IfoWaty 6, 1878. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOETICULTUEE ANt) COTTAGE GARDENER. 



123 



Vandas and othei- kiuclred subjects, extorts admiration by its 

 extensive and well-conditioned occupants, and the officinal 

 collection is unfailingly interesting by the health and perfect 

 cleanliness prevadiug it throughout. Besides the above un- 

 rivalled collections, new and rare plants of almost every genus 

 arc located here ; many of tlieni are not yet in commerce. 

 Amongst the most striking were the beautiful Philoteuium 

 Lindeuii, Dieffenbachias lati-maculata, imperialis, and others 

 in immense numbers. There is a vast congregation of Ma- 

 rautas, including all the new forms of this varied family. 

 At this establishment are kept all the newest and rarest varie- 

 ties of Palms, and anything more elegant than these it is 

 hardly possible to conceive. Ptychosperma atlantica, Acantho- 

 rhiza Warscewiczii, and the different kinds of Kentias are 

 amongst the most attractive. 



I wUl not, however, attempt to string together a mere list of 

 names, which can serve little practical purpose, but leave them 

 for the better delineation of " Exi'ERTO Cbede," who possesses 

 the judgment for piclcing out the best, and the tact of hitting 

 them off in the best manner. I have also another reason for 

 not naming many things good and grand which came under 

 my observation, and which I will tell another day. Bat, aftfr 

 all, the main feature of this place is the Orchids. For many 

 ytars M. Linden has laboured to make this class of plants 

 popular amongst ordinary lovers of flowers, and has exerted 

 himself to dispel the notion that some mystery attaches to 

 theu" cultivation, and to dissipate the idea of the " frightful 

 expense" which has somehow got coupled with their name. 

 This object should be fostered by all ; for as to cost, many do 

 not exceed the price of a tricolor Pelargonium, which is hereto- 

 day and gone to-morrow and require but little more heat to 

 grow and skill to cultivate successfully either. Many of the 

 Cypripediums, Odontoglossums, Ac, require but little artificial 

 heat, and how striking and lasting are their beauties ! There 

 are, in fact, no real difficulties in Orchid-growing which an in- 

 telligent gardener may not easily overcome by giving the 

 necessai-y study to the geography and climatal influences and 

 variations of their native habitats, and acting according to their 

 dictates which the study will certainly provoke. I must post- 

 pone some impressions, intended for this letter, of M. Linden's 

 larger estabUshment at Ghent. I therefore close abruptly, and 

 conclude as I began, that this little great place at Brussels 

 should have " 3Iultnm in parvo " written on its gates. — 



J. WlilOUT. 



RAINFALL AND OTHER METEOROLOGY OF 1872. 

 Linton Pakk, neae Maidstone. 



January . . . 

 Febi-uai7 . . . 



March 



April 



May 



June 



July 



AubTist . . . 

 September . 

 October . . . 

 November . 

 December . 



llain lu iucbCi-. 



4.G8 .... 



1.38 .... 



1.93 .... 



1.56 



4.35 .... 



4.13 



2.21 



1.35 



2.01 



4.48 



5,81 



6.26 



Total for 1872 



Total for 1871 



Average of preceding 

 16jears, 1855 to 1870 



30.10 

 25.12 

 26.54 



The wettest year prior to 1872 was 18G.5, when the rainfall 

 amounted to 3.5.18 inches; in 1860 it was ."3.(it) ; and in 1858 

 only 10.33 inches. The number of frosty days during the past 

 season has also been fewer than in any year I h.^ve on record. 

 In 1868 there were sixty-two frosty days, while in 1851 122 

 were recorded. In summing-up, the features of 1872 are in a 

 few words excess of rain and a scarcity of frosts ; yet, ov^ing to 

 the very late and severe spring frosts and the early autumn 

 ones, there was a shorter period without these visitations than 

 in any former season I have on record. 



.January was mild Init very wet. Rain fell on twenty-six 

 days, with the thermometer down to 23' on the 10th, being the 

 lowest point registered during 1872. February was mild also, 

 but not wet, although often dull. March was likewise mild 

 up to the middle of the month, afterwards wet and some- 

 times wintry. April presented greater extremes than usual, 

 but ended with vegetation being more forward than com- 



mon at that season. May was the most disastrous month 

 in the year. Frosts on the 0th, 11th, 12th, and 20th, com- 

 pletely destroyed the prospects of the fruit in all but a 

 few cases, the frost on the morning of the 12th being espe- 

 ci.-iUy severe ; it was also a wet month. June followed suit 

 in its dull and cheerless character, with a few fine days to- 

 wards the end, and an unusual amount of thunder in that and 

 the following month. July — which, however, presented a 

 greater number of fine days, and some hot ones towards the 

 end — tended to correct the tardiness of vegetation during tho 

 two preceding months. August on the whole was fine, and so 

 was September, the rainfall here being certainly not so heavy 

 as at many places ; but, contrary to all precedent, we liad 

 frosts here on the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd SKfficiently sevtre to 

 destroy most tender plants in the flower garden, and leading 

 many to suppose that a sharp winter was in store for us. 

 The mouth, however, ended fine, and wet weather did not 

 fau-ly set in till the middle of October, and from that time to 

 the end of the year a continuance of rain was the order of tho 

 day, varied a little now and then by high winds and a few 

 slight frosts ; but these have been so few, that from the 13th of 

 December up to the time I write (.January 17th), we have not 

 had the vestige of one, 35° being the lowest point recorded 

 during that period, an unusual occurrence on thirty-five con- 

 secutive days in December and January. The season has not 

 been without its advantages, and we shall probably remember 

 these when we have one of a different kind. — J. Hobson. 



OSMINGTON, WEYMOUin, DoESKT. 



TTeight of top of gauge above ground 1 foot ; above sea levd 

 250 feet. 



Inches. 



Jauuai-y 6.52 



February 2.87 



March 3.29 



April 2.31 



May 2.82 



June 4.07 



July 3.B1 



IncbeH 



AuKUKt 1,61 



.September 1.66 



October 7.71 



November 5.66 



December 5.70 



Total 47.53 



Average for six years inclusive, 35.10. Rainy days, 109. — 

 C. T. HAiL. 



Caklesoill near Laxoholm, Dlijifries (370 feet above sea.) 



TuE rainfall for 1872 amounts to O'J.80 inches. In January 

 alone 10.20 inches fell, and in November 8 inches. The amount 

 is 12.34 inches above the average of thirty years. The fall in 

 1872, however, was not so great as in 1808, which gave a total 

 of 70.09 inches. 



Higiigate Nuhseries. 

 Height of top of gauge above ground 1 foot ; above sea level 

 860 feet. 



Inches- 



Augnst 1.74 



September 1.52 



October 6.61 



November 3.58 



December 4,49 



Total 83.80 



Inches. 



January 3.73 



February 1.07 



March 2.66 



AprU 1.62 



May 3.18 



June 2.47 



July 2,24 



We have registered rainfall here for ten years, and find that 

 1872 was about 10 inches above the average. — J. Cuthusu. 



Sandfield Pabk, near Livekfool. 

 Heigut above sea level 147 feet. 



January . . 

 February . . 

 March . . . . 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August . . . . 

 September 

 October . . 

 November 

 December. . 



Total depth. 

 Inehep. 

 4.80 

 2.70 

 2.80 

 2.75 

 1.60 

 0.20 

 7.00 

 2.30 

 6.30 

 6,42 

 2,94 

 4,36 



. 49.57 



The number of 

 days on T.-Iuch 

 rain or snow fell. 

 19 



Totals 



Average of eight previous years, 28.17 inches. 

 Biggs, Gardenvi: 



li) 



22 

 15 

 18 

 21 

 14 

 21 

 23 

 19 

 20 

 18 



2l-9 

 -William 



