April 1—Today we have to offer our congratulations to a group of gardening enthusiasts at Chefoo who have formed a Hortleuitural Society. Their first Flower Show was held on March 16 and according to a report appearing in "The Chefoo Dally News." it was a great success despite the fact that one youngster mistook a cactus plant for an armchair. Tt would appear that the idea of holding a Flower Show originated at a tify held at the Marrowbone Club. Seeds were sown during the timn which fell on fertile soil and germinated. The Consul for the United States" of America at the northern port is, by all accounts, a very keen Gardener and he hay undertaken the arduous dusios of Proskient, assisted by Mr. V. FR. Eckford as honorary' secretary: it is said that the Jatier gentleman kept himself awake during the four nights preceding the Show. by consuming two whole tins of "Mac's Swell" coffee. 'The account also informs us that one of the Club coolies developed a tad attack colic during the afternoon and that unripe Papaya fruit was missing from amongst the exhibits. We are also' told that a special plant on view had been fertilized" with Vodka and Vermouth and that the conesetion had probably something to do with the stunted appearance of the plant, There were almost $00 entries in the various classes, pro: vision being made for most of the greenhouse plants as Well os artistic arrangement flowers in vases and a co}lection of vegetables, Mr. Q. F: Roberts was the most successful com-eliter with five first prizes to his credit. 'The School for the Dear was second with' four sts. while Mr. H. C. Frankenberger, Mrs. R.A. Lanning. and Mr.-C. H, Eldridge each Feceived three first awards. The judges were tunable to decide on who should receive the prize for the best plant in the Show and they kot over the difeulty by declaring the competition a tie and awarding certificates to Mrs.
Lanz and Dt. Regina Keyes Roberts. 'The name' of that hardy perennial of the northern bor'—Mr. "R. E. Railton—appeats in. the Hist of prize winners, and we have a suspicion that the article that appears in "The Chefoo Daily News," over the nom de plume of V: 1. Sitor, came from his pen. 'The report makes very. interesting reading and it is a. pleasure {to note that, despite the difficult times through, which we are all passing, an interest is. stil being taken in gardening: perhaps it is the best way' {0 obtain some relaxation from business Apr. 3—It_ must be Cherry-blossom day today, the single-lowered species are. a wonderful sight and ay the flowering peaches also in bloom, our gardens are looking splendid. Prunus subhirtella, as the single flowering cherry is known to botanists, isin our opinion, the most beautiful of all: we agree that individual flowers on the double flowering Varieties that will be blooming shortly, are more attractive, but an established tree of the single typo provides us with a picture that is dificult to equal: they are very floriferous, the trees being literally, "snowed. under" with blooms, thousands being open at the same time and if the tree has the benefit of an evergreen background, it is able to show its beauty to the best advantage. 'The flowers appear so delicate; much too delicate to withstand heavy' rain and wind, and if a storm pays us a visit their life may be short. However, this should not discourage us and make us decide to plant nother tree instead, for many of our Spring-lowering trees have short flowering period the white Magnolia, for instance, did not remva in flower nearly as long as we would have wished it to add its charm to the garden. The purple, lowering species, did have a longer are those that have had' several. varieties fratted on to the single-lowered species. "We have seen a tree which had not been attended the way: in which we are told to look fatter a grafted tree and the result was chorine ing. A strong stem had. been permitted to stow from below ihe grait and this: produced large number of single flowers early: hose were completing heir span of life, the grafted branches began to produce their beauti-fil double flowers in abundance: to odd to the fetfect, several varieties "had been used at grafting time and. we saw many shades of Howers open at the same time—Wsx.
Apr, S—Another cold and wet day today: the "weather has been very unsettled of late and "Saturday afternoon ramblers have had another disappointment! The weather" has a habit of changing overnight at this time of the year, s0 it may Improve quickly: however, strolling' slong our country Toads after rain isnot a very pleasant form of recreation at the best of times." People proceeding to the graves of their ancestors today to worship and present offerings on the occasion of the "Festival of the Tombs" had a miserable journey" through Fain "and hall. There was. not much. "Pure Brighiness" about the weather; but-we note that the rites may be performed a fow days before or after Chring.ming festival "according the convenience or necessiles of living telatives,""s0 many contemplated journeys to the recently Tenovated graves may be postponed fu nil the weather clears. Many houses occupied by Chinese have branches of willow hanging from above the door today: this is said to. be "good joss" and designed to ward off evil spirits who may be desirous of entering the premises. "There are other interpretations of {he custom, however, and when' we noticed the branches on the streets: we were reminded fof the: feet that many poets ave written charming verses about the Willow and that the
poems were probably" the most appropriate flowing nes from, one of Misr Landons the present time:—
Given Willow's oer whom the perilous bast 1 Sweeping roughly, Yhou. gest acer tome The patient image ct homily, Waiting in meekness til the storm be passed: Assured the hour of peace will come at las It is rather a strange coincidence that the Chinese "are hanging willow. branches. over their doors today while many people in England will be gathering twigs of the Goat Willow (Salix Caprea) tomorrow, Palm Sunday, calling them palm branches and' using them Substitute for the real Palm which was used on the occasion of Christ's triumphal entry into. Jerusalem on the last Sunday in. Lent—wsK.
Apr. 8—We feel that it.was a pity that the invitation extended to members of the BRA.
visit Mr, W. J. Keswick's garden on Hungjao Rood last Sunday was cancelled; but not oven Siceawe! could have foretold the sudden change in the weather from hail on Saturday to brilliant sunshine on Sunday. We had a "preview" of the garden on Friday last, it was really beaut. ful: lowering peaches were the masses of "Temple of Heaven' wild in the woods (real "blue bell" effects) were worth going a long way to see. The cor-Feet name of the Jatter plant has been the Subject of much discussion for many years: but we doubt whether it had been named (botanically speaking) until a few years ago.
a member of the wallflower order (Cruciferae) and was known at one time as the "Hongkong. blue*wallflower." It has also been referred fo ay one of the hedge mustards (Erysimum sp). One of the most observant of our local garden enthusiasts visited Kew Gardens a few years ago and he informs. that he saw the plant labelled Oryehophragmum violacea in that place: we have, therefore, to accept that name as correct, A bed of "Baby blue eyes" (Nemophitla insignia) first attracted our attention in Mr. Keswick's garden, This native of California is one of the most charming of our early flowering annuals and we have never seen a bed looking more attractive than the one close to the bridge, visitors simply have to walk across the lawn' to inspect it closer. We also saw a fine collection of Natelssus, many choice kinds being planted all over the garden together with the Grape Hyacinth, We admired the tree foliage colour schemes "once again and if we were asked to choose the best, we should certainly vote for the group on the East side of the garden where Photinias, with their different coloured leaves are grouped together with the purple-leaved Cherry-Plum (Prunus Pissardii) and several maples and Dovewood shrubs, in front of huge Cryplomerin frees and flanked by a large cedar, A_ fine specimen of the Judas tree or Red Bud (Cerels chinensis) helped in the general affect as well as several clumps of Temple of Heaven and Daffodils. The Judas trees are most attractive at present, their leafless branches being covered with "small purplish-pink peaclike flowers, Single and doubleflowered Kerrias were brightening up many corners of the garden and taking the place of the forsythias, which are now past their best, while many Lilacs were flowering in the least expected places: one of the shrubs had both the white and purple varieties grafted on to the same stock, Califor. min Poppies (Eschscholtzia california) were flowering Ju the Old English garden together with the double-lowered red "Anemone, this plant is making a fine show in many dardans these days and it is worthy of a place In_all corms are very reasonable Ju price in the Autumn When they should be planted.—W.2.x
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.