84 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 4, 1892. 
Araucaria excelsa, the Norfolk Island Pine, is also useful for 
tables at this and other seasons of the year when not more than a 
foot high in 5 and 6-inch pots. 
The plants enumerated in these notes are mostly foliage plants, 
and such as are the most generally used. Flowering plants have 
not been mentioned, though there are many that may appropriately 
be used as temporary objects of decoration. All kinds of bulbs 
which are grown in moderate sized pots can during their season of 
flowering be employed ; also Deutzias, Cytisuses, Primulas, Cine¬ 
rarias, Fuchsias, Petunias, Heliotropes, Marguerites, Cactuses, 
Orchids, Callas, Tuberous Begonias, Gloxinias, small Chrysanthe- 
mum«, Azaleas in small pots, and many others.—S. 
Events op the Week. —The Royal Horticultural Society’s second 
Show this year will be held in the Drill Hall, James Street, West¬ 
minster, on Tuesday, February 9th. Besides the usual plants, flowers, 
and fruit to be submitted to the various Committees, a silver medal, 
presented by Messrs. Barr & Son, will be offered for the best collection 
of forced Daffodils, polyanthus varieties excluded. The usual lecture 
will not take place in the afternoon owing to the annual general 
meeting of the Fellows being held in the Bindley Library, 117, 
Victoria Street, at 3 p.m , when the report for 1891 will be submitted, 
and officers for the current year elected. The annual dinner of the 
Horticultural Club will take place on Tuesday, February 9th, at 
six o’clock, in the Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street. The chair will be 
taken by Harry J. Veitch, Esq., Vice-Chairman of the Club. Dinner 
tickets, 6s. 6d. each, exclusive of wine. Mr. George Bunyard has 
arranged for a selection of vocal and instrumental music to be given 
during the evening. 
- The weather in the metropolitan district has been 
variable during the past week, but generally mild with westerly winds 
and some rain. On Tuesday it was colder, and heavy showers of snow, 
sleet, and rain occurred during the morning. 
- The Weather in the North.—T he thaw which took place 
in Scotland a fortnight ago still continues with an occasional slight 
snap of frost in the mornings. Severe flooding took place in the streams 
in the north, causing considerable loss of property and live stock. 
Very high winds have prevailed since middle of last week, especially 
during the nights, accompanied with heavy rains.—B. D. 
- University Lectures at Sheffield.—T he Council of 
Firth College, Sheffield, have arranged a most interesting series of 
lectures on “ Plant Life ” to be delivered by Professor Denny, F.L.S., at 
Walkley Church Schools, commencing on Feb. 8th and continued each 
successive Monday evening at 8 o’clock until March 14th. Each lecture 
will be presided over by some prominent townsman interested in the 
social advancement of the people of the district. The syllabus of 
lectures is as follows:—Feb. 8tb, “ The World of Life ; ” Feb. 16th, 
“ How Plants Feed ; ” Feb. 22nd, “ Flowers and their Guests 
Feb. 29th, “ Plants and their Offspring ; ” March 7th, “ Some Flowerless 
Plants; ” March 14th, “ Parasitic Plants.” Professor Denny is an 
interesting and popular lecturer, treating his subjects in a clear, plain 
manner, free from perplexing technicalities, and as his remarks will 
be amply illustrated with limelight views the lectures promise to be of 
a specially attractive nature. They will be entirely free, and it is hoped 
will prove so successful that the College authorities may be induced to 
repeat the effort with similar subjects on future occasions.—E. D. S. 
-Winchester and District Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Association. — At a meeting of the members of 
the above Association on the 28th January, Mr. J. Gardner, Twyford 
Lodge Gardens, read a paper on “ The Vine and Its Cultivation Under 
Glass.” Mr. Gardner treated the subject in an able and practical 
manner from the “ eye to the finish of the fruit.” A discussion followed, 
in which several of the members took part. Mr. Gardner staged some 
well-finished bunches of Lady Downe’s Seedling in a plump condition. 
At the close of the meeting a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to 
Mr. Gardner. 
- The Preston and Fulwood Floral and Horticultural 
Society. —The forty-fourth monthly meeting of the members and 
subscribers of the above Society will be held in the large room of the 
Legs of Man Hotel, Fishergate, Preston, on Saturday evening, February 
6th, 1892, when Mr. Robert Frisby, gardener to Miss Ffarington, Worden 
Hall, will read a paper on “ Hardy Herbaceous and Alpine Plants.” 
Chair to be taken at 7.30. 
- Pear Houses. —Would Mr. Hunter supplement his interesting- 
article by giving us the dates of gathering the different varieties, 
especially such late kinds as Easter Beurr6, also whether General 
Todtleben proves eatable under glass ? I notice no mention Is made of 
Olivier de Serres, Nouvelle Fulvie, or Beurrd Sterckmans, which latter 
is highly recommended for cold situations. Is there any reason for this- 
omission from his list ?—B. D. K. 
- Diseased Gooseberry. —Reference to diseased branches of 
the Gooseberry at page 69 prompts me to state that I always attribute 
these enlargements on Gooseberry bushes to the flow of sap being^ 
arrested through the absence of leaf buds, these along with the blossoms 
being pecked by birds, as I do not find the malformations where the 
buds are entire. I also believe that similar formations exist in bark- 
bound trees, or in canes where the sap has not a free flow.—W. T. 
- With regard to the Hardiness of Seakalb, there is one 
variety of the Lily White that is fully equal to the ordinary purple 
tipped. I have myself grown this fully exposed for two years, and 
though I have had some thousands of plants out have lost none through 
frost. Some sent by me to a friend in the north of England have also 
withstood the climate there, which was very trying last year. My reasons- 
for believing this variety to be different from the ordinary Lily White 
(which I have proved to my loss will not withstand a severe trial of 
frost) are, first, this peculiar hardihood before mentioned, and second, its 
superior excellence for the table.—T. H. Crasp, Canford Manor, 
Wimhorne. 
- Hyacinth and Tulip Show at Haarlem, April 1892.— 
Last autumn two show beds of Hyacinths were planted in Messrs. 
E. H. Krelage & Sons’ nurseiy grounds at Haarlem, Holland, each 
containing over 600 bulbs, selected from the best and newest varieties. 
In April next these will afford a brilliant show, and a great attraction 
to English visitors on an Easter trip to Holland. A spacious tent is 
placed over these beds during the flowering period of the bulbs. 
Similar shows were held from 1880 to 1884, and again in 1889. Near 
these Hyacinth beds two large beds of early florists’ Tulips have been 
planted, both single and double varieties. A separate tent is devoted to 
them. 
- The Kbw Bulletin.—T wo appendices to this oificial serial 
have come to hand, one comprising an index to the whole of the 
issues from 1887 to 1891 ; the other consists of a list of seeds of hardy 
herbaceous plants, trees and shrubs that have been saved at Kew in the 
past year, and are *• available for exchange with Colonial, Indian, and 
Foreign Botanic Gardens, as well as with regular correspondents of 
Kew. The seeds are only available in moderate quantity, and are not 
sold to the general public. It is desirable to add that no application, 
except from remote colonial possessions, can be received for seeds after 
the end of March.” The list is a full one, filling twenty-seven closely 
printed pages in double columns, the names being arranged 
alphabetically. 
-It is useful, in relation to meteorology, to note the date of 
commencement of various harvest operations. A French Abbd, 
M. Buv6, has recently suggested a consideration of the quantity of 
sugar produced in certain plants as a means of determining the 
meteorological elements concerned in this process. The physiology of 
the Sugar Beet is now pretty well known, and, according to M. Marid 
Davy, one may estimate pretty closely the yield of this plant by means 
of calculations from the heat and illumination to which it has been 
subject. Conversely, the Abbd points out, we might determine the 
heat and light received through the quantity of sugar produced. Fiscal 
operations, determining tte yield of sugar, would facilitate the process. 
Again, it is suggested that the yield of honey might be considered in 
the same relation—the quantity of it in flowers depending greatly on 
sunshine, wind, rain, &c., while the state of the atmosphere favours or 
hinders the work of bees. The summers of 1889 and 1890 are cited as 
presenting a marked contrast with regard to both Beet sugar and 
honey, in correspondence with weather conditions ; the earlier year was 
a highly prosperous one, the latter quite the opposite.— {Nature.") 
