April'28, 1392. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
815 
- International Horticultural Exhibition, Earl’s 
^OURT, We are desired to say that one of the most attractive features 
at this Exhibition, which opens on May 7th, will be the so-called “ Insecti¬ 
vorous House,” where plants which prey upon insects will be exhibited. 
This house is being constructed by Messrs. Crompton & Fawkes of 
•Chelmsford, and will be well adapted for the purpose for which it is 
designed. 
Boronia HETEROPHYLLA. —In comparing this with B. mega- 
atigma it is not uncommon to be divided by conflicting preferences. 
The eye pleads for the former, the nose for the latter. B. heterophylla 
is a really beautiful plant, its richly coloured bells producing a delightful 
•effect; the perfume, however, is very faint compared with that of 
B. megastigma.—P. 
- Leucoium vernum.— The Spring Snowflake is a gem for 
•dhe border or rockwork, coming into flower after the other members 
of the Snowdrop family are past their best. The green spot on the 
•tips of the segments is noteworthy in this variety. A clump of it 
growing at the base of a specimen of Libocedrus decurrens has 
flowered annually for the last ten years, which shows its adapt¬ 
ability to positions not generally considered the best for its welfare 
—E. M. 
.- “ The Fruit Grower’s Guide.”—I should like to add my 
mite of praise to the opinions published on page 300 as to the value of 
this work, not only to “ probationers ” but to the bulk of gardeners, any 
of whom I doubt not will be able to gather some information from its 
pages. The manner in which it is written and illustrated is so explicit 
that the work appears to me to be just the thing that has been wanted 
ior a long time. I know of no other work which deals in so full a manner 
with fruit of various kinds.— Edwin Molyneux, Swanmore Park, 
-Bishop's Waltham. 
—— Royal Meteorological Society. — The usual monthly 
meeting of this Society was held on the 20th inst.. Dr. C. Theodore 
Williams, President, in the chair. Reference was made to the death of 
Dr. J. W. Tripe, who had held the office of Council Secretary for the 
last twenty years, and a resolution of sympathy with the family was 
passed by the meeting. Senor R. Aguilar y Santillan, Sir Andrew 
'Clark, Bart., F.R.S., Mr. F. W. Cross, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E., Mr. H 
Hancock, M.A., Mr. W. Haberden, Dr. Hermann Weber, and Mr. E. r! 
Williams were elected Fellows of the Society. 
-Hull and East Riding Chrysanthemum Society. _The 
•schedule of the ninth Show of this Society, which is to be held on 
November 16th and 17th, has been issued. It is of the usual com¬ 
prehensive character ; £10 and a silver cup value £5 Ss., are offered 
as first prize for twenty-four incurved blooms, and the same for twenty- 
four Japanese; £3 and the N.C.S. silver medal are offered as 
first prize for the best table illustrating the decorative value of 
Chrysanthemums. Prizes of £6, £5, £4, and £2 are offered for 
groups in one class. Amateurs’, ladies’, and children’s classes are 
also provided. 
-Wintering Cauliflowers.—I t is now conceded that in all 
private’gardens the introduction of the very dwarf Cauliflowers of the 
Snowball type has generally discounted the old practice of sowing seed 
■of the Early London in the autumn and wintering the plants in frames 
or under handlights. Seed of the dwarf early forms sown in January 
now give plants which if put out on to warm borders about the middle 
of April, turn in rapidly, and give an abundance of medium sized 
succulent heads very early. This is fir better than being burdened 
with the care of plants all the winter. These early varieties, however, 
are not regarded as large enough for market purposes, for trade growers 
are not content unless they get heads fully 9 to 10 inches across, and 
probably it would hardly pay to send small samples to market, as the 
competition is so formidable. To secure really fine heads, therefore, it 
is the rule, as I have seen on Mr. W. Poupart’s farm at Twickenham, to 
plant in clumps on broad rounded ridges of soil during October from 
breadths sown at the end of August. The lines of clumps are some 
5 feet apart, because the centres are quite early in the summer utilised as 
trenches for Celery, the ground being previously heavily manured for 
that purpose. The clumps in the rows come at about 3 feet apart, six 
plants being put out in a circle to each clump. These are then covered 
with cloches, and are kept so covered closely all the winter. The plants 
seem to suffer little or nothing during hard weather. The glasses are 
finally taken off from the plants about the middle of April, and may 
then be put to other uses. Presently each clump is thinned down to 
four plants, and during dry weather watered with sewage liquid ; then, 
later, the soil is well stirred and the stems earthed up to keep 
them rigid. Succession crops are easily secured by sowing seed in 
frames in February for planting out in April to furnish heads in 
July.—A. D. 
- Fruit Conferences at Newcastle, —A correspondent 
informs us that the meetings under the auspices of the British Fruit 
Growers’ Association on Monday were very satisfactory. The Rev. 
Marsden Gibson presided in the afternoon, and Mr. A. H. Pearson read 
a practical paper on “ Apples for Market,” which was followed by an 
animated discussion. Mr. Bernard Cowan occupied the chair in the 
evening, the chief paper read being that of Mr. George Gordon on 
“ Fruit Culture and Small Holdings,” which met with good acceptance. 
Mr. Gearing discoursed on Small Fruits. Mr. Joseph Cheal and Mr. 
Lewis Castle did not attend to read on the subjects announced in the 
programme. Our correspondent, however, remarks “ There was plenty 
without them, and, as rule, I think too much is promised at the meetings 
of the B.F.A.” 
- The Dutch Bulb Farms. —British bulb dealers will now 
be finding their way to Haarlem with the object of inspecting the 
bulb farms in the vicinity of that historic town, and some amateurs 
may be desirous of following suit. A visit any time during the next 
week or two would be well repaid, and Haarlem is quickly and 
cheaply reached either via Queenborough and Flushing or Harwich 
and Rotterdam. Apart from the large trade establishments, Messrs. 
Ant. Roozen & Son’s nursery at Overveen, which is within easy 
walking distance of Haarlem ; Messrs. Van Meerbeek & Co.’s nursery 
at Hillegom, reached by steam tram from Haarlem ; and Messrs. 
Krelage & Sons, and Mr. C. G. Van Tubergen, junior’s, establishments 
in the latter town should be visited. 
- Strawberry La Grosse Suoree. —When looking round the 
gardens at Madresfield Court, Malvern, the other day, I was much struck 
with the above Strawberry as grown for forcing by Mr. Crump. I have 
grown it, also seen it in good condition at various places, but I never 
saw it in better condition than at Madresfield this year. Grown side by 
side with Noble, the fruit was nearly as large, of a beautiful bright 
colour, and the flavour was all that could be desired for a forced fruit. 
It is a very free setting variety when properly managed and well repays 
for good culture. La Grosse Sucrde is preferred by Mr. Crump to 
Vicomtesse Hdricart de Thury, and rightly so I think, as Mr. 
Crump grows it, as the fruit is larger, throws its flower stalks 
above the foliage better than that variety, and can be had quite as 
early with care. It is a variety that should be largely grown 
where the soil suits it for forcing, also for garden culture.— 
John Chinnery. 
- Effects of the Frost in Worcestershire. — The late 
frosts and biting east winds have caused great destruction amongst 
the Plums and Gooseberries in some districts. The Plums which have 
suffered the most are Victorias, Early Prolific, Kirk’s, Transparent Gages, 
and the Pershores ; but the latter not so much as the others. If it had 
not been for the severe weather we should have had an unusually fine 
display of blossom in this the “ land of Plums.” The Gooseberries have 
also suffered very severely in some plantations. There is one four miles 
from here where the berries are falling off from the frost; the extent 
of this garden is 150 acres. Green vegetables are very scarce indeed ; 
the Cabbages until this last four days looked miserable. Winter Onions 
are selling well from 3d. to 5d. per dozen, about fourteen or fifteen in 
a bunch, a remarkably good price ; but of course they are scarce. 
Apple, Pear, and Cherry blossom looks promising at present.—J. W. 
Pershore. 
- Frost and Caterpillars. — Readers of the notes on 
page 295 on this subject will naturally be puzzled at my opening 
remarks, and Mr. S. T. Wright’s concluding remark, “ the frost and 
cold weather do not seem to affect caterpillars in the slightest.” I 
certainly have no wish to infer that I am always right and that he 
is wrong, but Nature I must believe. It was noticed, and recorded, 
by the members of the Evesham Fruit Pests Committee in the spring 
of 1890, that the frost killed the exposed young caterpillars. I exhibited 
some early in April at a meeting held at Mr. Joseph Masters’, then 
Mayor of Evesham. On the 16th inst.—after the two severe frosts of 
the 14th and 15th, on the morning of the latter of which every bud 
and bloom was enveloped in a shroud of icy hoar frost as bad as in 
