Her Majesty Pink

A quantity of cut-flowers of this variety was shown at the Royal Aquarium on the 21st of May, when a first-class certificate was awarded it. The flowers are large, double, pure white, and crenate at the apical margins of the petals. - The Gardening World.

Hoeing

The editor's ideas as the best method of hoeing (see pages 485 and 486) are undoubtedly correct for clay or heavy soil of any kind.

On the light sandy soils of east and south Florida, in dry weather, I should prefer the "scraper." I want all the surface hoed to kill every weed that has sprouted, even though not yet in sight; but the shallower this work can be done, the better the soil will resist a drouth. The more this light sand is stirred, the drier it becomes. I have often seen it as dry as gunpowder to the full depth the cultivator had run.

The more compact most of our soil can be left throughout the dry season the better the result. Of course, during the rainy season, when we have almost daily showers, it is no injury to stir the soil deeply, provided the roots of the plants are not injured. In fact, it is often a benefit by hastening the evaporation of the excess of moisture. - W. C. Steele, Florida.

Hoffman And Cloud Strawberries

Our report on the Cloud and Hoffman, set one year ago, is not a very favorable one. The Hoffman had a light crop. The Cloud did better, but not as well as some of the old varieties. It is possible that they may do better in the south than in the north. - Fruit Growers' Journal.

Hollyhock Disease

Miss Effie A. South-worth read a paper before the Botanical Club of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, upon a new fungus which attacks house hollyhocks and which she describes as Colletotrichium Althaoe. It attacks the stem, petiole and leaves, often causing a serious loss of plants. Bordeaux mixture appears to be a remedy for it.

Hollyhooks

Pull the horses up and stop,

At this roadside let us rest; On that green bank what a crop

Rising to its very crest! Colors white, and pink, and yellow,

Growing up above the rocks: Colors bright and colors mellow

Blended in those hollyhocks

Home-Grown Potatoes Are Very Scarce In California

The crop was not only light last year, but the bad condition of the roads has prevented the marketing of those in the hands of growers. Potatoes are now going into California from the east.

Horticultural Instruction In England

A bill has recently been introduced in the House of Commons, providing for instruction in agriculture and horticulture in the elementary schools. These schools are to be open to inspection by committees. Institutions devoted en-tirely to agriculture and horticulture, and having special courses of study, will receive graduates from the elementary schools. - Revue Horticole.

Horticultural Specimens

M. Buysman, of Mid-dleburg, Holland, the well-known collector and grower of botanical specimens of useful plants, writes as follows concerning his business: "The plants of this publication I mostly cultivate myself, excluding the tropical species, but now my garden has got too small, and I am obliged to look out for another larger one ; as I have not the means to do so I have directed myself to many persons in Holland and got the promise of assistance, on condition, however that I should get the wanting part of the sum necessary elsewhere. Many societies have also promised to collect for me contributions".