412 



The roof generally was found to be covered with copper. It 

 is in excellent condition, and shows no signs of disturbance or 

 r^air since its original construction. The pole and its flashing, 

 however, were found to be so defective as to need renewing at 

 once. Authority having been obtained for this^ a careful survey 

 was made with a view to seeing how the new pole could best be 

 got into position. All the evidence obtained, both inside and 

 out, went to show that the old pole, about 30 ft. long, had been 

 got up by an outside scaffold and derrick, and dropped down 

 through the hole made in the level table at the apex of the roof. 

 But as all the painting at the various levels had been done from 

 bracket or cantilever scaffolds, which are not adapted for, or 

 high enough to get a pole up and into position from the outside, 

 a plan was devised of getting the new pole up by a cantilever 

 fixed on the top floor and passing through the window. By this 

 the pole was hoisted through the window of the ninth floor, up 

 through the staircase well, and through the ceiling trap door 

 into position. 



On taking down the old pole, a pencil note was found on the 

 lower end, under the roof, recording that '^ this pole was erected 

 by J, Wickens, August 1st, 18(?)T." A knot on the top of the 

 third figure made this date very uncertain. But fortunately, on 

 uncovering the table round the pole at the roof apex, two more 

 records were found of the same character, with the definite date 

 of 1867. This definitely fixes the date of erection of the pole 

 just taken down. 



A further interesting discovery was made of a cut-in date of 

 August 20tli, 1825, on the bed-plate on which the pole stands, 

 and it is fairly certain that a new pole would be erected at the 

 same time as the insertion of the bed-plate. 



There is evidence, therefore, that the various terminal poles 

 were erected at the following dates — when the Pagoda was new in 

 1762, and in August, 1825, June, 1845, August, 1867, and the 

 last in September, 1915. 



The ''life '' of these poles thus varies from 20 years unwards. 

 It is more than probable, however, that the first pole did not last 

 till 1825, but was renewed some time about the end of the 18th 

 century. The present pole is therefore the fifth or sixth pole 

 erected, and it is hoped that as this has been creosoted it will 

 last longer than any of its predecessors. G. d. p. 



vith fringed petals. — A curious 



Hooherianuin. Lindl., has been 



sent to Kew by Mr. J. Gurney Fowler, Brackenliurst, Peinbiny, 

 m whicb the petals are enlarged to twice tlieir normal breadth 

 and deeply fringed, as in the lip. The condition seems to be 

 permanent, for all the flowers are alike, as was also the case last 

 year, when it was recorded under the name of D. Hooherianum, 

 iowler's variety {Gard. Chron. 1914, ser. 3, Ivi. p. 200). The 

 cause of the peculiarity is not apparent, for the flowers are normal 

 in other respects. In one petal, however, of the four-flowered 

 inliorescence there is a narrow maroon-coloured streak on one 



same 



