JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
92 
f February 3, 1881. 
as easy to grow a good variety as a bad one. Re very careful in 
watering the young seedlings. 
Hardy Flowers. —All plants, especially young plants, in beds 
and borders, must have attention immediately the ground becomes 
fairly dry. Such plants as Pansies, Pinks, Carnations, young 
Phloxes, Pyrethrums, &c., are sure to be more or less displaced 
with the frost, and it is important that the soil be pressed gently 
yet firmly round them ; or should dry weather ensue, as it will do 
before the flowering period arrives, the plants will sustain con¬ 
siderable injury. After the soil is firmed round the plants a 
surfacing of fresh compost will in many cases be advantageous, 
and if this is of a sharp gritty nature it will sensibly impede the 
movements of snails and slugs.— Florist. 
MSMISiSiSf 
JITES-GLEPNGS. it 
The frost departed in the metropolitan district as suddenly 
as it came. “ Every day,” Mr. G. J. Symons writes to us, “from 
the 12th to the 27th of January the temperature was belew 
freezing. It was one of the most remarkable cold periods of this 
century, but shorter in duration than that of January, 1814.” 
Last winter the duration of the severe frost was from November 
14th to December 28th, 1879 ; and the lowest reading of the 
thermometer at Blackadder, N.B., was 23° below zero, registered 
by a thermometer that Dr. Stuart considered quite correct ; this 
year the greatest cold at the same place was 22° below zero. In 
Ireland the frost has been more severe this year than it was in 
1879, and has been generally more intense in Scotland. At 
Chiswick in 1879 the lowest reading of the thermometer was 10*, 
or 22° below freezing ; this year it was 5°, or 27° below that 
point. The average minimum temperature at Camden Squaro 
London, during the frost of last winter was 27-7; this winter it 
was 18 - 8. The greatest cold at the same place was 16-1° on 
December 7th, 1879, and 1P8° on January 17th this year. The 
temperature of the soil at 1 foot below the surface on the last 
day of the frost this year was 33T, and exactly the same on the 
last day of the frost of last winter. In reference to the weight 
of snow that fell in the metropolitan area chiefly on the 25th ult. 
and which, according to parliamentary reports, was estimated 
at 8| million tons, the Gardeners' Chronicle suggests that the 
amount was probably a misprint for 3f millions of tons ; and we 
quite agree with our contemporary, as, calculating on the acknow¬ 
ledged data that 12 inches of snow is equivalent to 1 inch of 
rain, and that an inch of rain equals 101 tons of water per acre, 
the result would be about as stated by the last-mentioned figures. 
We have heard of much injury resulting from the frost, but hope 
to learn that the snow has proved a valuable preserver of vege¬ 
tation, and that the damage will not generally be so great as 
after last winter. As showing the inaccuracy of computing the 
“ degrees of frost ” instead of the readings of the thermometer, 
a correspondent informed us that there were “seven degrees of 
thaw” last Friday morning, meaning that the temperature 
was 39°. 
- We may remind our readers that the Annual General 
Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society will take 
place on Tuesday next, the 8th inst., at 3 P.M., when the report of 
the Council will be submitted, and the general business of elect¬ 
ing officers and members of the Council transacted. 
- At the Linnean Society to-night (Thursday) the follow¬ 
ing papers will be read—“ Notes on Cyperaceas,” by G. Bentham ; 
“ Observations on some British Fishes,” by Dr. Francis Day ; and 
“ Remarks’on the Coffee-leaf Disease in India,” by William Biddie. 
- We are sorry to record the death on the 23rd ult. of Mr. 
P. J. Perry of the old-established nursery at Banbury. Mr. 
Perry was second son of the late Mr. Thomas Perry, his predecessor 
in the business, and younger brother of Mr. Thomas Perry, who 
was formerly of the firm of Knight & Perry at Chelsea. 
- We learn that Mr. Daniel Judd, who has been for some 
time gardener at Warwick Castle, recently retired from that post, 
and was presented by some friends in the neighbourhood with a 
handsome timepiece and gold scarf pin as a testimony of their 
respect. Mr. W. Iggulden on resigning charge of the gardens 
at Orsett Hall was also presented by his neighbours with a hand¬ 
some testimonial of their esteem, as by his courteous demeanour 
he had secured the respect of a wide circle of friends in the 
district. 
- Mr. J. Perkins, Thornham Hall, Eye, Suffolk, sends us a 
RECORD OF the frosts during the past four months, in which 
we notice that the lowest temperatures in each month were the 
following :—October 24th, 7° below freezing ; November 23rd, 12° 
below freezing ; December 22nd, 9° below freezing, and January 
30° below freezing, or 2° above zero. In referring to the vege¬ 
table crops he observes that the Broccoli were all laid down in 
the autumn, and are saved; Lettuce, &c., which were covered 
with snow, were also uninjured. 
- A very extensive cultivator of bulbs sends us the follow¬ 
ing note on the blue Roman Hyacinth — “ This note is to 
warn those who, like myself, might be tempted to give it a trial, 
knowing the worth of the white Roman form. It is rightly 
named, but useless and not worth growing. After two seasons’ 
trial I strongly condemn it. It is not in the least adapted for 
forcing, and a great per-centage of bulbs will not flower. It is no 
earlier than Scilla siberica, and cannot in any respect equal that 
charming little bulb.” 
- We are requested to publish the following announcement: 
—“ Messrs. James Carter & Co., having received the ROYAL com¬ 
mand to attend at Marlborough House, that firm enjoys the high 
distinction of a royal warrant appointing them seedsmen and 
nurserymen to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.” 
- We are informed that the Alexandra Palace and 
Park, Muswell Hill, will be sold by auction on February the 
11th, by order of the London Financial Association. 
- Just on the eve of going to press we have received a 
lengthy report of the first Ordinary General Meeting of the 
General Horticultural Company that was held at Warwick 
House, Regent Street, on Monday last, which it is impossible 
under the circumstances that we can insert. The auditor’s report 
shows that the amount of business done during the eight months 
was £22,600 2s. 8 d., and the gross profit £13,919 16,?. 10 d. The 
profit and loss account shows a nett profit of £3,601 4.?. 9<7. Mr. 
Wills commenced business ten years ago with a sum of £300 ; 
on the formation of the Company the amount due to him was 
£24,581, £11,000 of which he took in fully paid up shares ; he 
has since taken £10,000 in the same manner, so that his shares 
amount to £21,000. At the meeting Mr. Wills stated his willing¬ 
ness to relinquish the interest of his unpaid purchase money in 
order that the shareholders might receive a dividend of 5 per 
cent. ; but the shareholders present, while thanking Mr. Wills for 
his liberal offer, declined to take from him what was lawfully his 
own. Much confidence was expressed in the position of the 
Society, and an increased number of shareholders is anticipated. 
The total number of shares taken is 2,414, the working capital 
having been only £7,906, and a good dividend is expected at the 
close of the financial year. 
- The Council of the Society of Arts inform us that they 
are prepared to award a Society’s silver medal, together with 
