October 9, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
313 
‘ ~ The total rainfall at Cuckfield, Sussex, for September 
was 0 82 inch, being 2-31 inches under the average. Total for the nine 
months, 20-<9 inches, or 0 - 52 inch above the average. The heaviest 
all was 0 31 inch on the 17th ; rain fell on seven days. The highest 
temperature was 72° on the 10th, lowest 30° on the 1st. Mean shade 
temperature, GG° ; mean night, 49°. Partial shade readings, 3 4° above 
the average.—E. I. 
At a recent meeting of the British Fruit Growers’ 
ssociation at the Hotel Windsor,iMr. T. Francis Rivers in the chair, 
twelve members were elected, and it was stated as an indication of the 
interest taken in the work being performed by the Association that 
within the past five months the number of members had been increased 
by seventy additions. It was resolved to contribute a collection of 
fruits from the members of the Association at the Guildhall Show, also 
i possible at the Crystal Palace and the Royal Aquarium. At the 
atter place it was arranged that Mr. G. Hammond of Brentwood should 
read a paper on “ Apple Culture ” on October 15th at 5.30 p.m. 
I am sending you a few varieties of Tuberous Begonias 
gathered from beds outside. The tubers were planted on May 27th, 
and from that day up to this, October 3rd, they have been our most 
attractive beds in the flower garden, and have been much admired. I 
ope to plant largely another season. We suffered severely from winds 
and rain early in the season, which caused havoc and rank growth 
among Pelargoniums and Calceolarias. The Begonias have been fresh 
and bright throughout; I can strongly recommend them to amateurs 
for bedding out purposes.— Alfred Skinner, Christchurch, [The 
flowers sent were as bright and fresh as possible, all of good 
varieties.] 
The Weather Last Month. —September was the driest 
month of the year so far, and with the most sunshine. We had four 
c ear days^ and six others partly so ; splendid weather for the harvest, 
a so checking the Potato disease very much (we have the finest crop 
ere that I have seen for several years, and only a very few diseased), 
md was in a westerly direction twenty-two days. Barometer, highest 
30-48 at 9 P.M. on the 25th ; lowest, 29-GG at 9 A.M. on the 22nd. Total 
rainfall, 0'68 inch, which fell on ten days, the greatest daily fall being 
o inch on the 21st. Highest shade temperature was 79° on the 8th 
and 9th; lowest, 31° on the 1st; lowest on grass, 29° on 1st ; mean 
temperature of the month, 59-20°. The garden spring ran 13 gallons 
per minute on the 30th.-W. II. Divers, Ketton Hall, Stamford. 
- Layering Carnations. —Mr. F. Hardy, in his excellent paper 
on the Carnation, says, page 226 “ After the soil is placed round, the 
layers should have a slight watering, and the business is completed until 
they are rooted.” In showery weather, doubtless, this one watering 
would be sufficient; but if it should not set in dry (as was the case here 
this season) I think it is important that the Carnation layers be well 
attended to in the matter of watering. A mound of light sandy soil 
soon becomes dry, and the layers do not root so freely as if this is kept 
moderately moist. Indeed I have reason to believe that I once saw a 
large number of Carnation layers totally ruined through neglect in this 
respect, and this is why I am writing this note, and not for the mere 
sake of picking a hole in Mr. Hardy’s paper.—T. S., Henbury Hill, 
-- The Weather during September, 1890.—The weather 
during the past month here has been delightful, and it has been the 
driest September in the past three years. The bright sunshine, of which 
we have had an abundance, has done much in well ripening the wood 
of our fruit trees, thus giving us the possibility of a crop of fruit next 
season. The temperature has for the most part remained very steady 
the highest point reached by the thermometer being 74° on the 5th ; the* 
lowest 33° on the 1st. Rain fell upon six c’ays, against ten of 1889. 
Maximum in any twenty-four hours 010 inch cn the 19th ; minimum 
0 02 inch on the 3rd; total during the month being 0 39 inch against 
2-11 inches of 1889.—E. Wallis, The Gardens, Hamels Parlt, Bunting- 
ford, Herts. 
-- The Kelso Chronicle says :—“ Mr. Archibald M'Kellar, of the 
gardens at Floors Castle, has been appointed head gardener to their 
Royal Highnesses the Piince and Princess of Wales at Sandringham, 
and from what we know of Mr. M'Kellar there is every reason 
to believe that he will worthily fill this high and important position. 
Although yet in his piime, he has been in some of the most notable 
Scottish and English gardens, gaining in his day a large experience, and 
during his nine years of duty at Floors Castle it is admitted by all those 
who ought to know that the well-known and famous gardens there have 
never been in better order. The loss of Mr. M'Kellar will be felt by 
their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, but while this is the 
case they will no doubt be gratified at this his latest advancement.” 
- Early Scotch Garden Literature.—O n page 290, your 
able contributor, “ J. R. S. C.,” in one of his interesting and valuable 
articles on Early English Horticulture, notices Justice’s “ British 
Gardeners’ Director,” and says it was apparently the first standard 
work of the kind published north of the Tweed. It may be of 
interest to know that an earlier work, which ran through at least 
two editions, was written by John Reid, Gard’ner. The second edition, 
which is in the possession of a friend, and which I have seen, is 
called “ The Scots’ Gard’ner,” and was published in Edinburgh in 
1721. It is, however, chiefly devoted to the laying out of land, and 
forms somewhat curious reading. It Justice published an edition of 
his work in 1754 under the title of “ The British Gardeners’ Director,” 
part of the issue, or a separate edition, was published as “ The Scots 
Gardiners’ Director.” I saw a copy of this a few days ago, and I 
have a copy of the second edition of The Scots Gardiners’ Director,” 
published in 1759, and containing the dedication of the first edition. 
This second edition is of more value to the student of early horticulture 
than the first, which contains little but cultural directions, while the 
second gives descriptions and names of many plants.—S. Arnott. 
- Alleged Frauds at a Nursery. — At Worcester last 
Wednesday, Edward Ray, a timekeeper in the employ of the well- 
known firm of Richard Smith & Co., nurserymen and seedsmen, Wor¬ 
cester, of which city Alderman Richard Smith Carington is Mayor, was 
charged on a warrant with obtaining £10 4s. Gd. by false pretences 
The Town Clerk (Mr. S. Southall) prosecuted, and explained that 
defendant, besides being a timekeeper, was overseer of piecework and 
had to call over a roll of workmen. At certain periods of the year 
several extra men were employed, and a separate time book was kept 
for these. The cash book was made up from the time book. Defendant 
had at various times called at the office and received money for two 
men, whese names were given as Hall and Barnes, representing that it 
would be a convenience to these men to have their money before the 
ordinary pay time. In this way he received the amount named in the 
charge. On September 20th defendant took the time book to the office, 
but before the time for the cash to be arrived the defendant was dis¬ 
charged, for reasons not connected with this case. When the cashier 
called over the names of Hall and Barnes, no one answering to those 
names appeared, and consequently the fraud was discovered, as it w r as 
found that the men in question had not been employed since March 
last. Evidence in support of the charge was given, and it was stated 
that defendant had offered to pay the money back and leave the city if 
he were not prosecuted. He was committed for trial at the quarter 
sessions. 
- Hints to Fruit Growers. —Orchard fruit generally has been 
a short crop this season, but the care given by growers to greasing and 
washinghas very sensibly diminished the plague of caterpillars and aphides. 
The trees look far more healthy than for many years, wdiile the heavy rains 
of the past summer have kept them growing freely, and much wood has 
been built up, and ripened by the glorious sunshine of the past three 
weeks. Therefore, subject to the usual “ if’s” incidental to fruit cul¬ 
ture, and without prophesying, we may infer that 1891 will be a fruitful 
year; foliage is good, buds are plump, wood is ripened, and the roots 
are in good order—four necessary conditions. In case of a heavy crop 
only the finest samples can sell freely at a good price, and I venture to 
suggest to growers that they should at once have their old orchards 
examined ; all crossing boughs should be removed and the heads of the 
trees be opened so that a man can readily get his head and shoulders 
between the branches; all dead wood should be cut out, as it can be 
detected easily now that the leaves are on it. Boughs over 1 inch across 
should be smoothed over with a sharp knife, and these cuts will partially 
heal before Christmas. Should old trees be overfull of fruiting spurs 
they can be thinned from the under boughs, and all prunings should 
be gathered in a heap and burnt at once to kill eggs of moths, w-hich 
generally choose loose bark and cankered spots to lay in. By these 
means trees will still further perfect their growth, and the crop will 
become larger in size and clearer in the skin than w r here these precautions 
is not taken, and growers will secure a better price, while the strain 
being less on the pruned tree than on one that is not pruned, and con¬ 
sequently full of useless woe d and foliage, the chance of a crop in 
1892 is enhanced.— George Bunyard, Ma'dstom." — (South-Eastern 
Gazette ). 
