452 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 31, 1883. 
adapted to the reduction of Meteorological, and other Similar 
Observations,” by G. M. Whipple, B.Sc., F.R.A.S. It has often been 
remarked that one of the main, if not the chief, of the difficulties 
the meteorologist has to contend with is the enormous amount of 
preliminary labour which has to be expended in the not very 
pleasing task of forming the observations he may wish to discuss 
into tables, casting the columns of figures so obtained, and then 
computing the means. With the view of arriving at results by a 
shorter cut, the author has been led to consider the possibility of 
employing a method, suggested by a consideration of the highly 
ingenious system of composite portraiture invented by Mr. Francis 
Galton, F.R.S., and utilised in his anthropological studies. 2, 
“ Note on Atmospheric Pressure during the Fall of Rain,” by H. 
Sowerby Wallis, F.M.S. The author discusses the condition of 
atmospheric pressure while rain was falling during 1882, and finds 
that out of a total of 136 rainy days which were available for 
his purpose, on 54 per cent, the rain was accompanied by di¬ 
minishing pressure, on 27 per cent, by increasing pressure, and on 
19 per cent, by steady pressure. 3, “New Method of Reading a 
Thermometer and Hygrometer at a Distance by means of Elec¬ 
tricity,” by Arthur W r . Waters, F.G.S. 4, “ An Integrating 
Anemometer,” by W. F. Stanley, F.M.S. 5, “ Observations on 
the Force of the Wind at Sea,” by D. W. Barker, F.M.S. 6, 
“ Meteorological Observations at Zanzibar, east coast of Africa, 
during 1880 and 1881,” by Surgeon-Major C. T. Peters, M.B. 7, 
Diurnal Rainfall at Bangkok, Siam,” by Captain G. H. Inskip, 
F.R.G.S. 
ALLIUM NEAPOLITANUM. 
During the present spring very large quantities of early 
flowers have been sent into the London markets, Primroses and 
Daffodils being particularly abundant, while the neat white 
flowers of the Neapolitan Allium have been almost equally 
common. Hawkers and flower-girls have had them in large 
numbers, thousands of bunches being soli at a penny each under 
the inviting name of “ Star of Bethlehem.” These, with the fine 
varieties of Anemones recently shown at Kensington, Roses, 
Mignonette, Violets, and many other flowers, are now extensively 
imported from France during the early spring months, and at 
the frequent auction sales in Covent Garden Market some 
thousands of boxes and baskets are disposed of. A large pro¬ 
portion of the contents of these soon make their appearance in 
the London streets upon the barrows and stalls of a small army 
of itinerant vendors. The Allium has been an especial favourite 
this year, and its culture must have been greatly extended, as 
the importation of flowers has been larger this season than we 
have previously observed. Nurserymen, too, who make a speciality 
of hardy plants have been besieged by inquiries concerning it; 
and that it will soon be far more widely grown in English gardens 
may be confidently expected, for, except where collections of 
such plants are particularly attended to, it is not by any means 
common at present. The demand thus suddenly created for 
it will, however, receive some check, for the stock in nursery¬ 
men’s hands is not large, and will probably soon become ex¬ 
hausted, though in another season it will be more extensive. 
Allium neapolitanum, of which a correct wood engraving is 
given on page 451, is a native of South Europe, and consequently 
rather more tender than some other members of the genus, 
though it can be safely and satisfactorily grown in a warm 
border of light well-drained soil ; and it is worth cultivation in 
pots in a cool house, as it could be most advantageously employed 
in a conservatory or greenhouse. The species has not any claims 
to novelty, as it was well figured in Sweet’s “ British Flower 
Garden ” (plate 201) in 1827, and it is there stated that a bulb 
had been sent some time previously to Mr. Colvill from Professor 
Tenore at the Naples Botanic Garden. The flowers are pure 
white, slightly fragrant, and borne in close umbels, which are 
occasionally more dense than shown in the figure, with shorter 
flower-stalks. 
Another very beautiful bulbous plant, of which flowers are 
occasionally seen in Covent Garden Market in spring, is Orni- 
thogalum arabicum, that is also a native of Southern Europe, 
particularly Spain. The flowers are distinguished by their great 
size, exceeding 2 inches in diameter, pure white, with broad 
elliptical petals, and a large, prominent, dark green, nearly black 
ovary in the centre, which affords a most striking contrast with 
the white ground colour. The flowers, too, are borne in dense 
heads, and are very beautiful either on the plant or cut. 
FORCING GRAPES versus GROWING GRAPES. 
The great majority of gardeners that have average experience 
are perfectly aware that it i 3 one thing to grow Grapes so as to 
have them fit for table in September onwards, and quite a 
different thing to force Grapes out of their natural season so as to 
have them ripe in, say, February or till July. This circumstance 
seems to be either unknown or ignored for some purpose by a 
writer who ought to know better than attempt ridiculing the 
instructions as to temperature given by men who have proved 
that the instructions they have given were necessary when Grapes 
had to be forced. 
Such attempts to establish a new departure in Grape culture 
by showing that good Grapes can be grown in England under 
glass with little or no fire heat, resembles nothing so much as the 
attempt made to teach the old lady her lesson about eggs ; for 
Grapes have been so produced in England since the beginning 
of the century. If he would teach his contemporaries how to 
produce Black Hamburgh Grapes in February and March, and 
Muscats in June, with the temperatures he recommends, then 
indeed he would confer a benefit ; as it is, unqualified recom¬ 
mendation of such low temperatures and pretended corresponding 
saving of fuel, has been the cause of much embarrassment to 
many gardeners, whose employers do not possess sufficient tech¬ 
nical knowledge to detect the fallacy of the teaching. They are 
but too ready to accept bold assertion for truth when it seems to 
point to any saving, and in the interests of both employers and 
employed I assert without fear of successful contradiction, that 
ripe Muscats cannot be produced in June and July, nor Black 
Hamburghs in February and March, or even in April and May, at 
temperatures from fire heat under 75° and 65° respectively ; and 
those who have been most successful as forcing gardeners know 
well this is correct. 
There have been other recommendations from the same source 
about the growth of Grapes that have been equally fallacious and 
embarrassing to gardeners, such as statements that common 
garden soil will grow Grapes as well as maiden loam. I am 
uncharitable enough to believe that no man knows better than he 
does that this is nonsense ; if he does not, he stands alone. His 
teaching by precept does not promise to be for the general good ; 
he should try what practice does. This mould be a “ new 
departure.”— Vitis. 
SUMMER AND AUTUMN TREATMENT OF 
RICHARDIA MCTHIOPICA. 
The Richardia asthiopica, when well grown, is a most useful 
winter and spring-flowering greenhouse plant, the large white 
trumpet-shaped spathes borne on stout stems well above broad 
rich green leaves being very effective either in a cut or growing 
state. For conservatory, house, or church decoration this plant 
has few equals, and its value is greatly enhanced by the fact of 
the spathes and leaves keeping fresh in water for a considerable 
time after being cut ; and yet, generally speaking, the Richardia 
asthiopica, although of easy culture, is not so extensively and 
well grown as it deserves to be. Therefore, this being the time to 
lay the foundation for securing a good floriferous display of it 
during the winter and spring months, a few remarks respecting 
its treatment may be acceptable, and prove useful to not a few 
readers of the Journal. 
The method practised here with the best results is very simple, 
and is as follows :—The plants, having been thoroughly watered 
the previous evening, are reduced to single shoots if the object in 
view is to increase the stock as much as possible, and planted 
diagonally in rows from 18 to 24 inches apart every way in a 
mixture of short manure and loam. The soil is pressed about the 
roots moderately firm, and as the process of planting is being 
finished a little of the soil is drawn back from the stem of 
each plant so as to form a sort of basin for the reception of water, 
of which, when the roots have taken to the soil and in the absence 
of rain, they require copious and frequent supplies. A stick is 
then placed to each plant and the leaves tied to it to prevent their 
being broken by the wind. These leaves will, however, gradually 
die, but not before the roots are pushing forth into the prepared soil 
and fresh crowns or leaves are being formed, and after the lapse 
of a few weeks the plants will have thoroughly established them¬ 
selves in their new quarters and continue growing vigorously 
all through the summer. 
