250 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ September 16, 1886. 
- A correspondent who has visited Swanmore Park writ >s 
how much pleared he was with the collection of Chrysanthemums grow¬ 
ing there in the manner which Mr. Molyneux has so clearly detailed in 
the Journal. Our correspondent was informed that the plants were not 
quite so tall this year as usual. Still, they are tall enough to indicate 
by their vigorous appearance that good blooms may be expected from 
them by-and-by. The buds were fast being “taken,” and several of 
the earliest were swelling to a good size, while some of the plants had 
not shown their flower buds. By “ taking ” the buds at different 
times a longer season of blooms can be depended upon. The stems cf 
the plants presented a deep brown colour, denoting a thorough ripening, 
which Mr. Molyneux considers most essential for the production of high- 
class blooms. 
-Our correspondent expresses himself as equally pleased with 
the way in which several of the Flower Beds are filled in the same 
garden. Two or three that attracted particular attention were planted 
in the following manner, and may be suggestive to others :—One bed, 
oblong in form, was planted with Lobelia cardinalis'in three rows 1 foot 
apart, the surface of the bed being carpeted with Antennaria tomen- 
tosa. An edging of the blue Lobelia of the Heckfield type completed the 
planting, and as the scarlet Lobelia had grown very strong, producing 
thick stems and spikes of blooms 2 feet, long, the effect of the dark- 
coloured foliage and brilliant flowers with the silvery carpet of Antennaria 
was very striking. 
—— Another bed was planted with “Blue Marguerites” 
(Agathea coelestis) as a groundwork, dotted here and there with single¬ 
stemmed plants of Abulilon Thompmni, which had developed its finely 
marbled foliage to perfection ; amongst these were freely planted Gladiolus 
Brenchleyensis, bearing good spikes of bloom. The edging was composed 
of Antennaria tomentosa intermixed with a row of dwaif plants of Iresine 
Lindeni. The effect of this bed was most pleasing, the colours being 
balanced evenly. 
- Other beds were planted with Tuberous Begonias in various 
forms and colours, the ground carpeted with Veronica repens, which 
prevents the flowers being splashed with the soil from heavy rains, retains 
the moisture for the Begonia roots, and forms an excellent setting 
whereon the various colours of the flowers are displayed to advantage. 
Many of the Begonias were seedlings of this year. Evidently the climate 
and cultivation suits them admirably, but there must be something in 
culture as well, and Mr. Molyneux could impart information that would 
be of service to many readers by detailing his practice in the growth of 
these deservedly favourite plants. 
- Another fact worthy of record is the very fine Crops of 
Apples on bush trees at Swanmore, the varieties including such as 
Warner’s King, M6re de Menage, Ecklinville Seedling, Nelson’s Glory, 
King of the Pippin^, Cox’s Orange Pippin, the only failure being, 
strangely enough, Keswick Codlin. These are not pigmy trees, but are 
large, and have been rendered fruitful by the thin disposal of the branches 
and root-pruning to check exuberant growth. 
- We take the following paragraph from a " Society ” paper as an 
item of interest to the Chrysanthemum fraternity :—“ His Royal High¬ 
ness the Prince of Wales has attracted the favourable notice of the Mikado, 
and is to receive from him the Imperial Order of the Chrysan¬ 
themum, which is the most exalted. distinction the ruler of Japan can 
bestow, and which decks the breasts of only a few Royal personages and 
Prince Bismarck. Such an expression of the Mikado’s approbation must 
he very sweet to the Heir Apparent. But what is the Mikado expecting 
in return ?” 
- “ SAXORING ” writes, in reply to a Lincolnshire correspondent : 
—“I, too, have grown Carters’ Champion Black Currants three 
years. I found a very fine strain here. Each year these have been larger 
and borne heavier crops on them than on two bushes of Carters’ I got 
from that firm. Black Currants here and almost everywhere have been a 
heavy crop, mine extra large, but far removed from ‘ Grapes ’ ” 
- A New Variegated Poinsettia pulcherrima,— Some 
plants of a very distinct and bright variegated form of this plant can 
now he seen in Mr. Hans Niemand’s Royal Nurseries, Birmingham. It is 
the result of a sport in the form of a small variegated shoot on an 
ordinary Poinsettia pulcherrima, and Mr. Spinks has succeeded in per¬ 
petuating it, and has now about a dozen strong plants, some of which he 
contemplates exhibiting in London this winter. It has not yet flowered, 
but the plants will do s ) during the early part of the coming winter. 
- Tuberous Begonias out of Doors.—A correspondent 
writes :—“ In the flower garden in front of Mr. E. Cooling’s house in his 
Mile Ash Nurseries, Derby, these plants have been in great beauty in a 
small bed this summer, eclipsing many of the Pelargonium and other beds 
in colour and effect. Amongst them is a seedling of an intense scarlet 
colour, erect compact habit, and a very profuse bloomer. If we are to have 
bedding-out Begonias, here is the type of plant we should look for, for it 
is a striking object amongst the others.” 
-Mr. Joseph Mallender sends the following Summary of 
Meteorological Observations for August at Hodsock Priory, 
Notts: —Mean temperature of month, 60 4 3 . Maximum on the 30th > 
79‘8° ; minimum on the 5th, 41 - 2°. Maximum in the sun on the 7th, 
129'0°; minimum on the grass on the 3rd, 29 2°. Mean temperature of 
air at 9 A.M., 60' 0 Q . Mean temperature of soil 1 foot deep, 60'5°. Below 
32° on the grass, one night. Total duration of sunshine in the month, 141 
hours, or 31 per cent, of possible duration. We had three sunless days. 
Total rainfall, 170 inch. Maximum fall in twenty-four hours on the 9th, 
0 38 inch. Rain fell cn twelve days. Average velocity of wind seven 
miles per hour. Velocity exceeded 400 miles on one day ; fell short cf 
100 on nine days. Approximate averages for August—Mean temperature 
60 2°. Rainfall 2 50 inch. Sunshine 152 hours. A mon.h of average 
temperature, deficient sunshine and low rainfall, and no thunderstorms. 
- The New Agricultural Hall at West Kensington^ 
which is progressing, appears to be a building of imposing dimension 3 . 
The main hall is 440 feet long by 250 feet wide, roofed in three spans ) 
of which the centre one is 170 feet wide and 100 feet high to the soffit 
of the crown of the main arched ribs. These are placed 34 feet apart and 
are 7 feet deep. The main roofing is carried by main and intermediate 
purlins, and is glazed on Mr. T. W. Helliwell’s principle, who is also 
executing the work. The superficial area of the ground floor is over 
100,000 square feet, and from these figures it will be readily realised 
that the new hall is one of great extent, and fully capable of accom¬ 
modating the exhibitions and “ shows of every description” for which 
it is intended. 
- “Utilitarian” informs us “That he finds much difference 
between manure from a farmyard which is exposed to all weather 
and that from a covered yard which gets no rain whatever, but is taken 
direct to the land. There is also a difference between that taken from 
the farmyard and that piled in a heap to rot and lose in manurial value. 
The covered yard manure is twice as good as the open yard, and the open 
yard twice as good as the dung heap manure with its steaming of ammo¬ 
nia into the air for weeks, and having its virtue washing out and carried 
off the land by the ditches for month after month. The ditch sides are 
rank now with Nettles, Hemlock, and other gross weeds, and the hedges 
are wide and high enough, a great waste going on while the land is poor, 
needing, as Liebig and Lawe3 have pointed out, all the nitrogenous 
matter that is allowed to escape in the air or run away by the ditches.” 
- A London paper (the Echo) having advocated a more extended 
cultivation ot Vegetables FOR Market, has inserted the following reply 
from a correspondent:—“ In your article on the above the writer says, 
‘ Pass to vegetables, London is so poorly supplied with them.’ At what 
period is the writer referring to? Surely not th ; s last summer. Green 
Peas when in seas in in many cases do not pay even their expenses of 
picking and carriage, let alone growing them. At no time did they make 
a fair price. Cabbage for a long time did not realise more than from Is. 
to 2s. 6d. per tally of sixty. Scarlet Beans week after week have only 
made from 6d. to Is. 3d. per sieve of 40 lbs. Bags cf 90 lbs. to 112 lb?, 
of Beans have been sold at 6d. and 3d.; Is. to Is. 61. has been a good 
price. Vegetable Marrows have been so plentiful that it has been very 
difficult to sell them at any one price, Is. to 2s. per tillv of sixty, and 
those very large. Good Turnips, grown for domestic use, have been sold 
for cows at 5u per ton, when the rail expenses have been 6s. 81. anl 
7s. 6J. per ton. Hundreds of tons of Potatoes have hem, and are now 
being, sold to cowkeepers at just what they choose to give, and in many 
cases they have been asked to oblige by taking them away. The best 
thit can be hail are only making from 3s. 6d. to 4s. 3 1. per cwt. Goose¬ 
berries and Plums, in many places have not paid for picking. The only 
article that does not seem over-plentiful are really good Apples. In 
every other article of general consumption there is enough and to spare. 
