390 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



C November 17, 1870. 



the names and other information from more experienced mem- 

 bers. These meetings are usually well attended, from forty to 

 double that number being often present, and on special occa- 

 sions more than that. The Society, I believe, consists of up- 

 wards of four hundred members, nearly one-half being imme- 

 diately connected with gardening, and classed as gardeners ; the 

 others are honorary members. Mr. Frost, formerly gardener 

 at Preston Hall, but now a nurseryman in Maidstone, is Presi- 

 dent. The other officers are chosen from gardeners of good 

 standing in the district, and I believe that all has hitherto 

 worked well, which is much to say of any society. The good 

 feeling shown towards the Society, coupled with the prudent 

 counsels of some of its chief officers, have so far prevented 

 anything like discord, and financially, as well as in other re- 

 spects, the Society stands in a better position than it ever did. 

 These observations, explanatory of the working of the Society, 

 are intended to introduce to the readers of The Joubnal of 

 Horticulture another move the Society has made. The pre- 

 vious exhibitions have always been held in the spring, when 

 plants were the principal attraction, and the show of last April 

 certainly exhibited no falling-off from those of former years; 

 but it was thought an autumn fruit show would be an acquisi- 

 tion, and accordingly one was arranged for October 12 th, and 

 was in every respect a success, upwards of 1200 dishes of fruit 

 being set up, representing everything of the kind to be met 

 with at a metropolitan show, and many of them in as high a 

 degree of perfection as they well could be. The Apples and 

 Pears were especially fine, as might be expected in a county 

 where so many are grown. One grower sent fifty-two dishes of 

 Pears, all different, and about half that number of Apples ; 

 another had upwards of eighty dishes of fruit all carefully 

 named; while smaller contributions were no less commendable 

 by their quality, size, and perfection. Not the least remark- 

 able objects in the Show were the excellent samples of out-door 

 Grapes, and still finer bunches were exhibited from under 

 glass. The Show also comprised Pines, Peaches, Plums, 

 and Damsons, Melons, Figs, Cherries, Strawberries (from the 

 open fields), Raspberries, Gooseberries, Currants, Qainces, and 

 Medlars, as well as Apples, Pears, and Grapes, and some 

 rarities, as Bananas, fruit of the Passion-flower. &c, and two 

 or three exhibitors had dishes of Apples of 1869 in good pre- 

 servation. Vegetables were equally well represented. Mr. 

 William Luckhurst, at Lord Romney's, The Mote, sent an ex- 

 cellent collection, as also did Mr. Lee, gardener to J. Whatman, 

 Esq., M.P., while the contributions from others were not less 

 remarkable. Plants were but sparingly introduced, only a few 

 being placed along the centre of the tables in the middle of the 

 room to divide the collections. The vegetables occupied the 

 aide tables. Taken altogether, the Show might be regarded as 

 one of hardy fruits, such as few districts could furnish, and 

 one of which the members of the Maidstone Gardeners' Mutual 

 Improvement Society felt a little proud, for 1200 dishes of fruit 

 are not collected together every day. — J. Robson. 



PITCHER-PLANTS. 



Difference of opinion has been expressed as to the nature 

 and use of the liquid found in the so-called pitchers of various 

 plants, such as Nepenthes, Rafflesia, and certain Orehidaceee. 

 The popular idea that these curious receptacles collect pure 

 water for the refreshment of the thirsty in arid places, would 

 seem to be set at rest by the consideration of the fact that 

 these plants grow in moist and marshy places. There would 

 seem, moreover, to be some improbability that plants should 

 3ecrete pure water. 



In this country, where these plants are grown under excep- 

 tional conditions, there is some difficulty in settling these 

 questions experimentally. In such cases extraneous water 

 often finds its way into the pitchers, so that several ounces 

 may frequently be gathered from a single receptacle of Ne- 

 penthes, the greater part of which is accidental. 



In August last I had an opportunity of collecting the liquid 

 from two flowers of Coryanthes, one of the Orchidaeere, which 

 had just opened, in one of the well-known stove houses of 

 Mr. Wilson Saunders. 



Though the quantity collected was small, amounting only to 

 about 3 cubic centimetres, or 1.18 cubic inches, an examination 

 showed the following properties : — 



Clear and somewhat glutinous in consistence. Possessed of 

 a high refractive power, and a specific gravity of 1 062. 



Odour pleasant but faint, becoming more marked by a gentle 

 heat. Neutral to test papers. Becoming milky, by concentra- 



tion on the water-bath, it finally yielded a transparent gum 

 insoluble in alcohol. 



Oxalates produced no precipitate of lime, but basic lead ace- 

 tate gave a curdy reaction. Concentrated hot sulphuric acid 

 blackened the liquid. 



Although the taste was not acrid, the mawkish flavour would 

 render it quite unpotable. 



This examination therefore proved the liquid to be something 

 else than pure water. 



100 parts of liquid contained : — 



Water and volatile oils 98 51 



Non- volatile residue 1.49 



-G. B. Buckton. — (Nature.] 



100.00 



CONSTRUCTING AN ICE-HOUSE. 

 About three years ago my employer wanted to do away with 

 the ice-house. It was too near the residence. He thought he 

 should like a square one. I showed him the sketch of that in 

 one of your numbers of July, 1S64, and he thought it was just 

 the house he should like. We set to work and had it built, and 

 we have filled it twice, but when we came to open the house, 

 which we do not want to do until about the second week in 

 November, there was not a bit of ice left either time. Of course, 

 it U a great disappointment. I see that the sketch in your 

 Journal is by Mr. Fish ; if he would give me his advice I should 

 be obliged. You will see by the accompanying outline of the 

 house (which is 10 feet wide, 14 feet long, and 9 feet deep), that 

 I have had a drain- pipe put in at each corner, so that the air 

 may pass all round between the walls. The roof does not come 

 to the ground, for I have the air passing in and out by the 

 sides.— G. T. M. 



a, a. Outside 9-ineii wall. 



b, b. Inside 4A-inch wall. 



c. Well all below ground. 



d. Arch. 



c. Drain-pipa. 

 /. Roof. 

 g. Drain. 



[We are sometimes asked the cause of failures, when we cau 

 give no better reason than that known to the inquirers, and 

 thus we are often reminded how little we know. In the present 

 case we feel rather pleased, not that there has been a dis- 

 appointment, but that we think we see how it may be pre- 

 vented in future. 



We may first remark, that it is next to folly to suppose that 

 in wells whether circular or square, or even in stacks above 

 ground, ice can be long kept in small quantities. This is 

 trying to an ice-house not opened until November. The house 

 described is rather small for such late work. We should have 



