314 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 11, 1883 
At a general meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
held last Tuesday, James McIntosh, Esq., in the chair, the following 
candidates were unanimously elected Fellows—viz., Geo. W. Clare, 
J. Hastings Duncan, James William Temple, Reginald Ward, and Mrs. 
Wilkinson. 
- It is proposed to celebrate the National Apple Congress 
by having a dinner at Ashley’s Hotel, Covent Garden, in the rooms 
of the Horticultural Club, on Thursday, October 18th, at 6 p.m., 
Dr. Hogg, F.L.S., in the chair. 
- We have received from Messrs. Jefferies of Oxford a box of 
blooms of the most beautiful unnamed single Dahlias we have ever 
seen. The variation of colour is remarkable, and every type of the 
flower is represented. The seifs range from white to the richest 
maroon. Some of the varieties have flaked florets, such as maroon 
streaked with rose, white marked and tinted with lilac, and purple 
veined with crimson. Others of the flowers have margined florets, one 
scarlet edged with orange buff being extremely bright, and another 
purplish puce margined with pale rose, very chaste ; while the base of 
some of the darker florets is orange, forming a bright ring round the 
disc, which is effective. Several of the blooms before us are quite equal 
to the best named varieties, and all are good. 
- A Show of Artificial Flowers and Fruits is now being 
held at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, and is in some degree 
interesting as showing the skill exercised in the imitation of their real 
prototypes. The flowers are formed of various substances—wax, wool, 
and a fine material resembling muslin. The Roses modelled in the first- 
named are very truthful representations, but the best case has suffered 
in transit; the form and colour of the petals have been more faithfully 
reproduced than by any other method. In the wool the majority have a 
very unnatural appearance, but some samples of Pansies are life-like in 
colouring and form ; a plant of Lobelia in a pot is also an excellent 
sample of skill. The muslin-like material appears to be cut or stamped 
out, and is not very satisfactory, except in the case of Bonvardias and 
Stephanotis, which look fairly well. As to the kinds of flowers represented 
a large number are recognisable, but some are entirely artificial and do 
not exist except in the artist’s imagination. One indeed that appears 
to be a favourite would be a welcome novelty ; it consists of a small 
tubular corolla with three petals, purplish mauve, shading lighter in the 
centre, and crowded in dense clusters. The fruit is admirably modelled 
in wax, Cherries, Peaches, Plums, Apples, and Pears being reproduced 
with the utmost exactness. Unfortunately this is the smallest portion 
of the Exhibition. It, however, suggests what an interesting permanent 
pomological museum could be formed by taking counterparts in wax of 
all the principal varieties of fruits. How greatly such an institution 
would add to the attractions of Chiswick, for instance. 
- “ T. E.” writes that “A fine specimen of Renanthera Lowii is 
now flowering at Ferri^res, near Paris. Its long leaves, which measure a 
yard or more in length, appear small if compared with the length of the 
spikes of buds, which reach a length of 3 yards. Each spike—of which 
there are at present eleven—numbers 280 buds, all flowering at the same 
time, which are so different in appearance that side by side they may 
easily be taken for distinct species. It is reported from Italy that in 
the garden of the Marquis Corsi-Salviati at Sesto Florentino the 
Renanthera Lowii is also at present in flower, which is the first time that 
it has ever flowered in Italy.” 
- Mr. Thomas Twining, the well-known author of several 
scientific works and schemes, has issued a description of a Botanic 
Stand, which is claimed to be “ a means of agreeable instruction in the 
knowledge of the natural orders of plants.” The plan consists simply of 
employing a shelf with a protective rail on each side, on the top of iron 
hurdles, so that a series of plants illustrative of the principal natural orders 
can be raised to a suitable height for inspection, thus avoiding, as Mr. 
Twining states, “ the inconvenience of having to stoop very low to study 
the majority of plants, whereby ladies’ clothes are liable to get damp,, 
rheumatism and the like being not unfrequently occasioned by impru¬ 
dence of this description.” It is always well to simplify matters as 
much as possible, and the Botanic Stand may prove useful in some 
respects ; but those who undertake the study of natural history are 
generally prepared to face a few difficulties and inconveniences. 
-We learn that the Grape harvest in Southern Italy and- 
Sicily is very satisfactory. The first snow has fallen in the most 
elevated parts of the Abruzzi. Grapes are abundant, but rather later 
than usual in ripening, in almost all the provinces of Southern Italy- 
A fair Tobacco harvest is reported from Lecce, but those of Cotton and 
Figs are less favourable. In Sicily the Grape harvest is not only plentiful 
in quantity but also of a very superior quality. The Olive crop is very 
fair in the province of Palermo. 
- A correspondent writes that Dr. Domingo Freire, of Rio 
Janeiro, the discoverer of the Yellow Fever Fungus, has made the 
experiment of transferring this Fungus into the system of animals by 
injection, and has obtained satisfactory confirmation of his theory. The 
inoculated animals, after a very short time, showed all the symptoms of 
yellow fever, and on dissection their blood was found to be full of the 
germs of the Fungus. 
- Respecting the White Pine Professor Sargent says :—“ The 
entire supply growing in the United States and ready for the axe does 
not to-day greatly, if at all, exceed 80,000,000,000 feet, and this estimate 
includes the small and inferior trees, which a few years ago would not 
have been considered worth counting. The annual production of this 
lumber is not far from 10,000,000,000 feet, and the demand is constantly 
and rapidly increasing.” 
- Mr. G. Hawkins observes —“ Mr. J. C. Wheeler has sent out 
a great novelty in his Giant Ten-week Stocks. We have garden 
parties here every week for three months, and the Stocks have been greatly 
admired by all. Some of the branches are as large as the central spike 
of ordinary Ten-week Stocks.” 
- The Hampstead, Child’s Hill, and West End Chrysan¬ 
themum Society will hold their third annual Exhibition on November 
20th and 21st of the present year. The classes are numerous, three prizes 
being offered in the majority, ranging in value from 12.s. to 2s. 
- Mr. Joseph Mallender, The Gardens, Hodsock Priory, 
Notts, sends the following summary of the weather OF September :— 
“ The total rainfall was 5'09 inches, being more than has fallen here on 
any of the previous eight Septembers, and more than in any montb 
since October, 1880. Rain fell on twenty days ; 103 inch fell on the 
10th. The mean temperature of the month was 56 - 0°; warmest day, 
18th, 73 0°; coldest day, 30th, 50 1° ; maximum in the sun on the 16th, 
123 2° ; minimum on the grass on the 9th, 33 9° ; mean temperature of 
air at 9 A.M., 55 6°; mean temperature of soil at 1 foot deep, 57-4°^ 
sunshine during the month, 106 - 2 hours, or 28 per cent, of possible 
duration. There were five sunless days. The highest reading of the 
barometer on the 13th was 30 321°; lowest reading on the 2nd, 28'656 a , 
Wind mostly from northerly points; average velocity, 83 miles per 
hour.” 
- A new American monthly paper devoted to gardening is- 
entitled “ The Conservatory,” and which it is said will contain each 
month “ A review of the flower trade, trade news, and essays on floral 
subjects.” The third number for September contains eight pages, the 
principal article being one on window gardening and sketch of the. 
flora of Jamaica. It is published in New York. 
- Another addition to horticultural literature has been started 
in the Channel Islands, and bears the title of the “ Jersey Gardener.’” 
The second number is just issued, and though of a very unpretentious 
character, is somewhat an improvement upon the first; it seems, how¬ 
ever, a little behind the times, and is suggestive of some of the earliest 
attempts at horticultural journalism in England. We hope it will go on 
improving and do good in its district. 
- A plant that well repays the cultivator for any extra attention 
which he may bestow upon it is Codonopsis rotundifolia, Benth. It 
belongs to a section of Campanulaceae, from the majority of which, 
however, it differs in habit, and is more nearly related to the beautiful 
and much-admired Cyananthus lobatus. It is of a climbing, or, more 
