JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 14, 1881. ] 
radiations from the pavements and walls in London streets has 
caused the mercury to reach a still higher grade. This is nothing 
abnormal, and an Australian, Canadian, or Anglo-Indian would con¬ 
sider it by no means unpleasantly warm. A temperature of 86° is that 
of an ordinary summer’s day up-country in the Australian colonies, 
and outdoor work is in no way interfered with ; the air, though 
hot, being bracing and uncontaminated by smoke, except perhaps 
from casual bush fires. But when the three-figure stage is reached 
there is little to be done but wait for a change. In Australia the 
extreme of heat is generally reached after Christmas ; at Narrabri, 
in New South Wales, last March the mercury rose to above 103° 
in the shade for eight days in succession, and last summer at 
Bourke the thermometer registered from 105° to 114° for an 
entire week. We believe that the highest shade temperature re¬ 
corded is that of 126° in Queensland some years ago, and meteor¬ 
ologists report that the country some three hundred miles north 
of Adelaide may be considered the hottest part of the world. 
But, except on the coast, the great heat of Australia and Canada 
is not depressing in its effect; and the rosy cheeks of the children 
in the interior tell plainly enough that it is not unhealthy. At 
Sydney it is very rare for the mercury to reach 100° ; at Melbourne 
it occasionally exceeds that figure, but only for a day or two at a 
time. There is no disputing the fact that a temperature of 90° 
at Bombay, Madras, or Calcutta, or on the Gold Coast, or in 
Mauritius, is more enervating than that of 100° at a bush station 
in Australia or the Dominion. So long as the air is perfectly 
pure and dry great heat is not unhealthy, except in the cases of 
invalids and very young children ; and we doubt whether any 
English settler in ordinary health, and using precautions dictated 
by common sense, has ever been prejudicially affected by an 
Australian summer sun. [92.7° was registered on the 5th inst. by 
Mr. G. J. Symons.] 
- We have received the fourth part of the work entitled 
“ N ew Commercial Plants and Dregs,” by Mr. Thos. Christy, 
which, like the preceding numbers, contains a large amount of 
useful and interesting particulars concerning many exotic plants 
of economic value. Their chief medicinal properties, or their uses 
as affording various products such as fibre and rubber, are fully 
described, and in several instances illustrations are given showing 
the chief botanical characters of the plants. The following ex¬ 
tract upon the Ceara Bubber (Manihot Glaziovii) will convey an 
idea of the general character’of the work :—“The Para (Hevea 
brasiliensis) and Central American (Castilloa elastica) Rubbers may 
be considered a failure as regards their becoming objects for cul¬ 
tivation in plantations in India, &c., however suitable they may 
be for planting in forests, where a quick return of profit is not ex¬ 
pected. The limited range of country in which suitable climate 
and surrounding circumstances can be found in India, the diffi¬ 
culty of propagation, and the length of time which must elapse 
before a profitable and regular yield of rubber can be obtained, is 
entirely against their adoption as a source of income. On tne 
other hand the Ceara Rubber is remarkable for its hardiness, and 
for its ability to grow in rough stony ground and in a wider range 
of climate and elevation. The ease with which it is propagated, 
and the speedy yield of rubber of good quality, render it a species 
peculiarly suitable for cultivation in India and Australia as a 
valuable source of rubber.” 
- One of the Judges who officiated at the Bracebridge 
Show, near Lincoln, last week, writes in terms of high approval 
of the groups of plants that were arranged for effect in one of 
the tents there. Without these groups the Show would have been 
a comparative failure, with them it was a great success. They 
were arranged on a strong stage raised a foot from the ground. 
The first-prize group of Mr. Wipf, gardener to W. Clayton, Esq., 
the High Sheriff of the county, was remarkable in having an 
35 
arch across the back covered with Cissus discolor, and from the 
centre there was suspended a fine Nepenthes. Mr. Ruston’s 
group was a very close second, the back plants of Ficus Parcelli 
associated with Trachelium cseruleum having a beautiful effect. 
The other groups of Major Ellison, Mr. Greenham, and Mr 
Shuttleworth, for which prizes were awarded, were all meritorious 
but as a rule this arrangement was too smooth. Fruit was good 
generally ; some Grapes sent by C. Minton Campbell, Esq., from 
Staffordshire, being of great excellence, and Canon Hole’s first-prize 
Roses were extremely fine and well arranged. Mr. Ellison’s fine 
fruit garden was a source of great attraction to the visitors, 
and its condition reflects great credit on both the owner and 
gardener. 
- A correspondent of the “ Prairie Farmer” referring to 
the Fruit and Flowers of the Rocky Mountains says— 
“ The Commissioner of Agriculture at Washington could do the 
horticultural industry of our country valuable service by a careful 
investigation of this region of country, gathering and sending 
out to intelligent cultivators many promising varieties of our 
wild fruits and flowers. In Currants we find a large variety of 
the Black, Red, and Yellow. The flora of these grand old moun¬ 
tains for variety and beauty cannot be surpassed by any country. 
Our Conifers on account of their beauty and hardiness are attract¬ 
ing the attention of western nurserymen. The beautiful dwarf 
Oak and the dark green Alder intermingle with Roses, Spiraeas, 
Columbine, Lilies, and thousands of other flowers, while the Moun¬ 
tain Ivy and fragrant Clematis covering trees and rocks all 
combining to teach us that the Creator did not form these moun¬ 
tains and canyons as a hiding place alone for gold and silver, but 
has placed His richest treasures on the surface free and visible to 
all; and yet man in his greed for precious metals passes them 
all by unnoticed and unappropriated.” 
THE PAULOWNIA IMPERIALIS. 
When in Florence the middle of last April I was much struck 
with the flowers these trees were covered with, resembling a blue 
Foxglove, if there be such a flower. The scent also was delicious. 
I have tried without success to obtain a plant suitable for a pot. 
It would enliven a conservatory, and fill the house with its per¬ 
fume. Can anyone inform me where it can be obtained ? I also 
saw at Monaco, and in Dr. Bennet’s garden at Mentone, a very 
beautiful Bougainvillea growing most luxuriantly, the bracts or 
floral leaves being of a deep purple and crimson colour. I should 
like to know the name of this sort. Dr. Bennet told me it came 
from the Brazils. A son of mine living in Assam informed me 
that this plant climbed up the trees and hung down in large 
festoons, and that it always killed the tree to which it attached 
itself. I had several cuttings sent home from Mentone. I believe 
they have all struck root.— Philodendron. 
[We have seen Bougainvillea glabra richer in colour in Italy 
than we have ever seen it in England. When your plants flower 
please send us a spray.] 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
July 12th. 
Few exhibits were contributed at this meeting, but those few were 
of excellent quality, as was indicated by the awards of the two Com¬ 
mittees to whom they were submitted. 
Fruit Committee. —Henry Webb, Esq., in the chair. Mr. Wilkin¬ 
son, gardener to Miscount Gage, Firle Place, Lewes, sent dishes of 
Pitmaston Orange and Victoria Nectarines well ripened with a good 
Queen Pine Apple, for all of which cultural commendations -were 
awarded. Mr. Wm. Taylor, The Gardens, Longleat, Warminster, sent 
two Melons ; one very large, a selection from Eastnor Castle, and the 
other a superb example of the old Cashmere, the flavour being grandly 
developed. A cultural commendation was awarded for this Melon, 
which was unanimously decided to be one of the best flavoured ever 
brought before the Committee ; indeed it quite spoilt the others exhi¬ 
bited” at the same time. Mr. Carmichael, The Gardens, Nowton 
Court, Bury St. Edmunds, sent a seedling Melon, a cross between 
A. F. Barron and Dickson’s Exquisite ; it was a green-fleshed variety 
of good size and fair flavour, and the Committee expressed a desire to 
see it again. Mr. C. Ross, gardener to C. Ross, Esq., Welford Park, 
