146 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 25, 1692. 
- Potato Walter Raleigh. — Having taken your valuable 
paper for a length of time I have been expecting to see some account of 
the Potato brought out in 1890 by Messrs. Hurst & Son under the name 
of Walter Raleigh. I cannot help speaking in praise of its first-class 
qualities. Last year I grew the variety side by side with Early Puritan, 
with the result that the Walter Raleigh came a week earlier, and not 
a diseased tuber amongst 21 bushels. It is dwarf in growth and good 
in quality. From 7 lbs. planted the first year 7 pecks were produced, 
and 7 pecks last year produced 21 bushels, and taking them-frorn the 
clamp to-day I did not find a bad one amongst them. I should "like to' 
hear what results other growers have obtained from growing this Potato. 
—Walter Godfrey. 
- Bournemouth and District Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Association. —There was a large gathering of the 
members and friends of this Society on Wednesday evening last to 
hear Mr. B.Molyneux’s essay entitled, “An Epitome of Chrysanthemum 
Culture for^Cut Blooms for Exhibition.” Dr. Hitchcock, President of 
the Association, presided, and in opening the discussion which followed, 
made reference to the statement which he had seen of the value of 
the ashes from the burnt refuse of the old Chrysanthemums, a state¬ 
ment which Mr. Molyneux could not endorse without having proved 
it. The discussion was heartily taken up by the members, and much 
valuable information given and received. A cordial vote of thanks was 
accorded to Mr. Molyneux, and also to the President. 
- Auriculas. —Week after week I look in the Journal to see if 
there is anything concerning Auriculas, but I am often disappointed. 
Are the growers so few, or is it that they want to keep it dark ? The 
Roses, Orchids, and Chrysanthemums have their columns, why should 
not Auriculas have a little corner 1 I am sure, however little might be 
said of this, the grandest of hardy flowers, would be appreciated by 
growers in general, and especially by novices like myself. I have grown 
them for the last eight years with a fair amount of success, both from 
offsets and seed, the latter way of increasing them being most inter¬ 
esting. I have been a constant reader of the Journal since 1861, and it 
has been with the greatest of pleasure that I have read the articles on 
the Auricula by “ D., Deal," F. D. Horner, and others.—M. [We are 
always glad to publish the experience of cultivators concerning Auriculas 
or other plants, and no doubt “ M.” can himself say something useful 
on the subject that would induce others to state their opinions or 
explain their practice.] 
- Royal Meteorological Society. — The usual monthly 
meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday evening, the T7th inst., 
at the Institution of Civil Engineers, 25, Great George Street, West¬ 
minster, Dr. C. Theodore Williams (President) in the chair. Capt. 
D. S. Cromarty, Mr. R. Godfrey, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E., Mr. C. Shapley, 
Mr. E. J. Smith, Mr. E. K. Spiegelhalter, Rev. H. Stewart, and Rev. 
W. E. Stewart, M.A., were elected Fellows of the Society. The 
following papers were read :—“ The Untenability of an Atmospheric 
Hypothesis of Epidemics,” bythe Hon. Rollo Russell, M.A., F.R.Met.Soc. 
The author is of opinion that no kind of epidemic or plague is conveyed 
by the general atmosphere, but that all epidemics are caused by human 
conditions and communications capable of control. In this paper he 
investigates the manner of the propagation of influenza, and gives the 
dates of the outbreaks in 1890 at a large number of islands and other 
places in various parts of the world. Mr. Russell says that there is no 
definite or known atmospheric quality or movement on which the 
hypothesis of atmospheric conveyance can rest. “ The Origin of Influenza 
Epidemics,” by Mr. H. Harries, F.R.Met.Soc. The author has made 
an investigation into the facts connected with the great eruption of 
Krakatoa in 1883, and the atmospheric phenomena which were the 
direct outcome of that catastrophe. He has come to the conelusion that 
the dust derived from the interior of the earth may be considered the 
principal factor concerned in the propagation of the recent influenza 
epidemics. “ Report on the Phenological Observations for 1891,” by 
Mr. E. Mawley, F.R.Met.Soc. This report differs in many respects 
from the previous reports on the same subject. Among other changes, 
the number of plants, &c„ selected for observation has been greatly 
reduced, while the number of observers has considerably increased. 
The winter of 1890-91 proved in England very destructive to the root 
crops, as well as to green vegetables and tender shrubs. Birds also 
suffered severely. In Scotland and Ireland, however, there was scarcely 
any severe weather until March. The flowering of wild plants was 
greatly retarded by cold in the spring, but during the summer the 
departures from the average were not so great. The harvest was late, 
and its ingathering much interfered with by stormy weather. “Note 
on a Lightning Discharge at Thornbury, Gloucestershire, July 22n(J, 
1891,” by Dr. E. H. Cook. 
-Birmingham Gardeners’ Association.—A t a meeting on 
February 17th, Mr. Alfred Outram, of the Holloway Nurseries, London,, 
read a paper on “ The Progress of Horticulture in the United States,” a 
subject on which he was well qualified to speak, after an annual visit to 
the States for sixteen years. He alluded to the immense strides horti¬ 
culture had made in America since his first visit, and of the fine collec¬ 
tions of Orchids and other plants now common there, and of their 
excellent cultivation. He also alluded to the extensive cultivation of 
fruit at the present time in the States compared with what it was 
twenty years ago, such fruits as Apples, Peaches, &c., being planted by- 
the thousands now where dozens were planted then. The cut-flower 
trade is now an enormous business in America, very large trade estab¬ 
lishments being devoted to the culture of Roses and Carnations, and to 
many others required for the market, and when of high-class quality 
in season they command high prices. Questioned about young merr 
going to America, Mr. Outram remarked that there is a good field there 
for intelligent respectable young gardeners, who are prepared, if 
necessary, to do some rough hard work until they can meet with tha 
situation they require. A hearty vote of thanks was given to Mr* 
Outram for his interesting paper. 
- Gardeners’ and Amateurs’ Seed Orders. —We have no 
doubt that our experience as seedsmen is the experience of the whole 
trade—namely, that the purchaser of seeds almost invariably withholds" 
his order from his seedsman until he requires the seeds for use, so that, 
when we get a period of bad weather, such as the frost and snow that- 
we have lately experienced, the orders to the seedsmen immediately 
drop off, and the large staff provided to meet the business are for the 
time practically without occupation. Then the weather as suddenly 
changes, and with the first appearance of sunshine the seedsman is 
overwhelmed with orders, and the staff is compelled to work at very 
high pressure for a much longer number of hours per day than would 
be wished, either by the employer (or as we feel sure) the purchaser. 
Writing in the interest of the entire seed trade we purposely omit our 
name from this communication, and feel sure that a word or two from 
your editorial pen, as season by season comes along, would do very much: 
to bring about a more satisfactory state of things.— London Seedsmen. 
[Our “ word” is that the undue delay of seed orders is of disadvantage 
to many and of advantage to none. Send them along.] 
- Hereford and West of England Rose Society.—T he 
annual meeting of the subscribers to this Society was held last week in 
the High Town, Hereford, when there were present Mr. J. H. Ark¬ 
wright (President), the Hon. and Ven. Archdeacon Stanhope, Rev. 
A. 0. Lee, and the Hon. Sec. (Rev. F. R. Burnside). The Hon. Sec. 
read the report of the Committee as follows : — The Committee, in 
presenting their annual report, have the pleasure of congratulating the 
members upon a most successful season. The year 1891 will be an annus 
mirahilis in the history of the Society, as being not only the twenty-fifth 
year of its existence, but also the year in which the National Rose 
Society paid its first visit to the city of Hereford. The Rose Show, which 
was held on July 16th for the first time on the Castle Green, will be 
long remembered as the finest provincial exhibition as yet held by the 
National Rose Society, no less than 3213 blooms being exhibited. The 
Committee desire to express their thanks in the first place to the Mayor 
of Hereford for his liberal hospitality to the members of the National 
Rose Society on the day of the show, and in the second place to the 
Mayor and Corporation for having granted the use of the Castle Green. 
Considering the many extra expenses incurred by the visit of the 
National Rose Society, the financial position of the Society must be 
regarded as very satisfactory. The total expenditure was £172 4s. 5d., 
while the receipts, including the balance from last year of £2 11s. 7d. 
and £76 gate money, amounted to £185 6s, Id., thus leaving a balance 
of £13 Is. lid. to be carried forward to 1892. The Committee have 
decided to hold the Rose Show on Tuesday, July 12th, 1892, and by 
kind permission of the Mayor and Corporation it will be held in the 
grounds of the Castle Green. 
FUCHSIAS AS BASKET PLANTS. 
What is more beautiful in conservatories, during the summer time 
than hanging baskets of Fuchsias, and yet how seldom are they grown in 
this manner. Not only does the Fuchsia, when in flower, show itself to 
the best advantage grown in baskets, but they are always certain ta 
