February 11, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
107 
Mandarin Oranges from India. —Mr. T. A. Reed recently sub¬ 
mitted to our inspection some excellent samples of Mandarin Oranges 
which he had brought from a friend at Nagpur, and owing to thorough 
ripening with careful packing they proved superior in flavour to any 
fruits of this distinct variety we had previously tasted. The Mandarin 
Orange has a peculiar loose rind most readily separated from the fruit, 
the juice is abundant, and possessing an aromatic flavour somewhat 
suggestive of the Tangierine, but much richer. The fruits are of 
moderate size, but larger than the variety just named. It appears that 
the Mandarin is rather extensively grown m the Nagpur district, and it 
is surprising that samples are not sent to this country for sale, as if 
carefully packed—an essential matter—they might be expected to 
realise good prices wherever high class fruit is in demand. 
- South African Peaches. —Messrs. Donald Currie & Co. 
recently advised us that they had landed a trial shipment of South 
African Peaches from the Caps of Good Hope by the Royal Mail 
steamer, “ Drummond Castle,” and as they had arrived in good condition 
they were offered for sale by auction in Covent Garden Market on 
Friday last by Messrs. J. W. Draper & Co. The fruits were packed in 
shallow boxes, containing from thirty-five to forty-eight fruits, ordinary 
cotton wadding being used as the packing material, and the fruits 
appeared in nearly every instance as fresh and sound as if they had only 
been sent a few miles. The competition was very brisk, and the first 
case of thirty-five fruits realised SOs., the highest price obtained, the 
nine other cases bringing from 67s, to 208. (the last being somewhat 
damaged). Such results as these will no doubt bring further consign¬ 
ments. We had no opportunity of testing the flavour of the fruits, and 
no names were furnished with them. 
- Messrs. Spaulding, Jennings & Co., West Bergen, Jersey 
City, N.J., write as follows :—“ I note the article in the December 24th 
number of the Jo'iitvjClI oI lJovticvjltuv6^ and the comments on the 
Chrysanthemum J. fl. Bradbury. This variety originated with 
Richard Brett, then gardener for John R. Pitcher of Short Hills, N.J., 
many years ago. The variety Miss A. H. Bates originated with me 
about the same date. It was a creamy white, rather incurved, and 
inclined to be full. I cannot account for its being included among 
single varieties except it be a difference in climate alters its form. 
_ Destruction of Slugs.—S lugs are usually fully capable of 
taking care of themselves, at any rate, as far as frosts are concerned, 
but evidently they were scarcely prepared for those very searching 
frosts we had late in December. The ground being in a wet state, 
the frost penetrated surprisingly deep, and must have destroyed the 
greater portion of slugs, as there are remarkably few of them to be seen 
now in the paths during mild weather. In other winters we have hoped 
the frosts would have reached the slugs, but the latter apparently got 
well down out of the reach of severe cold, for they invariably turned up 
again in great numbers directly mild weather set in. What a relief it 
will be if the slugs really are largely got rid of. Only those in charge 
of heavy soils and old gardens know what it is to be over-run and 
pestered by slugs of all kinds.—I, 
- The second annual meeting of the members of the Grimsby 
AND District Chrysanthemum Society was held in the Masonic 
Hall on Monday evening, February 1st. The chair was taken by Mr. 
J. Clark, Cromwell Nurseries. The first business was for the Secretary 
to read the report of the past year, and the statement showed a balance in 
the bank of £13 IBs. 7d., and, considering it is only the second year of 
the Show, it is most satisfactory. Last year the Society paid £17 in 
prizes, this year they have paid £38 and two silver challenge cups, 
value 10 guineas. The following were elected on the Committee :— 
Messrs. G. B. Burrows, Jas. Emptage, Bellamy, W. H. Clark, J. W. 
Dobbs, J. Clark, F. Use, F. If. Gulliat, B. W. Smith, J. Cook, J. Walker, 
and W. Welton ; and the following officers were elected :—Sir 
H. Bennett as President, Mr. Carr and Mr. R. Bannister as Vice-Presi¬ 
dents, Mr. A. Mountain as Secretary, and Mr. C. B. Barton as Treasurer. 
Much praise is due to Mr. Mountain for the way in which he has worked 
on the Society’s behalf.—J. Dobbs. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. J. England, who has been 
foreman at Hickleton Gardens, Doncaster, for the last five years, has 
been appointed head gardener to Lord Auckland, Edenthorpe, near 
Doncaster, and goes there on the 19th inst. 
-We are informed that the Worksop Rose and Horticul¬ 
tural Society’s Show will be held on Thursday, 21st July, 1892, 
when substantial prizes will be offered in classes for nurserymen and 
amateurs, including open classes for seventy-two distinct varieties, 
forty-eight varieties. 
_Report of the Weather at Hamels Park.—T he weather 
during January was rather severe, the ground being covered with snow 
and sharp frosts prevailed, but, on the whole, was remarkably dry. 
Rain fell on six days, the maximum in any twenty-four hours being 
0-22 on the 22nd; the minimum for any twenty-four hours being 0-06 
on the 6th. Total during the whole month being 0-64, against 
2 02 for 1891.—E. Wallis, The Gardens, Hamels Park, Buntingford. 
- At the annual general meeting of the Brixton, StreathAM, 
AND Clapham Horticultural Society it was decided to hold the 
Autumn Show on the 1st and 2nd November at the New Town Hall, 
Streatham. A pleasing incident at the meeting was the presentation 
by exhibitors of the Society of a handsome salad bowl, fork, and spoon 
to the Hon. Sec., Mr. W. Roupell, with a hearty vote of thanks from 
the members for hia services during the past year. 
_ Chrysanthemum Mrs. R. King. — Kindly allow me to 
inform Mr. Jones that my companion, Mr. Musk, Havertain Garden, 
Norwich, then Chrysanthemum grower to Mr. Blair, received two 
cuttings which went to Trentham, so that your correspondent will 
see his imaginary absurdity falls to the ground so far as Mr. Musk 
and myself are concerned “ as to the whole of the genuine stock 
being in the hands of one person for distribution.” If the person whom 
Mr. Jones claims to be the raiser hesitates to come forward, Mr. Jones 
will have no excuse for withholding his name. —S. Backhouse. 
_ Pansies at the Great York Gala, June, 1892. The York 
schedule is on the same generous lines as usual, substantial prizes 
being freely offered. Pansies have for some years been encouraged 
here, but this year the classes are considerably extended, and the great 
growers from the north intend competing in the open classes. The 
Exhibition comes in just at the height of the Pansy and Viola season, 
but not clashing with any other Pansy meetings ; and extensive as the 
display of Pansy blooms was at York in June last, there is every pro¬ 
bability of a larger display this year, and of the newest and finest 
varieties in cultivation. 
_ The Weather Last Month.—J anuary was very cold 
during the early part of the month, with more or less fog from the 
12th to 23rd, and snow on the night of the 6th, which lasted in some 
places until 26th. Total rainfall was 1-25 inches, which fell on seventeen 
days, the greatest daily fall being 0-36, which fell as snow on the 10th. 
Barometer, highest, 30'43, at 9 p.m. on the 25th ; lowest, 29’21 at 9 p.m. 
on 7th. Highest shade temperature 53° on 29th and 30th; lowest 12 on the 
12th ; ’ lowest on grass 11° on 12th. Mean of daily maximum readings 
40 42° ; mean daily minimum, 30 06°. Mean temperature of the month 
35 24°.' We had six bright days, one of which was clear. The garden 
spring ran 30 gallons per minute on the 3l8t.—W. H. Divers, Ketton 
Hall Gardens, Stamford. 
_Bedding Asters.—K indly allow me to corroborate all that 
your correspondent “B.”says on page 63 in praise of these beautiful 
Asters. I have never placed them out in separate beds, but I have 
used them frequently in a border set apart for annuals. This season, 
our flower beds being considerably augmented, I intend using them to 
greater extent. I have in my memory some beautiful beds which I saw 
at Croxteth Hall in the summer of 1890. I believe there were half a 
dozen in all, and the contrast they made with the carpet bedding and 
those filled with Pelargoniums will not soon be forgotten, none of the plants 
being above 8 inches high, fine and sturdy, and forming glowing masses 
of colour. My experience with these Asters scarcely coincides with 
your correspondent where he says the time of flowering is too quickly 
over Of course, position and size of garden may have much to do with 
their soon being over, but if not coddled in their earlier stages, and 
when planting-out time arrives they are given a good rooting medium, 
they will stand as long as most bedding plants, and will assuredly prove 
of more value for cutting purposes than so many beds of Pelargoniums. 
—R. P. R. 
