December 30, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
585 
of food. As regards the Citron, Lemon, and Orange trees, for which this 
island has long been famous, hundreds of them have been killed by these 
insects. The Mango and Cocoa-nut tree3 felt their baneful influence, and 
yielded sour and unsavoury fruits. One of the best forest trees which 
grow here, the ‘ Bois puant ’ (Fcetidia mauritiana), seems unable to resist 
their attack, and I am afraid that there will not be one of these trees left 
within a twelvemonth, unless, by somo happy circumstance, these insects 
were to disappear altogether.” We learn from Kew that the interesting 
indigenous tree, whose complete extinction within twelve months is here 
anticipated, is very rare in Mauritius, and unless steps are taken to 
preserve it at Rodriguez it will probably disappear altogether as a forest 
tree from the flora of these islands.—( Nature .) 
- The late Mb. Zadok Stevens. — Mr. Edward Gilman, 
Ingestre Gardens, Stafford, writes — “I should like, with your per¬ 
mission, to add my tribute of respect to the memory of Mr. Z. Stevens, 
but it would need an abler pen than mine to do him justice as a thorough 
horticulturist, master, and friend. As the former he was known to a 
great many professional brethren throughout the United Kingdom and 
Ireland, and I believe I should state the truth were I to say throughout 
the world. As a master I always found him strict, kind, and considerate; 
one who served his noble employers long, faithfully, and well, and who 
also required the same to be rendered to him by his subordinates. Asa 
friend I had the honour and privilege of counting and knowing him since 
I served under him twelve years ago. Socially he was genial, frank, 
kindly, and entertaining, one in whose company an hour was spent pro¬ 
fitably and pleasantly. Most of the leading gardeners will have heard of 
his decease with feelings of deep regret. As an all-round gardener he had 
few compeers, for whatsoever his hand found to do that he did diligently, 
earnestly, and thoroughly, and those who knew him and his work best 
will admit that in his death we have to mourn the loss of one of our 
horticulturists of light and leading. He leaves a widow anl three 
children.” 
- Messes. Dickson, Bkown, & Tait, Manchester, write as 
follows respecting Cauliflowers —“ Your correspondent * A Kitchen 
Gardener,’ is evidently in a fog as regards our Eclipse Cauliflower. We 
introduced this variety before Sutton’s King was known, so that the 
latter may he like the former. Any gardener who has grown our Eclipse 
would not for a moment say it was identical with Autumn Giant; there is 
a wide difference in foliage, Eclipse being much more self-protecting, and 
the curd much whiter. It is a matter of opinion whether Autumn Giant 
is superior to Eclipse ; we can give your correspondent abundant evidence 
from hundreds of leading gardeners throughout the country, including Mr. 
Penny of Sandringham, and Mr. Paterson of Balmoral, who hold a con¬ 
trary opinion.” 
- Me. W. Bardney writes :—“Those who have not grown 
Veitch’s Chelsea Blue Peimula should do so for another year. It 
is a great acquisition to this popular class of decorative plants. It is 
decidedly the best blue I have yet seen. The flowers are what may be 
termed deep lavender in colour ; they are of the very finest form, and of 
good substance. Every plant I raised from a packet of seed last spring 
was true—not the slightest variation in the colour of the flowers. I feel 
convinced that whoever gives it a trial will not be disappointed with it, 
for it is perfectly distinct, and highly attractive when associated with 
either red or white varieties, or both, as the case may be.” 
- We are requested to state that on January 28th, 1887, at 8 p.m., 
Mr. Richard Dean will deliver an address before the members of the 
Chiswick R.H.S. Mutual Improvement Association. Subject, 
“ Round About the Worll of Horticulture.” 
- National Rose Society. —At the annual dinner of this Soceiety 
the Chairman (the Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen) proposed that some 
recognition of the Jubilee should be made by the members of a society 
whose object it is to promote the extended culture of the flower which is our 
national emblem. It was readily taken up, a committee was named, and 
at its first meeting held at the Horticultural Club it was determined that 
the first £100 should be devoted to the purchase of two challenge trophies 
to be competed for at the provincial shows of the Society, one for thirty- 
six blooms open to all nurserymen, and one for twenty-'our b ooms open 
to all amateurs. Subscriptions were announced in the room in sums 
varying from one guinea to five, amounting to upwards of £40, and 
circulars will be shortly issued to the members generally inviting their 
co-operation. 
-- The Council of the Essex Field Club has decided to issue 
the “Transactions” and “Proceedings” of the Club combined in the 
form of a monthly periodical under the title of the “ Essex Naturalist." 
The journal will consist of sixteen pages per month, but in all probability 
frequent “ double numbers ” will be issued, in order to keep pace with 
the rapid accumulation of papers which have been read before the Club. 
It will be sent, post free, to all members who are not in arrear with their 
subscriptions, and will be on sale to non-members at a price not exceeding 
6d. per sheet of sixteen pages. The “Essex Naturalist” will contain 
papers read bef ire the Club, or which may otherwise be placed in the 
Editor’s hands, reports of meetings of the Club, and, as space allows, a 
special feature will be short notes, treating of the natural history, geology, 
and pre-historic archaeology of Essex, so that the journal may serve as a 
medium for inter-communication between the members on subjects 
included in the programme of the Society. The E litor, Mr. William Cole, 
Hon. Sec. Essex Field Club, 7, Knighton Villas, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, 
will he glad to receive communications from anyone interested in Essex, 
whether a member of the Club or not, relating to the above-named 
subjects; also books and papers for notice in the journal, and cuttings 
and extracts from periodicals and newspapers, furnishing information 
respecting the occurrence of new or uncommon plants or animals, the 
exposure of new geological sections by railway or other works, new well- 
sinkings, discoveries of archaeological interest, &c. 
- The number of the “Botanical Magazine ” for December, 1886, 
completes the 112th volume of the entire work, or the 100th year of pub¬ 
lication, a total of 6912 plates having been published. Sir Joseph Hooker 
in dedicating the volume to Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., makes the follow¬ 
ing observations—“Allow me, on this the hundredth anniversary of the 
‘ Botanical Magazine,’ to dedicate to you, as President of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, the volume that is the evidence of this work having 
attained a longevity far exceeding that of any other illustrated botanical 
or horticultural serial ; and whilst thus commemorating your services to 
horticulture, I would associate with your name that of the lady from whom 
you directly inherit your love of plants and passion for gardening—the 
late Mrs. Lawrence of Ealing Park, whose locality and whose rich and 
beautiful conservatories were set forth by my predecessor in the dedica¬ 
tion to her of the 68th volume (published in 1842) of this work, and 
whose kindness to myself when a very young botanist I shall ever hold in 
grateful remembrance.” The plants represented are Alpina mutica, 
Aristoiochia elegans, Geranium tuberosum var. Charlesii, Carpenteria 
californica, and Aster Stracheyi. 
-The illustration of Carpenteria californica in the 
December number of the “ Botanical Magazine ” is an excellent one, 
pourtraying the character of this handsome shrub very faithfully. The 
genus Carpenteria is closely related to Philadelphus, and C. californica 
has large white flowers 21 inches in diameter, with a cluster of stamens 
in the centre, resembling some of the “ Mock Oranges.” The leaves are 
elliptical lanceolate, 2 to 4 inches long, and the flowers are borne on 
axillary branches, the shrub attaining the height of 6 or 7 feet. At Mun- 
stead Grange, Godaiming, the plant has been successfully grown out of 
doors at an elevation of 400 feet above the sea level, where it passed 
through last winter unprotected and uninjured. 
_The usual monthly meeting of the Royal Meteorological 
Society was held on Wednesday evening, the loth inst., at the Institu¬ 
tion of Civil Engineers, Mr. W. Ellis, F.R.A.S., President, in the chair. 
Mr. G. R. Famcombe, B.A., Mr. C. E. B. Hewitt, B.A., and Captain S, 
Trott were balloted for and duly elected Fellows of the Society. The 
following papers were read 1, “ On the Proceedings of the Inter¬ 
national Congress of Hydrology and C.imatology at Biarritz,” by Mr. 
G. J. Symons, F.R.S. This congress was held in October, and was 
divided into three sections—viz., Scientific Hydrology; Medical 
Hydrology; and Climatology, scientific and medical. The total number 
of papers read was 109. An exhibition was also held in connection with 
the congress. The excursions were of primary importance to the medical 
men, and extended over a period of three weeks. The places visited were 
Bayonne, Cambo, Dax, Aroachon, Pau, Eaux-Bonnes, Eaux Chandes, 
Cauterets, Lourdes, Bagncres de Bigorre, Luchon, Ussat, Aix, Montpellier, 
Cette, Toulon, AmMie les Bains, La Preste, Banyulo-sur-Mer, and Thuec 
2, “ Report on the Phenological Observations for 1886,” by the Rev, 
T. A. Preston, M.A., F.R.Met.Soo. The weather was on the whole very 
ungenial, and everything much retarded ; it was also very fatal to insect 
life, so that the complaints on this head have been far less than usual. 
