March 13, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
207 
is one of those plants which heighten the enjoyment of the cultivator 
whose love for plants stimulates him far beyond the desire to insure 
brilliant colour or striking effect. 
Double Primroses. —These please everybody. Well, perhaps I 
am going beyond the mark, because I heard a fastidious individual the 
other day remark, when his attention was drawn to some of these 
flowers, “ Oh ! I don’t care for double flowers.” But they like double 
Primroses in Ireland. When there last year I was greatly struck at 
the number, of them grown, and how luxuriantly they flourished. 
Pompadour is there in abundance, blooming most profusely. This has 
the richest, of all colours in Primroses ; but there are two varieties, at 
least I think so, one is rich crimson throughout and rather more 
■double than the other, which is yellowish at the base of the floral 
leaves. I prefer the former, as I think it flowers more freely than 
the latter. Then there are double white, sulphur, yellow, rose, red, 
and purple, all of which are extremely free-flowering and very hand¬ 
some ; and if covered with glass, and thus kept clean, the flowers are 
very useful in a cut state for many purposes. From Messrs. Froebel 
and Co., Zurich, has come a hose-in-hose Polyanthus of a rich scarlet 
colour.under the name of Primula veris coccinea plena. It is very free- 
flowering and showy ; indeed, more so than any other similar form of 
Polyanthus I have seen. Mr. Cannell speaks highly of some of his 
varieties, but those I have never seen ; but most likely they are all 
very pretty. There is one double Primrose I have under the name 
of “Scotch.” Whether there is such a variety I do not know ; the 
flowers are of a rich rose-purple colour, yellowish at the base, and 
very freely produced. I have heard of one in Ireland under the name 
of “ Sapphire,” which is said to be very scarce, of a deep bluish 
purple colour. 1 wonder whether any of your Hibernian readers could 
give us any information respecting it.—T. 
At a general meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
held last Tuesday, Maxwell T. Masters, Esq., M.D., F.R.S., in the chair, 
the following candidates were unanimously elected Fellows — viz., 
Frederick Henley Newens, R. P. Percival, F. Sander, George Cappelen 
Sawyer, Charles Sharpe, Sir Henry Thring, K.C.B., Mrs. Arthur Tower, 
Mrs. Tremlett. The President, Lord Aberdare, has nominated the 
following gentlemen Vice-Presidents for the ensuing year—viz., Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., J. H. Mangles, Robert Hogg, LL.D., F.L.S., 
ir P. Cunliffe Owen, K.C.M.G., C.B., C.I.E. 
- We regret to learn that Dr. George Engelmann, who has 
•gained so great a fame as a botanist and an authority on Conifers, 
died, at the age of seventy-five years, on February 4th, at St. Louis, in 
Missouri. He was a native of Frankfort-on-the-Maine, but has spent 
most of his life in the United States, where he has carefully studied the 
’Conifers, Cacteac, and Agaves. His magnificent book upon the Cactaceas 
of the Boundary Survey Expedition was one of his principal works, 
several treatises and essays having also been published. 
- Mr. Wright begs to acknowledge the receipt of £3 10*. 6 d. 
that was generously contributed for the benefit of Mrs. Honeyman by 
the members attending the meeting of the Manchester Horticultural 
Mutual Improvement Society, held on the 6th inst., and transmitted by 
Mr. W. Swan of Oakley, Fallowfield. “A Gardener’s Wife’’has with 
•equal generosity sent 10*. and a kindly sympathetic letter. A corre¬ 
spondent has also sent 5s., which he “ neither wants acknowledging 
publicly nor in any other way.” He will perceive that it has been 
received, and this, with the other contributions, are thankfully accepted. 
- Mr. Edward Mawley's annual contribution to meteorological 
literature is now issued (Stanford), and “ The Weather of 1883 ” 
•contains a series of elaborate observations on the variations in tempe¬ 
rature, rainfall, barometric pressure, wind, duration of sunshine, &c., 
which are recorded in the same full and accurate manner which has 
distinguished previous issues of the work. A table is also given com¬ 
paring 1883 with 1882, from which it appears that the chief difference 
is in the rainfall of the past year exceeding that of the preceding one 
by over 2 inches. 
- “ Mr. Perkins, the Secretary of Lord’s Cricket Ground, says 
he has a plague of the grub of the ‘ Daddy Longlegs,’ and that they 
are ruining the grass. Can anything be done ? I hear Regent’s Park 
grass is bare through them.” Thus writes a correspondent, and we are 
sorry to hear of such a violent attack of this destructive and almost 
ineradicable pest. We would suggest that Mr. Perkins make a few 
experiments with petroleum, by mixing from 1 to 3 or 4 ozs. of oil with 
water, and trying the effects of different strengths on separate plots. 
It is possible that he may ascertain the right quantity to use, so as to 
check, if not destroy, the larvae, and at the same time benefit the grass. 
It must be remembered that the oil and water can only be incorporated 
by constant and violent agitation when the solution is being used ; if not 
agitated the petroleum floats on the water. Solutions of hellebore might 
also be tried, mixing from 2 to 4 ozs. of powder into a paste, then adding 
a little boiling water, which can be cooled and increased to a gallon 
with cold water. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. Richard Parker, foreman 
under Mr. Mclndoe, at Hutton Hall, Guisborough, has been appointed 
to succeed Mr. Owen Thomas as gardener to John Corbett, Esq., M.P., 
Impney, Droitwich. 
- “ Ipswich ” writes in reply to “ A. M.,” page 166, relative to 
washing Vine rods, that he does precisely what he advised—namely, 
uses a spoke brush as quickly and vigorously as a groom uses it in 
washing a carriage. He does not pretend to keep the water at any given 
temperature, as if it is applied at any beat between 120° and 160° to Vino 
rods when they are quite at rest, he does no injury to them whatever ; 
while if it does not destroy all the insects and eggs in the bark, it is the 
fault of the workman. Provided the work is quickly done, and boiling 
water can be had by walking fifty or even a hundred yards for it, there is 
no difficulty in maintaining the temperature indicated of that which is 
applied to the Vines. 
- As will be seen by an advertisement in another column, arrange¬ 
ments have been made by the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society 
for holding a Conference on the Narcissus on April 1st, at which 
Mr. F. W. Burbidge will read a paper, which is expected to lead to an 
interesting and instructive discussion on the large and popular genus 
to which it pertains. 
- Messrs. James Carter k Co. have sent us a pamphlet on 
laying down and improving lawns, lawn tennis, and cricket grounds, the 
perusal of which may be useful to persons interested in the subject. 
- At the ordinary meeting of the Royal Meteorological 
Society, to be held at 25, Great George Street, Westminster, on 
Wednesday, the 21st inst., at 7 p.m., the following paper will be 
read : — “ Brief Notes on the History of Thermometers,” by Robert H. 
Scott, M.A., F.R.S, President. After the reading of this paper the 
meeting will be adjourned in order to afford the Fellows and their 
friends an opportunity of inspecting the exhibition of thermometers and 
of such new instruments as have been invented and first constructed 
since the last Exhibition. 
- Mr. J. Simpson, Wortley, writes respecting Peach tree 
Extension :—“I am always pleased to answer any bona fide questions 
that may be asked me on this subject, and I have answered many ; but 
if ‘ A Working Gardener ’ (page 189) will again refer to the source where 
he found I ‘ claimed credit as being ’ not ‘ the author ’ of the extension 
system, but the first to ‘ practise and recommend it on definite principles,’ 
he will find all the information he now seeks minutely given and 
illustrated ; also that ‘ extension ’ is not what he would make it appear 
to be, and that it does not refer to either the size or the number of trees 
so much as to the raising and fruiting of them soon and successfully.” 
- The Lincoln Chrysanthemum Society announce that their 
second Exhibition will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 
18th and 19th of the present year, in the Corn Exchange, Lincoln. The 
first Show was successful, and the Society has secured a balance of 
£29 19*. 9 d. in its favour—very encouraging results. In the schedule 
now being issued thirty-one classes are enumerated for specimen plants 
and cut blooms. 
- “ C. W.,” writing in regard to Controversy, observes :—“ I 
trust the readers of the Journal will duly appreciate the eminent abilities 
and fully recognise the high position to which “ Casual ” (page 83) has 
attained in respect to the subtle rules and laws of controversy. As the 
mantle of the modern “ Draco,” whom he so freely, so forcibly, if not so 
wisely, quotes, has unquestionably fallen upon his own shoulders, he 
