310 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



[May 4, 1912 



about 12 lbs. English and Continental Asparagus has 

 been a good average supply considering the cold winds. 

 Forced Strawberries have been very plentiful. Arrivals 

 of Apples and Pears from Australia this pist week amounted 

 to about 109,000 cases. We have received information 

 that a consignment of several thousand cases of Apples is 

 now on its way from New Zealand to London. Tomatos 

 from English growers and the Channel Islands are available 

 In large quantities ; those from the Canary Islands art 

 sti I arriving, best samples being in demand. All out-door 

 vegetables are still very scarce, but supplies of forced 

 vegetables have been about equal to the demand.— E. H. R. t 

 Covent Garden, May 1, 191^. 



Potatos. 



Rents— 



Queen's ... 

 Up-to-Date 

 Llncolns - 

 Up-to-Date 

 British Q 

 King Edward 

 Northern Star 

 Evergoods 



per cwt. 

 s.d. s.d. 



4 0-46 

 4 0-46 



3 9-46 



3 9-43 



4 0-46 

 a 9- 3 6 



3 8-39 



Lincolns — 



Maincrops 

 Biacklands 



Bedfords - 



Up-to-Date 



Dunbars— 



Up-to-Date 

 Maincrop 



per cwt. 

 s.d. s.d. 



4 0-46 

 3 0-33 



3 9-40 



4 9-53 



5 3-56 



New Potatos. 



Tenerifife 



... 13 0-14 



_ .. 12 0-14 i Algerian — 

 Jerseys 18s. -20s. per cwt. 



Remarks.— Trade in old tubers is ve y slow and stocks 

 are still large. New Potatos from Jersey are realising 18?. 

 -20s. per cwt. Edward /. Newborn, Covcnt Gatden and St. 

 Pancras, May /, 191-. 



THE WEATHER. 



THE WEATHER IN WEST HERTS. 



Week ending May 1. 



The fifth dry week in succession. The early p irt of the week 

 was raiher warm, but since then lower temperatures have 

 prevailed, and on the coldest night the expo e i thermometer 

 registered 10° of frost. The gmund is still warm for the 

 time of year, being 3 Q warmer at 2 feet deep, and 2° warmer 

 at 1 foot deep, than is seasonable. There was a little rain 

 for a short time on the evening of April 29th, bu mot suffi- 

 cient to measure. The ground is now getting dry, as there 

 has been no percolation through either of the soil gauges 

 snce April 7th f or for over 3 weeks. The sun shone on 

 an a.erage for 8J hours a d .y, or for 3 hours a day longer 

 than is usual ai the end of April. Light airs a id calms 

 alo ie prevailed during the week, the light aii s coming almost 

 exclusively from some point between north and east. The 

 mean amount of moisture in the air at 3 o'clock in the after- 

 noon fell short of a seasonable amount for that hour by 8 \ er 

 cent. A se ected Lilac tree in my garden came first into 

 flower on April 29th, which is 11 days earlier than its average 

 date for the previous 26 years, and earlier than in any year 

 since 1896, or for 16 years. 



Apkil. 

 The driest April for over 50 years, and the driest month 

 but one during that pe riod.~ Taking the month as a whole 

 this was the warmest April for eight years. The days, 

 with seven exceptions, were all warm. In fact, the aver- 

 age maximum temperature was, with one exception, higher 

 thai in any Aptil during the pas: 26 years. On the other 

 hand, there occurred only eight warm nights, and the 

 average minimum temperature was rather below the mean 

 for the month. On the warmest day the temperatuie in 

 the thermometer screen rose to 71°, or, with four excep- 

 tions, higher than in any April during the past 26 years, 

 whereas on the coldest night the exposed thermometer 

 indicated 16° of frost, or a lower reading than in any 

 April since 18S3, or for 19 years. Rain fell on only two 

 days, and to the total de^th of less than a tenth of 

 an inch— making this the driest April during the last 

 66 years, and with one exception, February, 1891, when 

 the total measurement fell shoit of that of the past month 

 by four-hundredths of an incb, drier than any month 

 during the same period. The sun shons on au average 

 for as much as eight hours a d^y, which is thiee hours a 

 day longer than the average duration for April, and, with 

 the exception of that of 1893, the sunniest April during 

 the past 26 years. This was the calmest April recorded 

 here during the same 26 years. Still another remarkable 

 feature of this remarkable month was the great dryness of 

 the air, the mean amount of moisture at 3 p.m. falling 

 short of a seasonable quantity for that hour by as much 

 as 8 per cent. Only in three previous Aprils during the 

 past 26 years has the air been as dry. E. M ., Berkhamsted, 

 May /, 1912. 



DEBATING SOCIETIES. 



SOUTHAMPTON & DISTRICT GARDENERS'. 



— The monthly meeting of the above societv was held in 

 the Highfield Institute on Thursday, 25th n't., when there 

 was an excellent attendance. It was stated that the com- 

 mittee had decided to devote a short period at the close 

 of the ordinary business at the monthly meetings to the 

 discussion of subjects of general interest. Four new mem- 

 bers were elected. Mr. W. F. Copeland gave a lecture on 

 M The Hybridisation of Daffodils," tracing the history of 

 species, explaining methods of cross fertilisation, and con- 

 cluding with hints of practical utility. A vote of thanks was 

 accorded those who had brought exhibits. 



BRISTOL AND DISTRICT GARDENERS'.-The 



fourteenth annual meeting of this association was held on 



April 23 at St. John's Parish Rooms, Clifton. Mr. Thoday 



presided over a good attendance. Mr. J. Scott read the 



annual report and the financial statement, and both were 



con lered satisfactory. Col. Cary Batten was again elected 



president, Mr. P. Taoday was appointed chairman, and 



Mr. J. Bastor vice-chairman. Mr. J. Scott was re-elected 



hon. secretary and treasurer, and Mr. H. Wiltshire assistant- 

 secretary. 



©bttuarjj. 



John Easter.— The death of this well-known 

 gardener occurred on the 25th ult., at the age of 

 75 from pneumonia. Mr. Easter was gardener 

 to' Lord St. Oswald, Nostell Priory, Wakefield, 

 Yorkshire, for over 20 years. He was a success- 

 ful exhibitor at the York Gala Shows, and a 

 member of the Yorkshire Association of Change 

 Ringers. The funeral took place at Wragby 

 ParFsh Church, on the 27th ult. 



Peter Ogg.— The death of Mr. Peter Ogg. who 

 retired from his post as gardener to the late 

 Lord Sempill, at Fintray House, N.B., about six 

 years ago, and has since lived in retirement, is 

 announced. Mr. Ogg, who was upwards of 80 

 years of age, was appointed gardener to Colonel 

 Hay, Duns Castle, Berwickshire, in 1857, and re- 

 mained there until 1870, when he took charge of 

 the gardens at Fintray House. 



A. Davidson. 



*. ■_,**• u,owm.. — We have received news of the 

 death of Mr. A. Davidson, gardener to J. E. 

 Hutchison, Esq., Cairngall House, Longside, 

 Aberdeen, in his 82nd year. Mr. Davidson was 

 for 60 years in the employment of the Hutchison 

 family as gardener at Cairngall. He served his 

 apprenticeship in the Aberdeen district, and was 

 for two years foremun in the gardens at Ellon 



Castle. 



Martin E. Ryan.— Mr. Martin E. Ryan, 

 florist, of Middletown, New York, died on 

 Thursday, March 28. Deceased was born in 

 Ireland, and emigrated to America when a boy, 

 For the past X) years he had conducted a florist s 

 business in California Avenue, Middletown. 



Robert Innes.— The death of Mr. R. innes, 

 florist, occurred on March 28 at Brooklyn, New 

 York. Mr. Innes, who was 82 years of age, 

 was born in England, and for the last half- 

 century had lived in Brooklyn. 



John Beaton. —We learn from the American 

 papers of the sudden death of Mr. John Beaton, 

 a native of Aberdeenshire, at Sandwich, N.H., 

 at the age of 45. For the past 22 years Mr. 

 Beaton has been in the employ of Messrs. R. & 

 J. Farquhar & Co., Boston. 



Mr. T. Jones.— We have to record the death 

 at the age of 86 of Mr. T. Jones, who was for a 

 period of 19 years gardener to the late Queen 

 Victoria at Frogmore, Windsor. Mr. Jones was 

 held in high esteem by his Royal mistress, who 

 made him a presentation on the occasion of his 

 relinquishing charge of the Royal gardens in 

 1891. After his retirement, a pension was 

 granted Mr. Jones, who purchased a small 

 estate in the village of Pattingham, in Stafford- 

 shire, not far from Wolverhampton, employing 

 his leisure time in farming and gardening. His 

 father was a farmer in the county of Denbigh, 

 from whom he inherited a sturdy constitution. 

 The late Mr. Jones had a wide knowledge of 

 every aspect of gardening, but he especially ex- 

 celled in fruit and vegetable growing. Previous 

 to going to Frogmore, he was for many years 

 head gardener at Petworth. His wife ^ pre- 

 deceased him by some years, and there is no 



issue. 



ENQUIRY. 



A White " Crown Imperial " (Fritillaria im- 

 perialism—Does any reader know if the white 

 Crown Imperial is still in cultivation ? I have never 

 seen it. Parkinson, in 1656, says : M Some have 

 boasted of one with white flowers, yet I could 

 never hear that any such have endured." Y T et, 

 at almost the same time, the FlorUtglum reno- 

 vatum, 1641, gave a good figure of it, and in the 

 New Flora Botanica, 1812, Edwards mentions 

 the white among other varieties of the flower. If 

 there is such a variety, I should like to see it 

 and possess it. Henry Ellacombe. 



TRADE NOTICE 



Messrs. Wm, Wood & Sons, Ltd., Horticultural Sun- 

 dri-smen, have received the Royal Warrant, appointing 

 them purveyors of horticultural requisites to Her Majesty 

 Queen Alexandra. t 



sis 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Address : J. W. H. The Honorary Secretaries 

 of The Association of Economic Biologists are 

 Mr. Walter E. Collinge and Mr. W. G. Free- 

 man, 55 Newhall Street, Birmingham. 



Ants : Agent. Sometimes it will be found that 

 the haunts are in positions where boiling water 

 can safely be poured over them, and in such 

 cases this means is sufficient to destroy the 

 ants. Or another method of destroying them 

 is by injecting a little bisulphide of carbon, or 

 Vaporite, the fumes of which will at once kill 

 the ants. The M Ballikinrain Ant Destroyer" 

 is one of the best proprietary articles on the 

 market for destroying ants. 



Cucumber Leaves: Darnhall. The disease is 

 caused by a fungus, Hormodendron Hordei. 

 Spray the plants on alternate days with a solu- 

 tion of liver of sulphur, using 1 ounce in 3 

 gallons of water. 



Fig Diseased : H. H. There is no disease pre- 

 sent on the fragment of Fig tree sent. The 

 injury may be due to some disease lowtr down 

 on the stem. The white deposit may be due 

 to lime in the water used for spraying. 



International Horticultural Exhibition : 



J. M., Leatherhead. The prices for admission 

 to the International Show at Chelsea were pub- 

 lished in the issue for November 4, 1911, page 

 323. The answer to your inquiry respect, ng 

 The Plums of New York was given in the 

 issue for March 23. 

 Names of Fruits : Wessex: Scarlet Nonpareil. 

 — F. S. Jb S. Annie Elizabeth. 



Names of Plants : IF. B. Prunus Padus, Bird 

 Cherry.— .4. C. W. Trillium grandiflorum.— 

 J. L. W. Populus tremuloides. — E. B. 

 Prunus Padus.— W . A. II. Berberis aethnen- 



(vulgaris).— H. T. Z. 1, RjMOM 

 aculeatus; 2, Berberis japonica ; 3, Oleam 

 Haastii; 4, Berberis Fortunei ; 5, B. 

 Aquifolium var. ; 6, B. Walhchjana; 

 7, B. Darwinii ; 8, B. buxifolia ; 9, B. aethnen- 

 sis ; 10, B. vulgaris foliis purpureis ; IX Spiraea 

 Thunbergii; 12, Pyrus floribunda.— Hants. 1, 

 Erica lusitanica (codonodes) ; 2, Pyrus auncu- 

 laris ; 3, Thuya occidentalis var. ; 4, Griselima 

 littoralis; 5, Sciadopitys verticillata.— G. H. J- 

 (a) Acer platanoides purpurea; (b) A. p. var. ; 

 (c) Amelanchier canadensis. — P. J. P- **"#* 

 aureum.— M. M., Orpington. A good variety 

 of Odontoglossum Rossii ma jus. 



Pear Leaves: W. II. C. The Peach tree is 

 attacked bv the Pear-leaf Blister Mite (Phvtop- 

 tus pyri). " The mites are very small, and can 

 scarcely be seen without lens. In winter they 

 hide themselves beneath the scales of the 

 young buds, and when the leaves unfold in the 

 spring they remove to the foliage, and soon pro- 

 duce blister-like snots on each side of the leal. 

 A small hole ma/ be found, on the under sur- 

 face, in each blister, by which the mites have 

 escaped to other parts of the leaf or to a li- 

 ferent leaves, where they produce n#w gaus- 

 It is obvious that when the mites are hidden m 

 the leaves they are safe from the effects ot in- 

 secticides, but it has been found that sprau g 

 the trees with kerosene emulsion m winter kiii 

 a large number. It would be well also to pic* 

 off all infested leaves and burn them. 



Street Trees Overhanging : W. Hughes- 



question of damage caused by overhanging tre* 

 was dealt with in the " Answers to Correspoi 

 denee " column in the issue for May *; *T by 

 Your right of action would now be bar rea 

 the Public Authorities Protection Act, lb* > 

 which requires any action against a public v j 

 to be brought within six months. 



Tulips Unhealthy : W. B. ^J'Z*lV^* 

 sent in your Tulips. The trouble must be 

 to some wrong cultural treatment. 



Yew Hedge : S. 0. F The V*"*™^* 

 able time to clip Yew hedges If : the ^ 

 ' is dry syringe or spray the hedge \u 

 twice daily. The final dipping for th > 



later 



of August. 



Communications Received. -T. ^& o. 



a. w_t. s._cT ^0:^ p ^* 



Sona_Xich_A. C. PreBW n *i rt ^ rt i nff iia-- 



E: 8. H-G. fjTS^x?^ 

 W. A. C._E. W.—L. Brothers— P._A ; 



C. Y. & H. 



. B._E. M. 

 O.H. 



C.—B.D.K. 



; u wJo53»* 



