HORTICULTURAL CHRONICLE. 



_ The Pelargonium Society. - An association has 

 been formed in London under the title of the Pelargonium 

 Society, the object of which is the improvement of this genus 

 so rich in beautiful plants. We have received the circular 

 of this society, and it is very promising. 



It is proposed to offer prizes for the best new varieties 

 obtained either at home or abroad ; to determine the value 

 of certain varieties 'for greenhouse and open air culture; to 

 subject new varieties to comparative cultivation, and judge 

 them (the soil used for this purpose to be furnished by the 

 Royal Horticultural Society from its garden at Chiswick) ; to 

 keep a register of new varieties, giving the history of their 

 origin; and facilitate exchange between English and foreign 

 raisers. The course taken by the Society in giving its opera- 

 tion an international character is highly praiseworthy and 

 will doubtless secure it many additional supporters. All 

 communications should be addressed to Mr. Denny, Stoke 

 Newington, London. The subscription has been fixed at £ 1 

 per annum. 



— The Phylloxera in Austria and Switzerland. — 

 Notwithstanding the strong assurances given by several 

 journals that this scourge was on the decrease, we regret to 

 announce that nothing goes to prove even a partial disap- 

 pearance. It has recently made its appearance in Austria, 

 having been discovered in the central fruit district of Lower 

 Austria, on some vines imported from America in 1869. An 

 order to root out all the American vines was at once given. 

 This was carried out most effectively, and it is hoped that 

 the evil may thus be overcome ; but who knows what pre- 

 cautions would be sufficient to arrest the spread of an insect 

 possessed of such amazing powers of reproduction ? 



Unfortunately, too, we have to report a new region of 

 Europe where it has shown itself. It is in Switzerland, at 

 Pregny, in the Canton of Geneva. Yet the Swiss federal 

 Government had taken most particular precautions to prevent 

 the invasion of this d muled insect. Since last year not a 

 single vine has been permitted to pass into the country. But 

 all was of no avail, and the enemy has baffled the most active 

 surveillance. 



— Grafting of the Pear on the Mountain Ash. — A 

 correspondent of the Journal of Horticulture records the 

 successful grafting of the Pear upon the Mountain Ash, 

 aucuparia. The growth is fully maintained, but the 



results. He ho] 

 blooming of c< 

 cial cold in tl 



SociiU centrale 

 tufts of Narciss 

 back four monl 



ewniulpr. 

 be questio 



rhi has b 



the l\n,l 



fruit is retarded, harder than on the Qir_„__, 

 quality, especially the Butter Pears. The trees are growing and gardei: 

 poor soil, at an elevation of 450 feet above the level of for ordinal 



uppani 

 and ei 



the* 



— English expedition to the Noth Pole. 

 announced that the British Admiralty is making prepara- J of 0lir ] 

 tions for another polar expedition Science at large will 

 receive this decision with much gratification. It is much — 

 to be desired that a botanist should form one of the staff, (>) One 

 ut we believe it has been decided that no person uncon- | agricole, 



• •I aniens. Altogether 



