October 5 , 1882 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 319 
look forward to have beautiful flowers from them till frost comes. 
In fact, if anyone asked me to recommend one flower for his 
garden I would say, Grow the Pink Modesty. 
But be advised to get them now, or as soon as possible. Those 
obtained in spring have with me made comparatively little growth, 
and have been some time out of flower, while near are strong bushy 
plants, miserable enough looking as to bloom this morning after 
the storm of yesterday, but which by the end of the week will, I ex¬ 
pect, like the aesthetics, be “ existing beautifully.” These, with all 
my other sorts, are from the collection of Messrs. William Paul 
and Son, Paisley, and I can specially recommend the first six :— 
Modesty, John Facer, Lady Isabel, Vanessa, William Murray, 
William Paul, Clothilde, Corinne, Louisa, Oimara, Premier, and 
Teaser.— A Northern Amateur. 
NI 
mm 
Mr. Shirley Hibberd will give a lecture on plant labels 
at the next meeting of the Boyal Horticultural Society, 
October 10th. His object will be to point to a few practical 
conclusions resulting from the recent competition for the Society 
of Arts’ medal and Mr. G. F. Wilson’s money prize. 
- George F. Wilson, Esq., Heatherbank, Weybridge Heath, 
writes “ In ‘ N.’s’ interesting note on Erythroniums (p. 293), 
under the head E. grandiflorum, he speaks of varieties which may 
be specific forms. We have bloomed E. giganteum alongside of 
E. grandiflorum. It is certainly constantly more distinct.” 
- Messrs. J. Carter & Co. send us flowers of Pyre- 
thrum uliginosum, which they correctly describe as “ one of 
the finest of autumn white-flowering plants either in pots for 
conservatory decoration or for affording cut blooms out of doors.” 
In borders the plant is very handsome, attaining a height of 5 or 
6 feet, and bearing great numbers of flower-heads with long white 
outer florets. The suggestion as to its usefulness for the conserva¬ 
tory is worth attention. 
- From Messrs. Rawlings Brothers of Romford we have 
received blooms of their New Dahlias Harrison Weir and 
John Henshaw, both show varieties of much merit, the last- 
named having been certificated at South Kensington at the 
September meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society. Harrison 
Weir is a fine bloom, very symmetrical and of good substance, 
bright clear yellow in colour, the lower florets being tinged, spotted, 
or streaked slightly with crimson. John Henshaw is even more 
symmetrical and compact than the other, slightly smaller, and 
of a rich crimson-purple hue—a very distinct and beautiful shade. 
- In reference to the late storm in Ireland, “ W. J. M., 
Clonmel .” writes :—“ One of the most destructive storms—a hur¬ 
ricane—I can remember passed over this locality on Sunday last. 
The damage must have been enormous. Houses were unroofed, 
chimney stacks thrown down, and slates sent flying in town, 
while in the country I saw enormous trees, especially Elm, 
Ash, and Beech uprooted, and the roads stopped for traffic. We 
had an immense Elm turned right around and lifted out of the 
ground without bringing a root with it. As to the vegetable 
garden, I saw Cabbages and Cauliflowers twisted out of the 
ground and carried considerable distances. Lastly, as to the 
flower ground, Dahlias, Hollyhocks, Gladioli, Scabious, Helian- 
themums, and Roses are spoiled for this season.” At the time 
the storm was raging in Ireland in London the weather was calm 
and bright—one of the most pleasant days of the year. 
- An American paper states that the Peach crop in Texas 
has been unusually large this year, the largest and best fruits 
being sold at 15 cents, per bushel—that is 7 \d. English money. 
It is stated that on one day fifty cartloads of Peaches were 
disposed of in Boston. 
- The series of articles by Mr. Taylor on the Vines at 
Longleat that have appeared in our columns are now published 
in the form of a small volume, which we know by the many in¬ 
quiries we have received will meet with wide acceptance, and 
especially as the price, 1 s., is the reverse of prohibitive. We 
do not suppose that everything stated by Mr. Taylor will meet 
with unanimous approval ; indeed we know that his work is 
variously estimated. One correspondent, A, describes it as “need¬ 
lessly prolix another, B, as “ much too condensed C says 
it is “ most valuable and originalD suggests the author is a 
“ copyist,” and the matter “ very commonplace ; ” while E, and 
a very good judge he is, observes that “ Mr. Taylor seems to have 
made several mistakes in his practice, but has come right at last.” 
It is in the latter respect—the free recording of mistakes and how 
the author came “ right at last ”—that renders the work different 
from most others, and on that account certainly valuable. We 
could adduce a column of estimates of the same contradictory 
nature as those of which we have given examples ; but even those 
who oppose the author’s views appear amongst the most anxious 
to possess the book, which implies there is something in it. 
Without endorsing all the details of the author’s system of Vine 
culture, we do not hesitate saying that every chapter in the book 
is worthy of perusal even by the experienced, while young gar¬ 
deners and amateurs may with great advantage read and read 
again the notes on “ Giving Air,” and if they become as competent 
in this important work as the author is they will in time be ready 
to admit that this chapter alone is worth much more than the 
amount they have invested in the book. A gardener who 
has just returned from Longleat says, “ The Vines are in splendid 
condition, and bear satisfactory testimony to the excellence of 
Mr. Taylor’s practice.” It is that practice that is detailed in 
the neat little volume that is now submitted to the world, and 
which merits a place by the side of other excellent works on 
Vine culture that are found in most gardeners’ libraries. 
- A correspondent writes : — “ The Weather near 
Liverpool has lately been very fine in the daytime, but usually 
very wet at night. On Monday the wind was extremely bois¬ 
terous, and the Chrysanthemums were spinning about the walks 
like ninepins; they will be placed under glass at once. The 
plants are fine, but it remains to be seen what effect an unusually 
wet and cold season will have on the character of the blooms.” 
- A WRITER in the “ Journal of Forestry,” describing a 
Forest Ramble in Fiji, thus refers to the principal features of 
the vegetation :— 
“ Port Ngaloa is a lovely bay, capacious enough to afford anchorage 
to a fleet, and perfectly land-locked on three sides, whilst on the 
fourth the environing coral reef acts as a breakwater to the long 
rollers of the Pacific, whose ceaseless thunder affords a vivid contrast 
to the perfect calm of the lagoon. This lake-like expanse of light 
green water is fringed with Cocoa-nut Palms, which throughout Fiji 
grow luxuriantly wherever the trade wind can reach them, and in 
the form of copra supply one of the principal articles of export. 
These Palms actually overhang the broad expanse of sand which 
fringes the islands, and in many places one sees their graceful fronds 
dipping into the still waters of the lagoon, whilst the shore is every¬ 
where littered with fallen fruit. In some parts of Viti Levu this 
Palm does not thrive, owing to the ravages of a small caterpillar 
which feeds on the leaves, and thus materially weakens the bearing 
capabilities of the tree. This disease is now being inquired into, the 
w'ants of the native population, as well as the pockets of the exporter, 
demanding that there be no falling-off in the supply of nuts if by 
any possible means such a calamity can be averted. The verge of 
the forest is, as a rule, guarded by Palms, their smooth trunks 
entwined with the tendrils of Convolvuli, w'hose superb crimson 
blossoms, often from 3 to 4 inches, in diameter, show up vividly 
against the cool green shade of the undergrowth. Here and there, 
however, one comes across the Breadfruit Tree (Artocarpus incisa or 
integrifolia), a native of the South Sea Islands, and a thoroughly 
