January 27, 1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 71 
- A correspondent in Ipswich informs us that a number 
of gentlemen recently held a meeting in that town to consider 
the best mode of encouraging the culture of Roses in the district. 
After some discussion it was resolved that a Society should 
be formed to consist of amateur and professional Rose-growers, 
and to be named the East Anglian Rose Society, which 
will obtain its members from the counties Norfolk, Suffolk, and 
Essex. It is intended to hold an exhibition every year in one 
of these counties ; the first to be held in connection with the 
summer Show of the Ipswich Horticultural Association. The 
following gentlemen were appointed to constitute the Committee. 
—The Rev. Foster Melliar, Tostock Rectory ; Mr. W. Nicholl, 
Hengrave ; and Mr. D. T, Fish, Hardwick House, Bury St. 
Edmunds ; the Rev. H. Frere, Burston Rectory ; and the Rev. 
Page Roberts, Scole Rectory, Diss; the Rev. Hugh A. Berners, 
Harkstead Rectory, Ipswich ; and Mr. B. R. Cant, Colchester ; 
the three last named being Hon. Secretaries pro tern., to whom 
all inquiries or subscriptions should be addressed. 
- At the annual meeting of the Scottish Seed And 
Nursery Trade Association recently held in Edinburgh, Mr. 
Downie presiding, the report read by the Secretary, Mr. David 
Hunter, stated that the Society now includes forty-two members, 
there being the substantial balance of £57 19s. to the credit of the 
Association. It was also announced the prize of £5 offered for 
the best essay on the means of discovering adulteration in Clover 
seeds had not induced any competition. Mr. R. T. Macintosh 
was appointed President for the present year, Mr. James Hunter 
Vice-President, and Mr. David Hunter Secretary and Treasurer. 
- A veteran gardener, William Shaw of Tuebrook, 
near Liverpool, died on the 19th inst. at the age of eighty-six 
years. Long before his death Mr. Shaw became a wealthy man 
in consequence of having “ taken care of the pence ” in his 
youthful days, and investing his savings judiciously. Mr. Shaw 
was widely known and esteemed by the gardeners of the district 
in which he lived so long. 
-We learn that the Dundee Horticultural Society 
will hold a grand floral fete on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of September 
this year, when upwards of £300 will be offered in prize money. 
Competition open to the United Kingdom. Schedules may be 
had on application to Mr. D. P. Scott, Secretary, 9, Renny Place, 
Broughty Ferry, or Mr. John Miln, Treasurer, Euclid Crescent, 
Dundee. 
- The chief event in the horticultural exhibiting world in 
the present year will probably be the International Exhibi¬ 
tion TO be HELD AT Manchester on the 21th to 27th of August ; 
and the schedule, which is now issued, shows that from the number 
of liberal prizes offered no efforts have been spared to induce keen 
competition and an extensive display. Two hundred and thirty- 
seven classes are enumerated, of which those devoted to fruits— 
namely seventy-three, form a large comparative proportion, vege¬ 
tables and plants being also well provided for ; while cut flower?, 
bouquets, table decorations, implements, and cottagers’ productions 
are all likely to be well represented judging from the prizes 
offered. Special prizes of considerable value are also offered for 
plants, vegetables, and fruits by the Veiteh memorial trustees, 
the General Horticultural Company (John Wills) limited, and 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons ; Dickson, Brown & Tait; Dickson & Robin¬ 
son, and G. & W. Yates. Some of the chief classes in the several 
divisions are the following :—Fruits—for collections of fifteen 
and twelve kinds, £20, £15, and £10 ; £15, £10, and £5 as first, 
second, and third prizes respectively in the two classes ; ten 
varieties of Grapes, one bunch each, £12, £8, and £5. Many other 
liberal prizes are also offered for Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, 
Pine Apples, Pears, Apples, &c. One section of this class is 
confined to fruiterers, and another to fruits of foreign growth. 
In the latter France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, America, 
Turkey, and Egypt being represented. The most important 
special prizes for fruits are those offered by the General Horti¬ 
cultural Company—namely, two of thirty guineas, and two of 
twenty guineas each. Among vegetables the highest prize is £10 
for twenty varieties, while the principal amounts in the plant 
classes are £20, £15, and £10 for twenty miscellaneous plants. 
The entries close on August the 11th, and all communications 
should be addressed to Mr. Bruce' Findlay, Royal Botanical 
Gardens, Manchester. 
-The Sheffield Floral and Horticultural Society 
is the designation of a new organisation that has just been esta¬ 
blished by some of the leading gardeners of the district. The 
objects of the Society, which are in all respects commendable, 
cannot be better described than by quoting] from the rules :— 
“ 1, The mutual improvement of its members, and advancement of 
floriculture and horticulture, by exhibitions of’"plants, flowers, 
fruits, and vegetables; 2, periodical meetings for the purpose of 
reading essays, and for discussions upon any^subject that shall 
bear directly or indirectly upon the science of gardening, and 
that shall be considered to increase the skill and knowledge of 
either the professional or amateur gardener in horticultural pur¬ 
suits ; 3, also the delivery of scientific lectures on any subject 
that may be deemed essential in carrying out the above objects.” 
Monthly exhibitions of plants, fruit, and vegetables will be held 
by the members, and larger shows as may be determined upon. 
A great amount of support has been accorded ,to the Society by 
the local gentry, and the number of members is increasing daily. 
Amongst the officers appointed are Mr. Haigh, Treasurer ; Messrs. 
Udale and Eadon, Trustees ; Mr. B. Simonite, Curator ; and Messrs. 
W. K. Woodcock and J. F. Hanson, Hon. Secretaries. An excel¬ 
lent Committee has also been formed for conducting the affairs of 
the Society, which promises to become a prosperous one. 
- It is announced that M. Ed. Andr6 has ceased to be the 
editor of “ L’lllustration Horticole.” 
- Florists’ Societies. —The annual general meeting of the 
members of the National Auricula (Northern Section), Royal 
National Tulip, and National Carnation and Picotee (Northern 
Section) Societies will be held at the old “ Bull’s Head ” (off the 
Market Place), Manchester, on Wednesday, February 2nd, 1881, 
at three o’clock, p.m. Business—T o arrange date of this year’s 
exhibitions, schedule of prizes, plan of judging, and any other 
matter and work connected with the management of the National 
Florists’ Societies, Northern Section. The attendance of the mem¬ 
bers of the above Societies is earnestly requested.—S. Barlow, 
Hon. See. Royal Nat. Tulip Society, Staliehill House, Chaclderton, 
Manchester; F. D. Horner, Hon. Sec. National Auricula, and 
Carnation and Picotee Societies (Northern Sections), Kirlby 
Malzeard, Ripon. _ 
THE FROST. 
When a sheep is roasted whole on the Thames, as was the case 
last Saturday near Twickenham, and when preparations have been 
made for roasting a bullock in a similar manner, sufficient proof is 
afforded of the exceptional severity of the weather. The temperature 
near London has not been so low during the past few days as 
previously, but there are very slight, if any, signs of a thaw. The 
snow lies in huge mounds and ridges, and some idea may be formed 
of its bulk from the statement of Sir J. McGarel Hogg in the House 
of Commons on Monday night, that a depth of 6 inches of snow over 
the metropolitan district of 117 square miles is computed to weigh eight 
millions and three-quarters of tons. We have received a great num¬ 
ber of letters relative to the weather, and we can only make brief 
extracts from some of them to show its character in various districts. 
Devonshire. —Writing from Sidmouth, “E. D. B.” observes that the 
snow is about a foot in depth, and the lowest temperature has been 
17°. A week previous to the storm Rhododendrons, Snowdrops, and 
Primroses were flowering out of doors. Sussex. —Mr. W. Jordan 
writing from Silgate, Crawley, Sussex, observes, “ The weather here 
still continues very severe. The lowest temperature experienced up to 
