JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
518 
[ December 8, 1881. 
Begonia insignis we have seen. Some three dozen plants are 
arranged to form a bank, which is literally a mass of flowers, the 
light rosy tint being pleasantly contrasted with brilliant Poin- 
settias, the bright yellow Linum trigynum, red and white Primulas. 
The Begonias are in remarkably fine condition, vigorous, yet com¬ 
pact and bushy specimens, each 2 feet or more in diameter, and 
bearing hundreds of panicles of flowers. The plants are all in 
24-size pots, and have been grown from cuttings struck early in 
the year. 
- An Irish correspondent takes strong exception to the 
remarks on page 4G8, both as applying to the Champion Potato 
and those who esteem it in Ireland. There could be no greater 
mistake, our correspondent asserts, than to imagine this Potato 
has “a stone in the heart of it,” and only those can give it this 
character who do not know how to cook it. The references to the 
typical Irishman are described as at least indiscreet at the present 
time, even “ if only written with the intention of raising a laugh.” 
We can assure our correspondent that the writer to whom he 
alludes would be the last to intentionally cause pain to the most 
susceptible inhabitant of the sister island, which no one desires 
more earnestly to see peaceful and prosperous. 
- In the last issue of Mr. Richard Proctor’s new and instruc¬ 
tive periodical, “ Knowledge,” a writer gives some interesting 
particulars concerning the past “ Mild November.” “ It appears 
that in London the average temperature of the first twenty-five 
days of the past month has been as much as 7° above the mean 
of twenty years’ observation ; and if it is fair to compare the 
London temperatures with those of Greenwich the past November 
has been decidedly the warmest experienced puring the present 
century. Relatively warm Novembers were observed in the fol¬ 
lowing years—1S0G, 1817, 1818, 1821, 1822,1824, 1845, 1S4G, 1847, 
1850, 1852, 1857, 18G3, 1865, 186G, and 1877. The warmest of 
these was 1852, when the mean temperature in London was 48-9°, 
or rather more than a degree lower than that of the month that 
has just passed away. The maximum readings observed in the 
month under review have been exceptionally high ; and those of 
the 5th and 10th, when the thermometer in the shade rose to 64°, 
have only been exceeded once during the present century. This 
was on November 8th, 1847, the reading beiDg then as high 
as G7°.” 
- The annual dinner in connection with the Astwood 
Amateur Gardeners’ Society, established some five or six 
years ago in the interests of horticulture, took place last week. 
After the dinner Mr. James Hiam read two papers, one on planting 
fruit trees and the other on planting Potatoes. The subjects were 
well treated and listened to with great attention. Several new 
members were admitted to the Society, which meets every Tues¬ 
day evening to discuss matters relating to horticulture. A library 
is attached, the books of which are mostly upon gardening 
subjects. 
- The Liverpool Mercury , referring to foreign vineyards, 
says—“ In presence of the disease which has spread over almost 
all the vineyards of France, public attention has been latterly 
directed to the hitherto neglected wine-growing districts of Italy 
and Greece, which have hitherto been notoriously neglected. 
Many scientific men believe that the Grape fields of France and 
Spain have been for the time exhausted, and ought to be allowed 
to lie in fallow for some years. In the meantime we might be 
allowed to test the capabilities of the land of Greece and Italy 
for producing the Vine, for which we have hitherto looked to a 
somewhat limited district. Neither of these countries has had a 
fair chance in modern times in competition with France and 
Spain, although ancient poets sang the virtues of their wines 
before it was proposed to transplant the Vine to more western 
climes.” 
- An address originally delivered before the Chichester 
Working Men’s Institute, by Lord Henry Gordon Lennox, M.P., 
entitled “A Winter in Madeira,” has been issued in pamphlet 
form, containing thirty-seven pages of interesting and instiuctive 
particulars concerning that island. The principal physical 
features, climate, productions, and other matters are discussed 
briefly but lucidly, and several facts of great interest are men¬ 
tioned. Alluding to the cultivation of the land the author writes 
—“The fertility of the soil is truly astonishing, but unluckily 
much of the island is too arid and rocky for cultivation at all. 
Vegetables are produced in the greatest abundance, and it was 
pleasant enough to have Green Peas and French Beans all the 
winter ; but as a rule all vegetables grown in Madeira are inferior 
in quality to those grown in England.” 
- In another portion of the same work the fruit in 
Madeira is thus described—“ Fruit of almost every kind is to 
be found in Madeira, but those which flourish most are from the 
tropical climes. Bananas grow in greatest profusion, and are of 
the highest quality. So general is the consumption of this fruit 
that it might almost be reckoned as among the food of the people. 
Custard Apples (Anona), Mango, Guava, the Loquat, a most 
beautiful tree bearing deliciously scented white flowers and ex¬ 
cellent fruit when ripe ; it is in colour yellow, and the shape is 
of small Plums. Pine Apples are very fine, and are beginning to 
be largely exported to London, but in Madeira they only ripen 
under glass, although not requiring any heat beyond the rays of 
the sun. Oranges, Peaches, Apricots, and Strawberries arc also 
to be found, but the former, owing to deficient cultivation, are 
very inferior to those coming from Malta, Spain, or Portugal. 
Peaches and Apricots grow to no size, and have little or no 
flavour, and Strawberries are only obtained by the expedient of 
giving the growth of the plants a check or artificial winter by 
stripping off the leaves and tendrils, and even then they only do 
well in the colder atmosphere of Comacho and the hills. Besides 
these there are the Indian Cherry (Eugenia braziliana), the 
Pomegranate, the Cape Gooseberry well adapted for preserving, 
and also the Bilberry and Alpine Strawberry, which flourish in a 
wild state.” It is rather strange, however, that the author should 
refer to Bougainvillea spectabilis as having never flowered in 
England. 
- The culture of the Coffee plant is likely to form a 
substantial industry in Queensland. We learn from the Queens¬ 
lander that Mr. Pink of the Botanic Gardens has lately had 
applicants from the Rosewood Scrub for Coffee plants to an 
extent far beyond his ability to supply, the stock of young Colfee 
trees when he took charge of the gardens having been reduced to 
a minimum. Upon questioning his applicants he is told that 
there is one German selector in that district who some few years 
ago planted many Coffee trees. These have thriven well, and are 
now in full bearing, and the enterprising owner gathers his crop 
and obtains 8 d. per lb. for it in Brisbane. So remunerative does this 
selector find the occupation, that he has expressed his intention of 
troubling no more with Maize-growing and Pumpkins, but has 
decided upon planting all his land with Coffee. His neighbours, 
seeing how successful he is, wish to follow his example, and in 
order to secure plants have applied to the Gardens. 
- The following gardening appointments have been 
made through Messrs. John Laing & Co., Forest Hill, S.E.—Mr. 
W. Taylor, late gardener to Prince Christian, Cumberland Lodge, 
succeeds Mr. F. Allen as gardener to Rev. Geo. Faithful, Storring- 
ton Rectory, Pulborough, Sussex. Mr. Charles Rann, late gardener 
to W. Morris, Esq., Kent Waterworks, has been appointed gar¬ 
dener to J. P. Murphy, Esq., Q.C , Lowood, Upper Norwood. Mr. 
Albert Early, late gardener to Mrs. Black, Blackheath Park, suc¬ 
ceeds Mr. Barnes as gardener to Geo. Kawlinson, Esq., AVoburn, 
