price 1s. 9d., or 10s. per dozen. II. School Teachers' Examination. The Society will hold an examination in cottage and allotment gardening on Wednesday, April 24, 1907. This examination is intended for, and will be confined to, elementary and technical school teachers. It has been undertaken in view of the increasing demand in country districts that the schoolmaster should be competent to teach the elements of cottage gardening. The Society's certificate will be issued after the examination to all who shall, in the judgment of the Council, have shown sufficient acquaintance with a knowledge of the subject to warrant their teaching it to their scholars. Teachers and assistants desiring to sit for the examination should apply at once for a copy of the syllabus to the Royal Horticultural Society, Vincent Square, Westminster. A stamp should be sent to cover postage. The general conduct of this examination will be on similar lines to that of the more general examination. III. Public Parks Examination.-This examination is specially intended for gardeners employed in public parks and gardens belonging to county councils, city corporations, and similar bodies, and will be held on Monday, January 14, 1907, in the Royal Horticultural Society's Hall, Vincent Square, Westminster, S.W. The examina. tion, which will commence at 10 a.m., will be partly written, partly vivâ voce, and will occupy three hours for the written portion, and about 20 minutes each candidate vivâ voce. A syllabus, with entry form attached, can be obtained on application to the Secretary, R.H.S., Vincent Square, Westminster, to whom intending candidates should send in their names not later than Saturday, December 29, 1906, but before if possible. -The next meeting of the Committees will be held on Tuesday, October 23, in the Society's Hall, Vincent Square, Westminster. A lecture on Horticultural Education" will be given by Mr. F. J. BAKER, at three o'clock. THE SCOTS PINE SHEDDING ITS LEAVES PREMATURELY.-We have received the following letter from our most highly valued correspondent, Sir JOSEPH HOOKER :-" During September last the Scotch Pines around my house shed their young leaves in profusion, covering the paths under them with a carpet of the tenderest green. Very few, if any, old leaves fell with them. The Pines are self-sown, growing on a slope, in sandy, gravelly soil, with a little peat, together 1 to 2 feet deep, over a hard pan. The oldest trees average 80 years. I should be glad to know if this phenomenon has been observed elsewhere, as it was due, no doubt, to previous drought." Jos. D. Hooker, The Camp, near Sunningdale, October 12, 1906. FLOWERS IN SEASON. We have received flowers of a large number of beautiful varieties of garden Pentstemons from the well-known hardy plant nursery of Mr. JOHN FORBES, Hawick. The great improvement effected in this flower in recent years is remarkable, and it is now quite one of the best subjects for the flower garden in summer-time. Such a selection as Mr. FORBES sends us affords a very wide range of colours, but the scarlet flowers and those of shades approaching to that colour are the most attractive, and these, planted in groups in the borders or in beds by themselves, such as we recently saw them in the old flower garden at Golder's Hill, form quite a beautiful feature. The varieties John Lamont, George Home, and Lady Arthur are all of this colour, their principal difference being in the amount of white found in the throat. ROTHAMSTED.-A very useful guide to the experimental plots at the Rothamsted Experimental Station, showing the nature and method of the several experiments and the general results, is published at the cost of one shilling by Mr. JOHN MURRAY, Albemarle Street. This summary should be in the hands of all cultivators who can turn the lessons it teaches to good account. MR. RICHARD LOWE. In recognition of his many services rendered to Horticulture, a fund is being raised in the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton to assist Mr. RICHARD LOWE in his old age. Mr. Lowe has been in business for sixty years, and has devoted much of his time in disinterested efforts to promote horticulture and the welfare of his fellows. An influential local committee has been formed, and Mr. W. JOHNSON, manager of the Metropolitan Bank, Wolverhampton, has consented to act as treasurer, to whom donations may be sent, or to Mr. Toм B. DOBBS, 32, Queen Square, Wolverhampton. THE SURVEYORS INSTITUTION.-The first ordinary general meeting of the session 1906-1907 will be held on Monday, November 12, 1906, at 12, Great George Street, Westminster, when the president, Mr. GEORGE LANGRIDGE, will deliver an opening address. The chair will be taken at 8 o'clock. WELBECK ABBEY GLASSHOUSES.-The Duke of PORTLAND is having a considerable section of the glasshouses at Welbeck renewed and modernised. The new work includes: span corridor, 280 feet by 16 feet; three span plant houses, each 43 feet by 20 feet; six span houses, each 37 feet by 12 feet; span Carnation house CO feet by 12 feet; also a lean-to range comprising three Fig houses and two vineries, 300 feet by 15 feet. The work of erecting the new houses has been entrusted to Messrs. MESSENGER & Co., Ltd., the wellknown horticultural builders, of Loughborough and London. Last year Messrs. MCKENZIE & MONCUR built a very large fruit range in these gardens. THE KRUPP Wedding.—It is interesting to note that Messrs. CHARLESWORTH & Co., Heaton, Bradford, supplied the whole of the Orchid flowers for the decorations at Hügel a. d. Ruhr. Over 400 sprays of Odontoglossums, 1,000 LælioCattleyas, 500 Cattleya labiatas, and hundreds of spikes of such things as Oncidiums, Vandas, Phalaenopsis, Cymbidiums, &c., &c., were supplied. This is the second large order this firm has received from Germany, the previous one being for the silver wedding of the Emperor WILLIAM a few months ago. THE GOELDI Museum, BRAZIL.-We note the publication of the Bulletin of the Goeldi Museum, Para, Brazil, which includes the following articles: Materials for the Flora of the Amazon, by Dr. J. HUBER, and Synopsis of Species of the genus Hevea, by Dr. J. HUBER. The papers are in Portuguese, but the "Flora" includes descriptions in Latin of the species enumerated. POTATO. A Potato Demonstration" was held on Saturday, September 29, under the auspices of the Edinburgh College of Agriculture, special facilities having been afforded by Mr. SCARLETT. Among the salient results is the disappointing behaviour of Eldorado, the price of which, a few years back, was £160 per lb.! Respecting this, we take the following extract from the North British Agriculturist. In addition to the College exhibits at the Show,' the Messrs. SCARLETT exhibited a fine selection. One of their exhibits was interesting by way of showing the results of express culture, of which the potatogrowing public heard so much a couple of years ago when Eldorado were selling at £160 per lb. This particular exhibit showed a 'root' of Eldorado grown from ' seed' which had been produced in a natural way by ordinary culture, while alongside it was another Eldorado 'root' produced from 'seed' grown from tubers which had been grown from shoots,' by the system of express culture.' The result was that the 'root' produced from tubers that had been grown in a natural way showed a very fair yield, whereas the 'root' grown from the tubers that had been produced by express culture' consisted of only eight tubers of about the size of marbles. Dr. WILSON showed eight new hybrid varieties of his own raising. Four of these were raised in 1902, and four in 1905, so that four of these hybrids had stood the test of four years' cultivation. One of these was named Rector, a ruddy-skinned maincrop of medium size and excellent quality. It was guaranteed as having stood the test of four years' field culture without even. 4 showing a trace of disease. Another named Prior was an oval white second early, which was guaranteed a fine cropper of excellent quality. A third was Kate Kennedy, which was a lineal descendant of British Queen, and the fourth was Bejeant, a fine looking net-skinned ye low-fleshed kidney, a good cropper, and of the best quality. The four seedlings were the second year from the berry, One of them was the first year's seedling which produced 6 lbs. of tubers last year-within ten months of being raised from the berry. Another of the four was a very attractive rough-skinned pinkish round. The four were specimens selected from over 230 seedlings." THE POTATO CROP IN IRELAND. We are sorry to find our bright Irish contemporary, Irish Gardening, confirms the reports that have reached us as to the exceptionally bad prospects of the Potato crop in the sister isle. In certain of the western districts the crop is "practically wiped out of existence." Early and repeated sprayings are insisted on as preventives. ENGLISH GARDENERS IN AMERICA. We are constantly struck, in perusing the American journals, by the number of nurserymen of British extraction who have made their home in the United States. Of course, this is not very surprising in itself, but what is remarkable is that, with the exception of a comparatively few who have what we may term a cosmopolitan reputation, we hear so little in the old country of what the gardeners of British extraction are doing in their new home, which after all is not like a foreign country, but is only an offset from the old stock, language, literature, religion being the same. We take the following interesting details from the Weekly Florists' Review:-" JOHN H. SMALL, senr., the pioneer floral decorator of Washington, D.C., was born at Watford, England, in 1826. He inherited horticultural tastes from both his father's and mother's parents. His paternal grandfather was the owner of a nursery at Colnbrook, England, and leased for 10 years Cliveden, the present home of W. W. ASTOR, on part of which he conducted a nursery, in connection with his business at Colnbrook. Mr. SMALL'S maternal grandfather was a Welsh gardener, an authority in his day. Mr. SMALL received his training both with his grandfather and at Frogmore, Windsor. While at Frogmore he saw much of the early married life of QUEEN VICTORIA and the early childhood of the present KING OF ENGLAND. He has also vivid recollections of the Duke of WELLINGTON, hero of Waterloo, as he rode to and from Windsor. Many years ago, antedating the Civil War, Lord LYONS was British Minister at Washington. He was a lavish entertainer, and had imported wax flowers and fruits from Paris for table-decorations. Mr. SMALL persuaded him to give up the waxwork for natural flowers, which he furnished at a financial loss to himself for the time being, but in thus turning the tide of fashion to natural flowers he conferred a great boon on American horticulture."' THE MAINTAINING OF MOISTURE IN ORCHID HOUSES. In an article descriptive of the new Botanical Garden at Dahlem, mention is made in Die Gartenwelt for September 22, of the method of affording atmospheric moisture in the Orchid houses recently erected there. As is usual in most span-roofed houses the central stage is arranged in tiers of steps or shelves, and at the sides the usual flat benches The whole of the staging and benches have an extra platform of wood beneath them, on which are placed porous bricks, pierced with holes, which, by being saturated with water, are capable of maintaining the air of the house in a desirable state of moisture for a considerable length of time. With the same intent, the paths are laid with hard bricks, having channels between them for holding water, that run lengthwise of the paths a more economical method than wooden gangways. FLOWER GARDENING AT BATTERSEA.-The Battersea Borough Council, with a view to encouraging the cultivation of flowers and plants by the tenants of their houses and tenements (351 in number) on the Latchmere and Town Hall Estates, recently held the third competition, with the cooperation of the Battersea and Wandsworth Amateur Chrysanthemum and Horticultural Society, for the best kept outdoor and indoor flower, &c., gardens. The competitors were divided into two classes, as the tenants on the upper floors are provided with gardens away from the houses, whilst the gardens for the ground floor tenants are immediately adjacent to their houses. The number of competitors totalled 34. The presentation of the prizes, &c., by the Mayoress (Mrs. W. RINES) is to be made the occasion of a public meeting, to be held in the small hall at the Latchmere Road Baths (Burns Road entrance), on Friday, October 26, 1906, at 8 p.m. AN EFFECTUAL CURE.-We take the following from the Florists' Exchange: "A farmer who was much troubled during the nutting season by trespassers in a wood bordering the roadside, ascertained from a botanical friend the scientific name of the hazel, and caused the following notice to be put up in the wood: Trespassers Take Warning! All Persons entering this wood do so at their own abounds here in company with more or less The wood is now shunned by everybody, and the farmer is so pleased with the success of his ruse that he thinks of seeing his botanical friend again to find out the Latin name of the common, edible field mushroom." There is another side to this matter It is quite possible that some persons might be attracted by the intimation, even if couched in botanical language, that "nuts to be had in the wood. We remember a similar case where this announcement was made Scolopendriums and Polypodiums set here."' The effect in this case was to induce certain plant lovers to transgress the law of trespass in the hope of finding Ferns, but, alas, they only existed on the notice board, and there only in name. were HOW TO BUY A BUSINESS.-By A. W. BROM LEY. (London: T. FISHER UNWIN, Adelphi Terrace). This is described as being a guide to the purchase of retail and other businesses, professional practices, etc., and it has a supplementary chapter on partnerships. It should prove handy for reference to all who require the advice given in it. This, briefly speaking, is to make as good a bargain on all occasions as is possible, and all that the writer says bears out the maxim that" the buyer has need of a hundred eyes, the seller has need of but one." The author certainly gives timely warning in exposing the tricks to which those who have a business and stock to sell sometimes resort. No reference to any particular class of trade is made, as the same rules are applicable when purchasing any property. A BOTANICAL MUSEUM. In the great hall of the Natural History Museum at South Kensington something is done to illustrate the relations of morphology and physiology, and if this plan were more fully developed, taking for illustration KERNER'S Natural History of Plants as a nucleus, there is little doubt that the study of scientific botany would be materially promoted. Illustrations bearing on Mendelism and DE VRIES' views on mutation would be useful to those desirous of acquainting themselves with the current of modern botanical thought and observations. A series of specimens illustrative of the "improveof garden flowers would be of great interest. Take, for instance, the tuberous Be ment gonias, of which the original species should be shown in effigy, if not in the form of dried specimens, together with the latest developments which are so different from the original type that a new genus has even been proposed for them. Dahlias, Fuchsias, Chrysanthemums, Gladioli, and numerous other genera might be treated in like manner, and would assuredly be of great value to the students of evolution. At present they are looked on as decorative objects only, and as of no value for scientific purposes, but it is obvious on consideration that they might be made to serve a much higher and more permanent purpose. SPECIFIC NAMES.-At the Botanical Congress held in Vienna last year the following "recommendation" was made that all specific names should be written with a small initial letter, except those derived from the names of men or women (whether used as substantives or as adjectives), or those which represent the names of old genera (substantives or adjectives), thus: Ficus indica, Brassica Napus (Napus being a name of an old genus), Phyteuma Halleri, Malva Tournefortiana. In this way the confusion engendered by the recent practice of spelling words derived from the names of persons in two ways, according as they are used as substantives or as adjectives, is abolished, and all personal names, whether substantives or adjec tives should be spelt with a capital letter, thus: Rosa Hookeri or Rosa Hookeriana. It is generally understood that the substantive form implies that the person whose name is connected with a species has been connected with its discovery, its description, or in some other way; whilst the adjective form anus, or, in the feminine, ana, is merely complimentary. LECTURES ON AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGY AT ROYAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, IRELAND. Mr. D. HOUSTON will give a course of lectures in the Royal College of Science, St. Stephen's Green, under the auspices of the Dublin Seed and Nursery Employees' Association. The subjects are as follow-October 11: I. The Micro-organisms of Soils, and their influence upon fertility. October 18: II. Parasitic Fungi October in relation to the Health of Plants. 25: III. Sexual Reproduction in Plants; "Laws" of Heredity. November 1: IV. The Natural History of Coniferæ. November 8: V. Liliaceous Plants as representing the great group of Monocotyledonous vegetation (or Amarylliaceous Plants). November 15: VI. Rosaceous Plants as representing Dicotyledons. November 22: VII. Geographical Distribution of Plants. COMMERCIAL RESEARCH IN THE TROPICS. The Institute of Commercial Research in the Tropics, connected with the Liverpool University, has lately published its third quarterly journal. It contains the following articles: -Agricultural Products of the Ivory Coast," by E. CASTAING; "Gold Coast Department of BoAgriculture," by Viscount MOUNTMORRES; tanic Gardens at Konakry, French Guinea," by Viscount MOUNTMORRES and LEO FARMAR; "Notes on the Gold Coast," by FRANCIS CROWTHER; "Analysis of Mollendo Biscuit Rubber," by D. SPENCE; "Absorbent Value of Ramie Fibre," by Dr. ERIC DRABBLE and F. A. UPSHER-SMITH; and "Possibilities of Ramie," by D. EDWARDS-RADCLYFFE. The Institute is doing good work collecting and publishing information concerning the industries of the tropics and in original research and investigations connected with them. INFLUENCE OF THE SCION UPON THE STOCK. -M. VAN HEEDE reports, in a recent number of Le Jardin, that he has received from M. LINDE MUTH, Berlin, through Messrs. HAAGE & SCHMIDT, an exceedingly interesting novelty showing the influence of the graft of Abutilon Thompsoni on the stock of Kitaibelia vitifolia. By grafting the Abutilon on the Kitaibelia the shoots produced below the graft became prettily variegated. The large leaves of the Kitaibelia are freely marked with touches of bright red, which are very conspicuous even from a distance. Kitaibelia vitifolia is a native of the South of Europe, and is a hardy shrub, especially in Central and Southern France. The new production bears the inappropriate name of Kitaibelia Lindemuthii X. PARKS AND SQUARES OF THE United StatES. -The first Bulletin of the American Association of Park Superintendents is before us, and is of interest in helping us to compare the public spaces in U.S.A. with those of Great Britain. In our country, outside the cities, almost every private house has its own garden, large or small, our public parks being intended chiefly for the enjoyment of those who, in crowded districts, have no other outlet. The American cpe i spaces, on the other hand, are for the benefit of all classes, since small, separate gardens are Hence there the exception rather than the rule. is the more need for skilful gardening that shall appeal to cultivated tastes and maybe proze instructive as well as merely ornamental, while in our country the aim is generally to secure a pleasant playground for town children and some bright floral effects and shady nooks for their elders. Publications Received. The School Garden, by J. E. Hennesey. Published by Blackie & Son, Ltd. Price 1s.-The Estate Magazine, October. The contents include an article upon the estates of the Earl of Sefton, notes upon Hops and Hop picking, upon fruit and railway rates, the storage of Apples, &c.-The Book Lover, October.-The Garden City, October. This includes a portrait of Mr. George Cadbury, whose name is familiar in connection with Bournville.-The following leaflets have reached us from the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. No. 168, Hints on the Formation of Permanent Pastures; No. 175, The Use of Waste Organic Substances as Manures; No. 174, Tree Root-Rot (Armillaria mellea).-From the Transvaal Department of Agriculture. Division of Publications. Bulletin No. 1, Burr-weed or Boete Bosch (Xanthium spinosum), by William Macdonald; Bulletin No. 3, The Food of Plants, by Herbert Ingle. Also from the Division of Botany, leaflet No. 4, The Cockle-Bur (Xanthium strumarium).-From the Ontario Department of Agriculture, The Common Fungus and Insect Pests of Growing Vegetable Crops, by Wm. Lockhead and T. D. Jarvis.-From the United States Department of Agriculture. Farmers' Bulletin No. 254. Cucumbers, by L. C. Corbett. A useful pamphlet dealing with growing Cucumbers for early market in the open and in cold frames, Cucumbers for pickling, and Cucumbers forced under glass.-From the Bureau of Entomology. Requirements to be complied with by nurserymen or others who make inter state shipments of nursery stock by A. F. Burgess. THE following is the full text of the Act for the better Prevention of Corruption passed on August 4, 1906, and which will operation on January 1, 1907 :Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1.-(1) If any agent corruptly accepts ог obtains, or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain, from any person, for himself or for any other person, any gift or con-sideration as an inducement or reward for doing or forbearing to do, or for having after the passing of this Act done or ferborne to do, any act in relation to his principal's affairs or business, or for showing or forbearing to show favour or disfavour to any person in relation to Fis principal's affairs or business; or If any person corruptly gives or agrees to give or offers any gift or consideration to any agent as an inducement or reward for doing or forbearing to do, or for having after the passing of this Act done or forborne to do, any act in relation to his principal's affairs or business, or for showing or forbearing to show favour or disfavour to any person in relation to his principal's affairs or business; or If any person knowingly gives to any agent, or if any agent knowingly uses with intent to deceive his principal, any receipt, account, or other document in respect of which the principal is interested, and which contains any statement which is false or erroneous or defective in any material particular, and which to his knowledge is intended to mislead the principal, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and shall be liable on conviction or indictment to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine not exceeding five hundred pounds, or to both such imprisonment and such fine, or on summary conviction to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding four months, or to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds, or to both such imprisonment and such fine. (2) For the purposes of this Act the expression "consideration" includes valuable consideration of any kind; the expression "agent" includes any person employed by or acting for another; and the expression "principal" includes an employer. (3) A person serving under the Crown or under any corporation or any municipal, borough, county, or district council, or any board of guardians, is an agent within the meaning of this Act. 2. (1) A prosecution for an offence under this Act shall not be instituted without the consent, in England of the AttorneyGeneral or Solicitor-General, and in Ireland of the Attorney-General or SolicitorGeneral for Ireland. (2) The Vexatious Indictments Act, 1859, as amended by any subsequent enactment, shall apply to offences under this Act as if they were included among the offences mentioned in section one of that Act. (3) Every information for any offence under this Act shall be upon oath. (4) The expenses of any prosecution on indictment under this Act shall be defrayed as in cases of indictment for felony. (5) A court of quarter sessions shall not have jurisdiction to inquire of, hear, and determine prosecutions on indictments for offences under this Act. (6) Any person aggrieved by a summary conviction under this Act may appeal to a court of quarter sessions. 3. This Act shall extend to Scotland, subject to the following modifications: (1) Section two shall not extend to Scotland: (2) In Scotland all offences which are punishable under this Act on summary conviction shall be prosecuted before the sheriff in manner provided by the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Acts. 4. (1) This Act may be cited as the Preven. tion of Corruption Act, 1906. (2) This Act shall come into operation on the first day of January nineteen hundred and seven. A STRIPED GOOSEBERRY. SOME years ago I found a single striped berry on a bush of Warrington's Red Gooseberry; all the others were pure Warringtons, and although I usually have about six or seven tons of Gooseberries annually, I never saw another striped berry amongst them. I had the seeds of the above mentioned berry sown. Several of the seedling plants have produced striped fruit, and I enclose three of the berries (see fig 112). A dish of these looks rather novel and pretty; the flavour is also good. W. G. Holmes. [We give also an illustration of a currant similarly striped red and white.-ED.] NURSERY NOTES. MESSRS. G. & A. CLARK, LTD. ON the slope of the hill dominated by the imposing Castle of Dover is situated the nur. sery, or one of the nurseries, of Messrs. G. & A. Clark. Before seeking an entrance, it is as well to look westward over the narrow valley in which, as contradistinguished from the seafront, the town of Dover threads its way for some few miles. Hills upon hills, with bold outlines and noble sweeps, attract the attention of the visitor, and bring to remembrance the lower Welsh hills. On his way up from G.Chron was FIG. 112.-"HELEN HOLMES, STRIPED GOOSEBERRIES. the main street through an apparently endless maze of mean strects, not to say slums, the curious visitor may possibly pass the disused burial ground, where Churchill, a now-forgotten poet, lies. With this inscription: 1764. Here lie the remains of the celebrated C. CHURCHILL. Life to the last enjoyed, Here Churchill lies. Candidate. For strictly personal reasons this tomb has a particular interest for the writer, as, many years ago, two of his forbears visited the spct: the one, a nurseryman, planted a Bay trec, which died within the last few years; whilst FIG. 113.- the other, a well-known poet in his days, composed and published a sonnet in honour of Churchill. Churchill is forgotten, those who honoured his memory are in their graves, the Bay tree is dead, and nothing remains but the headstone. It is right, however, to add that the stone is in good condition; indeed, it looks as if the original memorial had, within recent years, been replaced by a newer one. Close by is a public-house, which has a curious sign, "The Cause is Altered," which suggests the enquiries-what cause? why altered? But no response was forthcoming from the natives to whom the question was put. These details have, however, nothing to do with Messrs. Clark's nursery. We must put an instant check on our discursiveness. Speaking generally, a seaside town is not addicted to horticulture. The ever-changeful sea, the lovely atmospheric effects, the va et vient of a frequented harbour, divert the attention from gardens and flower-beds. And yet something might be accomplished on the sea-front of Dover were the attempt made, as some seaside resorts that we know of have their shrubberies and plantations, which add to the attractiveness of the promenades, and by no means detract from the beauty and variety of the seascape. The subject of seaside planting has often been discussed in these columns, but those who are not disposed to rout out back volumes of the Chronicle may form an excellent idea of what is likely to succeed by the seaside by paying a visit to the nursery above mentioned. The great demand, however, here, as elsewhere nowadays, is for "cut flowers" and plants for the decoration of apartments, and so we find house after house filled with the commoner Ferns and Palms, Lorraine Begonias, Carnations, Tuberoses, Chrysanthemums in promising condition, Pelargoniums, Asparagus, Primula obconica, and a host of similar plants, not forgetting Aristolochia elegans, introduced by the late Mr. W. Bull, which has a special interest as having been first described and figured in these columns. We did not expect to see it grown for "cut flowers," but, nevertheless, it is, we are told, appreciated for that purpose, and a vaseful in the shop window in the town afforded corroboration of the statement. Between one range and another was a border of Belladonna Lilies, dazzlingly beautiful and striking in appearance. The plants were sheltered on both sides, and doubtless the border derived some additional heat from the pipes in the houses. The outdoor department is very extensive, Occupying several acres on the slope of the hill from the bottom nearly to the top, broken up by shelter hedges of Beech and Hornbeam. The soil is mostly pure chalk, and the effect of a dry summer on such a slope and such a soil might have been expected to be visible. At the end of September, in glowing weather, when our visit was made, no such ill effects were perceptible. It was too late in the year to see the place in perfection, but the Dahlias were noteworthy, and untouched as yet by frost. The Twentieth Century, though nearly over (the flowers socalled, not the century!), was still noteworthy for delicacy of tint and elegance of form. Anemone japonica in many varieties still lent colour to the garden, but pre-eminent in this respect were the perennial Asters, of which Riverslea and Bessarabicus may specially be mentioned, Sedum spectabile Sunflowers, Rudbeckias, the scarlet-flowered Gilia coronopifolia, and other perennials were here in profusion, and showing a depth and intensity of colou rarely seen away from the sea. In addition to a good stock of rock-plants, climbers, and shrubs suitable for seaside planting, we were surprised to see a fine bush of Abutilon vitifolium, which, we were told, proves quite hardy here, and flowers profusely. We get specimens of this ench year from Ireland and the south-western counties, but we have not previously seen it in Kent. Noteworthy also are edgings of the dwarf Veronica buxifolia, excellently suited for the purpose. The little shrubs are lifted and replanted about once in three years. We have no intention of writing a catalogue, but, having seen the exhibits made this summer at the R.H.S. by this firm, a visit to their nursery furnished an easy explanation of their success. TRADE NOTICE. MESSRS. W. BAYLOR, HARTLAND & SONS.-We are informed that this firm has determined to dispose of their city establishment in Cork, and to carry on business exclusively at Ard-Cairn, Ballintemple, in order to be able to give undivided attention to the nursery business, particularly the culture of bulbs. |