November 10, 1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
425 
^eing liberally supplied with water to assist them in overcoming 
the effects of removal. They are now flowering as freely as could 
be desired, and arc likely to continue so for several weeks. 
- “ G. G.” desires to thank Mr. Pettigrew for his Advice 
to Young Gardeners that he gave a few weeks ago, and says 
that it is because some young men have faults and drawbacks 
that the experience and counsel of others prove so advantageous. 
- “J. H.” writes as follows relating to Peas for Early 
Cropping —“On the 29th November last I obtained four quarts 
of William I., also some Early Prolific, and sowed them on an 
early border near Peterborough. William I. came up strong and 
endured the winter best; and although I was able to gather Teas 
from plants of both varieties on May 29th, William I. produced 
fully double the quantity of fine green colour Peas, and of excel¬ 
lent flavour. This Pea is undoubtedly a very great acquisition 
for early crops.” 
- The Crystal Palace School of Gardening.—M r. 
F. A. Fawkes, author of “ Horticultural Buildings,” has been 
appointed to give a course of three lectures to the students and 
the public at the Crystal Talace at 5 P.M., on November 16th, 
23rd, and 301b, upon the construction, fitting, and heating of 
greenhouses, conservatories, and other horticultural structures. 
The lectures will be illustrated by numerous specially prepared 
diagrams. 
- — - At the ordinary meeting of the Meteorological 
Society, to be held at 25, Great George Street, Westminster, on 
Wednesday, the lGth inst., at 7 P.M., the following papers will be 
read:—“On the Gale which Passed across the British Isles, 
October 13th-14th, 1881,” by G. J. Symons, F.R.S., President. 
“ On the Structural Damage Caused by the Gale as Indicative 
of Wind Force,” by J. Wallace Peggs, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E., F.M.S. 
“ On the Meteorology of Mozufferpore, Tirhoot, 1880,” by C. N. 
Pearson, F.M.S. 
- Mr. F. Walker has sent us samples of Grapes grown 
without fire HEAT. The Bowood Muscat is of good flavour 
and wed finished. Lady Downe’s is well coloured but not quite 
ripe, and Mrs. Pince is above the average as to colour and is of 
very good quality ; they are very creditable yet not large ex¬ 
amples. It must be added that they were grown in the Isle of 
Wight. 
- “ W. J. M., Clonmel ,” sends the following remarks upon 
Scotch Champion Potato— “ Since sending you some obser¬ 
vations on this subject, I have read the very instructive notes 
of Mr. Laxton on the Potato trials at his Experimental Gardens 
at Girtt'ord, page 391, and so far as my experience, and that of 
all the gardeners I have spoken to goes, the Champion can in 
no sense be described as “ waxy,” quite the reverse, a term used 
by Mr. Laxton when comparing it with Buttons’ Beading Piero. 
In this country the Champion is so dry and floury with ordinary 
treatment as to be almost impossible to cook without bursting. 
I heard one gardener describe it as “ gritty ”—in the same sense 
as Pears are so described—certain they are anything but waxy.” 
- As regards the neighbourhood of London, it appears pro¬ 
bable that the Chrysanthemum Shows will not be quite up to 
the average, for many of the chief growers are complaining that 
the condition of their plants is unsatisfactory in an exhibition 
point of view. Indeed one of the most successful exhibitors of 
the last few years states that he is quite unable to compete this 
season. Fortunately, however, there is good promise in several 
of the leading collections, and visitors to the principal shows will 
undoubtedly find something noteworthy. Amongst the finest 
plants and blooms we have seen this year are those grown by Mr. 
G. Harding, gardener to T. Galpin, Esq., Bristol House, Putney 
Heath ; and although Mr. Harding considers they are much below 
his usual quality, he will prove a formidable competitor wherever 
he exhibits. Mr. J. Stevens, St. John’s Nursery, Putney, has also 
a large and handsome collection, some of the plants and blooms 
being likely to obtain prominent positions at the metropolitan 
shows. Iu both establishments the blooms are of good substance, 
the colours bright and clear, and the plants vigorous. 
- Referring to the case of Grape-stealing, recently 
noticed in these pages, a correspondent remarks :—“Although the 
prisoners Hale and the Preests could not be convicted of stealing 
because they did not take the Grapes from a stall but cut them 
off the Yines, it does not necessarily follow that it is an unpunish¬ 
able offence to take Grapes the property of other people off their 
Yines. Taking the scissors was no doubt larceny, and for cutting 
the Grapes the prisoners ought to have been charged under the 
Malicious Injuries to Property Act, upon which a conviction might 
easily have been had. Morally thievish though it may be, it is 
not larceny at common law to take Grapes from the Yines, but 
a punishable offence nevertheless.” 
- Mr. H. Martin, Paris, writes as follows in reply to Mr. 
J. Jackson, in our issue of October 6th, relative"to the French 
“ Betterave crapaudine ”—“ Your correspondent’s experience 
of this Beet does not prove at all against the plant, but against 
the seedsmen who sent him the strain. The true type of the 
crapaudine is 4 inches broad at the superior part, and becomes 
very regularly thinner until it reaches the length of 11 inches, 
which is the average. The top is rather flat, and does not stand 
more than 1 inch out of the ground. The leaves are not abundant, 
laying on the ground, of a dark green colour washed with 
crimson ; the leafstalks violet red. The skin is rough, barked, and 
the pulp is very dark and succulent. In all a very distinct and 
good vegetable, much valued on the Continent. If Mr. J. Jackson 
would try a second experiment I should be very glad to send him 
some seeds, hoping that next time his labour will not be lost in 
obtaining nearly a Mangold Wurtzel instead of a Beet.” 
- "VVe announce with regret the Death of Mr. A. Ingram 
of Alnwick Castle Gardens. Mr. Alexander Ingram, says 
the “Newcastle Journal,” who for the last fourteen years has 
been head gardener to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland 
at Alnwick, died on Saturday last after a short illness. Mr. 
Ingram was a native of Aberdeenshire, but after serving his 
apprenticeship in the gardens of the Earl of Aberdeen at Haddo 
he went as foreman to Newby Hall in Yorkshire, afterwards 
removing into the south of England, from which he came to 
Alnwick Castle Gardens in 1867. Mr. Ingram was well known, 
not only as a judge, but as a successful exhibitor at some of the 
principal fruit shows in the United Kingdom ; and his services 
were always in request to act as judge at the various local shows, 
in none of which, except at Newcastle, did he ever enter the lists 
as a competitor. He was thoroughly devoted to his profession, 
every branch of which he was master, and he had the gift of 
being able to impart his own information to others. His advice 
was eagerly sought after by all the amateur Grape-growers in the 
neighbourhood as to the best means of constructing vineries, 
planting the Yine, &c. He ■will long be remembered by those 
who have visited the gardens at Alnwick Castle, which, under 
his superintendence, have been greatly extended and artistically 
laid out. 
- A correspondent sends the following note upon Orchids 
IN FLOWER AT THE TRINITY COLLEGE BOTANIC GARDEN, 
Dublin —“ Yanda caerulea has been in bloom five weeks and is 
still fresh. Odontoglossum grande is bright and clean, with a 
spike of large flowers half a yard long. Pilumna nobilis bears 
twenty or thirty flowers : and the bright golden Oncidium Rogersii 
sets off the rosy lilac blooms of the pretty li le Indian Crocus 
