20 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [JANUARY. 



The subject of tliese remarks was forcibly brouglit under my notice wliile 

 visiting some amateur friends last October. Their Peaches were green, and 

 never would ripen ; some of their Pears were in the same state ; they were 

 lamenting that gardeners and nurserymen did not try to raise earlier-ripening 

 varieties of Peaches and Nectarines. I told them I had seen (at Mr. Pearson's, 

 Chilwell), a Peach called Hale's Earh/, that ripened a month before such as the 

 Bellegarde, Eoyal George, &c., and I was asked to procure plants of it for them. 

 I made the attempt, but was not successful, as Mr. Pearson had not stock of it. 

 I beheve Mr. Rivers has raised both Peaches and Nectarines earlier than the 

 ordinary varieties, and if he or other nurserymen would bring proof of this before 

 the public, there are thousands who would purchase them with avidity. 



What applies in tlie case of Peaches and Nectarines is also most applicable in 

 the case of Grapes. Such as will ripen in a northern latitude, like that of 

 Scotland, with the simple aid of glass, and probably a little assistance from fire- 

 heat while in bloom, would be a great boon. 



There are but few situations in Scotland, and in the North of England, where 

 during the two last seasons, peaches on the open walls have been worth the labour 

 of nailing the trees. 



Correct comparative data, as to the ripening of given varieties of such fruits 

 as I have named, would be of great value and importance to a host of amateur 

 growers, and to not a few gardeners. There is nothing more disheartening than 

 to have to give all the necessary care and attention to a wall of Peach trees, for a 

 whole year, and then to find the return to be, at best, a few half-ripe fruit just 

 as frost is setting in. — Wm. Thomson, Clovenfords. 



GAEDEN GOSSIP. 



HE accounts of the Birmingham Show of the Eoyal Horticultural Society 

 have recently been wound up, and show a profit of £2,080 lis. 7d., one- 

 half of which goes to the funds of the Society, and the other half to Mr. 

 H. G, Quilter, in whose grounds, at Lower Aston, the show took place. 



The total receipt.? were £6,328 6s. 8cl., including £2,507 Os. 6d. realised by subscribers' tickets : 

 ■while the expenditure was £4,247 15s. Id., including such items as the following : — Prizes 

 and medals, £1,401) KJs., about 23 per cent, of the receipts ; laying oiit and restoration of the 

 exhibition gi'ound, £707 10s. 7d., and tents, £485 Gs., about 20 per cent.; fees to judges, 

 £119 14s. Od. ; music, £249 Os. 6d. ; printing, advertising, postage, &c., £574 15s.; police. 

 £122 18s. The cost of eollection was about 3 per cent, of the earnings, and publicity 9 per 

 cent., while the profit was 30 per cent. 



^HE meeting days of the lio7/al Horticultund Societi/ during 1873 



have been fixed as follows : — 



Jan. 5, Coniferis. 

 Feb. 12, Primulas. 

 March 5, Cyclamens. 



— 19-20. Hyacinths. 

 April 2, Odontoglots. 



— U), Auriculas. 

 May 7-8, Roses, Azaleas. 



May 21, Rhododendrons. 

 June 4-6, Great Show. 



— 16, Fuchsias. 

 July 2, Roses (cut). 



— 16, Pelargoniums (zonal), 



special prize competition. 

 Aug. 6. Petunias. 



Aug. 20, Gladioli. 

 Sept. 3, Dahlias, Asters. 

 — 17, Zinnias. 

 Oct. 1, Fungi. 



Nov. 5-7, Great Fruit Show, 

 and Chi-ysanthemmns. 

 Dec. 3, Evergi'eens. 



June 24-28, Great Provincial Show, at Bath. 



