November 21, 1865. ] 



aOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



421 



mimeroua friends and well-vfishcrs on this side of the Atlantic 

 at Dclmonico's, Fifth Avenne Restaurant, and never have the 

 caiKicitiea of that establishment been tested to such an extent 

 as then. It is also generally conceded that there were the best 

 and most tasteful of floral decorations that have over been seen 

 in this city, and as it may be interesting to the readers of The 

 Journal, of Horticulture, I will try and give some idea of the 

 lloral part of the entertainment. 



There were five long tables running the whole length of the 

 great banquetiug-hull, and a raised ciais at either end for the 

 host of tlie evening and his principal guests. Behind Sir S. 

 Morton Peto's seat were festooned the British and American 

 flags, enclosing the British coat of arms, and at the lower end 

 the same emblems of Liberty enclosed the American shield, 

 and as the British lion growled out from underneath the folds 

 of lumtiug, " Dicu ft m.nn droit" the stan-y shield, with an eye 

 to Inisiuess, replied '' E phtribus utiitm." Ornamental baskets 

 aud stands of flowers graced, but did not crowd the principal 

 table, the elegant dinner service of which, I may state, was 

 manufactured in honour of the Prince of AVales during his 

 visit to this country, and was used at the reception dinner given 

 him in this city. At proper intervals along the other tables 

 were placed ornamental stands of flowers, with pendant baskets 

 attached, all filled with the rarest flowers of the season, and 

 each stand surmounted by a miniature Union Jack, aud in the 

 finger-glasses of each of the 400 guests was placed a small flat 

 bouquet, fragrant with HeHotrope, Tuberose, Jasmine, &e., 

 backed with rose Geranium. The ornamental stands are made 

 of cane, painted white and gUded, the tins for the flowers 

 showing blue through the lattice work, and are much more 

 effective and pleasing to the eye than glass stands. 



Throughout the suite of rooms attached to the banqueting- 

 hall were dispersed flowers in great profusion, every bracket 

 and chandelier having a hanging basket attached to it filled 

 with flowers, and dispersing the most delightful fragrance 

 throughout the vast suite of rooms. But the great piece of the 

 evening was a massive emblematical floral device of mosaic, at 

 least 4 feet by 2.i, placed on a table in the centre of the prin- 

 cipal parlour, having the Union Jack and star-spangled banner 

 plainly traced out with flowers, almost as distinctly as the 

 painter's brush could do it, and with great fidelity in the har- 

 mony of colours. The staffs (transversed) were formed of yel- 

 low Immortelles, and the colours in the Union Jack were nicely 

 brought out with red Cai'nations, white Eupatorium, and blue 

 Ageratum. In the American flag the red and white stripes were 

 formed alternately of Bouvardia and Sweet Alyssum, with single 

 pips of Laurustinus for stars on a blue ground formed of Ager- 

 atum, the whole piece filled in with Camellias (white) , Tuberoses, 

 Saffrano, Agrippina, and Hermosa Roses, Heliotrope, Carna- 

 tions, Eupatorium, Neapolitan Violets, &o., edged with leaves of 

 Cissus discolor, Dioscorea, Ferns, Lycopods, Tradescantia, &c., 

 the whole forming a most appropriate intenrational design, and, 

 notwithstanding a lowering horizon, inwardly suggestive of har- 

 mony and peace, betwixt the two great Anglo-Saxon nations. 



Mr. William Brower, one of the leading florists of this city, 

 superintended the whole of the floral decorations, and the entire 

 an-angement did much ci-edit to his taste and judgment. Sir 

 S. Morton Peto sails for England in the Seotiai to-morrow, and 

 carries with him the good wishes aud goodwill of the American 

 people, and were more men of his stamp to cross the Atlantic 

 there would be much more cordial unity betwixt the two nations 

 than has heretofore existed. — David Foulis, New York, October 

 31s(, 1865. 



RAINFALL IN OCTOBER, 1805. 

 In compliance with Mr. Robson's request, in No. 241, to 

 know the amount of rainfall in October in different localities, 



1 beg to inform you that rain fell here on twenty-eight days 

 in that month, and the total amount was 0.14 inches, exactly 



2 inches less than at Linton Park. The greatest amount in 

 one day was 0.98 inch on the 22ud. In September there was 

 only 0.19 inch ; in August rain fell on sixteen days, and the 

 amount was 3.47 inches. — Chaeles Ross, Gardener, Weljord 

 Park, near Newbunj, Berks. 



out the month. On three mornings there was upwards of one 

 hundredth of an inch of dew. 



October commenced with much the same kind of weather up 

 to the 8lh, and from then till the 31st rain fell on thirteen 

 days. The greatest amouiit that fell on any one day was 1.15inch 

 on the 9th. From the 8th to the 12th, 2.27 inches fell ; on the 

 17th, another half inch fell; and from then to the Hist ninety- 

 four hundredths more, making a total of 3.71 inches for the 

 month, being less than half the quantity which fell at Linton 

 Park. 



I have not any record of so great a rainfall as that which Mr. 

 Robson records, the nearest approach to it that I have is No- 

 vember last year, when I registered 7.13 inches, and that was 

 registered within thirty miles of Linton Park. — A. Read, 

 Neioark-on-Trent, Nott^. 



September was a vei'y hot and drj' month, rain fell on one 

 day only, the 21st, to the amomit of eighteen hundredths of an 

 inch. The grass was much bmnt in places, but vegetation 

 would have received a much greater cheek had it not been for 

 the remarkably heavy dews which we experienced here tlixough- 



MESSRS. PATERSON AND THEIR POTATOES. 



Om the 10th inst. Messrs. Wm. Paterson & Son were enter- 

 tained at a public dinner in the Royal Hotel, Dundee, and pre- 

 sented with a very handsome silver ijporgne and claret jug, in 

 recognition of the improvements they have effected in the 

 Potato plant. The following inscription is to be engraved on 

 the epergne : - 



'' At a public dinner given to MesHrs.i Wm. & Geo. Paterson, this Epergne, 

 along with a Claret Jug, w.is presented to 



Mr. Wai. Paterson. 

 (To descend to Mr. Geo. Paterson should he survive bis father), in tho 

 name of the subscribers — landed proprietors, farmers. Potato merchants, 

 and other friends — as a mark of their respect for him, and also of their 

 admiration of his successful exertions dui'ing the i)ast forty years to im- 

 prove and renew the Potato plant. 



Dundee, 10th Nov., 16G5. " 



Upwards of onehundred gentlemen sat]down to dinner, which 

 was tastefully and liberally furnished by " mine host " of the 

 Royal. A leading and most pleasant feature of the dinner was 

 the presence of the giant Potatoes, " The Victorias, the Reds, 

 and the Blues," boiled in their jackets, which were much too 

 small for them. 



After the usual pi-emier toasts and some preli:ninM7 observations, 

 the Chairmau, Bailie Yeaman. said — Uentlemen, the snbjett of tho 

 toast which 1 am about to propose is one of the most important that 

 the people of any town or any county could be called upon to respond 

 to. The meetiiig has been brought together in the most spontaneous 

 manner possible, and I believe on account of a thorough appreciation 

 of the great services that tbe Messrs. Paterson, our esteemed fiiends, 

 have rendered to the country, and I hope to the world at large, (fireat 

 cheering.) There are none that will challenge the great importance 

 of the Potato in this country, in mostly all points of view. We recollect 

 that in the year '46, when the severe Potato blight first attacked this 

 couutiy, in the gi'eat calamity which bcfel the country generally at 

 that time, but particularly the inhabitants of the sister isle, the plant 

 was almost swept away. We are aware that no crop is of greater value 

 to the agriculturist than a good crop of Potatoes, aud we are aU awaro 

 that no acre of cereals, or any other produce, yields a larger amount 

 of food than an acre of Potatoes. So you must calculate the great 

 amount of good that this esculent does to the country' ; and while Mr. 

 Paterson has been going on benefiting the countiw, I am sure it has not 

 been for his own advantage. (Hear, hear.) I do not say it has been for 

 the pecuniary profit of Mr. Paterson, but I am sure eveiy gentleman 

 here wiU be delighted to hear if Mr. Paterson's enterprise will at one 

 time tnm out to his advantafje. (Loud cheers ) It has been said 

 that the man who can make two blades of grass gl*ow where only one 

 has grown before is a benefactor to his country. But Mr. Paterson 

 has done more than this, he has restored the Potato from its dead 

 rot, from being almost extirpated from the country, to its present 

 healthy state, and I say he has been a great benefactor. (Applause.) 

 Gentlemen, he is not only entitled to the thanks of those here, or of 

 this community, or of this country, but to the thanks of the British 

 Government, and I have no doubt if this matter* were brought before 

 them, it would be taken notice of, and he would be rewarded in some 

 Wily or other. (Renewed applause.) I beUeve. gentlemen. Lord Dal- 

 honsie has taken a veiy great deal of interest is this matter since ho 

 heard of what Mr. Paterson had done. And I would refer also to the 

 gi-eat'nnmber of letters — complimeutaiy and approving letters — to Mr. 

 Paterson, who has received them from hundrads of persons of all 

 stations in Scotland, England, Ireland, over tho Continent of Europe, 

 AustraUa, and New South Wales. You are aU .aware, gentlemen, of 

 the prizes he has taken at the Dublin .Agricultural Exhibition, Inter- 

 national Exhibition, and the Horticultural Shows of Dundee. I do 

 not see it necessary for me, in the presence of Mr. Paterson, on this 

 auspicious occasion, to say more in regard to the benefits which he has 

 conferred on the country, and with which, the gi-eat majority of yoa 

 being agriculturists, yon are better acquainted than I am, and I am 

 sure you aU appreciate these sei-vices. The next duty which devolves 

 upon me before I propose the toast, is to present this very handsome 

 epergne, which I now uncover — (lend cheers) — and also this sohd 



