264 THE FLORIST. 



Felicia, Yellow Model, and Jenny Lind. Roses (12) : Mr. R. S. 

 Yates ; (24) Uessrs. A. Paul and Son. Pansies (12) : Mr. T. Beech ; 

 (24) ]\Ir. Richard Hope. Asters, Mr. Arthur Potts. Marigolds, Mr. 

 John Southern. 



NOTES ON THE MONTH. 



On resuming our subject, after a* month's cessation, we have only to 

 notice the extreme wetness of July, upwards of six inches of rain ha\'ing 

 been registered near London, while in the immediate locahty in which we 

 write this large amount has been exceeded by nearly one inch. This 

 succession of rainy weather in July continued through the first week in 

 August, up, indeed, to the 9th instant, when indications of finer weather 

 became apparent, and from then up to the 19th the weather has been 

 all that could be wished for the harvest. We have a slight rain this 

 morning (the 20th), but ^^dthout much appearance of its lasting. 

 Previous to the rains of June and July the ground was extremely dry, 

 as our former notes will show^ ; and as the rains have been accompanied 

 by a high temperature during the greater part of July, crops of all kinds, 

 both horticultural and agricultural, have grown very rapidly, and with 

 the exception of the now stricken Potato crop, present a luxuriant 

 appearance, and both fruit trees and general garden crops are in a 

 flourishing state ; and should we get sunlight to mature the extra growth 

 which the above circumstances have produced, our fruit trees will be in 

 good condition for another season. We may remark, that as many 

 young wall trees are now growing very luxuriantly, it would much 

 assist in ripening their wood if the roots were from this time protected 

 from further rain. 



We just above alluded to the Potato. Three weeks or a month ago 

 nothing we can remember exceeded the exuberant growth of this 

 plant, and some few more sanguine than ourselves thought the evil days 

 of the Potato had passed by, and that again we should rejoice in 

 Potatoes, dry and mealy as of yore, at 4^. 6^. per sack. Such, how- 

 ever, will not be the case this year ; the disease, which commenced 

 fully three weeks later, found the crop not so far advanced towards 

 maturity as it was in 1854 ; this arises partly from the lateness of the 

 season and the late period of planting the crop. Our opinion is, there- 

 fore, that the crop will scarcely be so good as last year. A larger 

 breadth is certainly planted, but the disease is now spreading very 

 rapidly, and in some districts we hear the tubers are already rotting fast. 



As regards the fruit crops, we are now reaping the benefit of the dry 

 warm weather of last autumn, which so effectually ripened the wood of 

 all our fruit trees, and speaking generally the crops are hea^7■. Cherries 

 have been abundant, more so than for some years. The same may be 

 noted of bush fruits and Strawberries, which have aU produced large 

 crops. Never was there a finer display of Apple-bloom than in the 

 spring ; the bloom opened late, and the " set " was abundant. The 

 maggot, however, in some orchards has committed great ravages, and. 



