112 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 5, 1891. 
- The Caterpillar Plague in Cheshire. —Mr. J. Arkle, a 
member of the Chester Natural Science and Literature Society, informs 
us he is the author of the remarks on this subject that were quoted from 
the “ Entomologist ’’ by a correspondent and published in our issue of 
the 15th ult. (page 4G). Mr. Arkle adheres to his statement that cater¬ 
pillars were not more abundant than usual in that county in 1890, and 
sends supporting testimony to the effect that the “ plague ” referred to 
was very much of a myth, and that frost, not caterpillars, destroyed 
the fruit blossom. Mr. Arkle is, however, wholly in error respecting the 
identity of our correspondent, and who lives very far distant from 
Cheshire, in which county all entomologists do not reside. 
- We are informed that Mr. A. Outram has just had erected in 
Brompton Cemetery a fine monument to the memory of the late 
William Court, who represented Messrs. Veitch & Sons in America 
for many years, the same being subscribed for by his American friends 
through Mr. A. D. Cowan of Chambers, II., N.Y. The monument 
is about 9 feet high, red granite set upon a substantial York stone land¬ 
ing, bearing the following inscription :—“ In memoriam. The 
American and English flags entwined. William Court, born September 
1st, 1843 ; died September 7th, 1888. Subscribed by his American 
friends.” The same is a fine piece of workmanship by Messrs. J. Barker 
and Son, West Brompton, S.W. 
- White Poinsettias.— Mr. W. Kipps, The Gardens, Walton 
Lea, Warrington, in referring to the value of Poinsettias for decorative 
purposes from the end of autumn till the present time, states that he 
grows many of the white variety for associating with the red, and 
arranged with Palms, Ferns, Asparagus plumosus, and other plants the 
result is highly satisfactory. The bracts of the white variety are, he 
says, quite free from the green tinge which is often seen, and he 
considers white Poinsettias well worth growing. His plants vary from 
1 foot to 6 feet in height, the dwarfer being raised from cuttings in 
summer. 
-Liverpool Horticultural Association.—A t the twelfth 
annual general meeting of this Association Mr. Thomas White, who 
presided, appropriately referred to the loss the Association had 
sustained through the deaths of the late Sir T. Edwards-Moss, Bart., 
and Mr. Enoch Harvey. The Secretary’s report indicated a financial 
gain of nearly £90 during 1890, a sum not hitherto gained since the 
year 1884. The exhibitions held during the year have been in point 
of merit very successful. The return of the summer Show to Sefton 
Park, and the splendid weather on both days, had the effect of 
increasing its popularity. The receipts for the autumn Show for the 
first time equalled the expenditure. The numbers of visitors at the 
Show were 2789, summer Show 7045, autumn Show 6983. The sub¬ 
scriptions have increased £42 on the previous year. Thanks were 
accorded to nurserymen and florists who had rendered effectual aid, 
and officials were elected for the present year. 
- The Light Eainfall and Fruit Trees.—M r. W. Piffe- 
Brown, of Gloucester, has furnished some very interesting statistics on 
the rainfall in Gloucestershire from 1865 to 1890. It appears that the 
latter year was the lowest for more than twenty-five years, with 18'86 
inches.. The greatest fall in the period was in 1882 with 40-40 inches. 
By Mr. Brown’s record the deficiency for 1890 is 9 20 inches, and 
during the past five years there has been a decline in the rainfall. 
February has proved the driest month by far, with an average during the 
past five years of only 0-89 of an inch. May was the wettest, with an 
average of 2 82, July with 2-81, and November with 2-61. The question 
is how much this deficiency of moisture will affect our fruit crops, more 
particularly orchard trees on sward. Before the recent severe frosts 
set in I planted a good many trees on ground where the soil is kept 
continually moved on the surface, which is well known to prevent 
evaporation, yet on digging down about 18 inches or 2 feet the men 
could scarcely get their spades in the soil, it being so dry and hard. 
In many parts last year the fruit dropped prematurely, showing no 
trace of injury from insects. May not the lack of moisture in the soil 
account for it ? I think that was the cause, as naturally the fruit 
would drop if such was the case. I am very apt to take a too cheerful 
view of matters, but I think there is good reason to be somewhat 
anxious about the prospects for the present year, more especially as stated 
for trees in grass, as the soil is much drier as a rule, consequently they 
will feel the effects of drought more than those where the land is 
cultivated. We always keep the hoes at work among our dwarf trees, 
and have mulched with a quantity of long manure, so that if we have 
a dry season we shall not suffer so much as where no steps are taken to 
prevent the escape of moisture.—S. T. Weight. 
- Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. —At the Committee meeting of 
this Fund, held on Friday evening, the following contributions were 
announced as having been received during the month of lanuary ; —Mr. 
Todd, from the Edinburgh Chrysanthemum Show, £15 ; the Scottish 
Horticultural Society, per Mr. M'Kenzie, £5 ; Ealing District Gardeners 
Association concert, £15 ; proceeds of a skating fete at Hanger Hill 
House, Ealing (E. M. Nelson, Esq.), £7 133. Id. ; from a similar fete at 
The Elms, Acton, sent by Mr. James, gardener to Fi. A. Scott, Esq., £5 
Liverpool Horticultural Association (per Mr. E. P. Ker), £2 23.; Bristol 
Chrysanthemum Society (Mr. Vallance), £2 2s.; Mr. M. Dunn, Dalkeith, 
£1 Is. ; Mr. H. Herbst, £1 Is. ; Mr. Macfarlan, £10 ; Mr. A. J. Brown 
(Chertsey concert), £1 16s. ; Sevenoaks Gardeners’ Association (Mr. C- 
Denning), £1 10s. ; Tunbridge Gardeners’ Association (Mr. Fennell)' 
14s. 6d. ; Leeds Paxton Society (Mr. Frankland), £1 Is. ; contents of 
money boxes (Mr. J. Hughes, Birmingham), £6 lOs. 9d. ; Mr. D. T. 
Fish, Hardwicke, 193.; Mr. Turton, Beading, 8s. 2J. ; Mr. Gibson,. 
Morden Hall, 93. 6d.; Mr. Lemmon, Brighton, £1 5s. 8d. ; Mr. Ware, 
Wimbledon, 12s. 4d.; from Chiswick, 7s.—total, £77 17s., a good result 
from good helpers in a good cause. A letter was read from Mr. H. J. 
Veitch on behalf of the Williams’ Memorial Committee, offering the sum 
of £250 for the support of two children to be nominated by Mr. E. 
Williams, and was unanimously accepted with thanks. Dr. Hawksley, 
Managing Director of the School of Handicraft, Chertsey, kindly offered, 
through Mr. A. J. Brown, the gardener, to consider the cases of any 
children with the view to their admission to the school on the recom¬ 
mendation of the Committee, and a vote of thanks was accorded for the 
kind suggestion. The School is an excellent one, the inmates being 
given a good education, and grounded in the rudiments of gardening 
and carpentry. More will probably be heard of it. Already there 
are eight applicants for the benefits of the Orphan Fund, some of the 
cases being very distress'ng, and the Committee bespeak the kind aid 
of all who can help in making provision for as many as possible by the 
next election. 
- Home-made Wines. —I am one who enjoys the articles by 
old and esteemed writers, such as “ D., Deal," and Eobert Fenn. I have 
had a little of his sad experience concerning things I thought good, 
but which high authorities did not appreciate. My wife, with my help, 
has made various home-made wines, and we are considered experts ; 
but perhaps if samples were placed before judges they might be 
“ passed.” Life is most worth living, however, when we can please 
ourselves. Believing that Mr. and Mrs. Fenn must have more experi¬ 
ence in the art of wine, mead, and vinegar making from honey than 
we have, would it be asking too much for him to repeat his methods 
of making these liquors ? I am sure many beside myself would be 
grateful for the information, as it is like the “gathering up of the 
crumbs,” nothing being lost, but a great gain secured, and more 
especially as home-made are in many instances superior to foreign 
wines, and tend to alienate people from using stronger and more 
pernicious liquors.—W. T., Lanarhsliire. 
- Carnation Flowers in America.— Mr, .John Thorpe ha» 
been w-riting about Carnations in an American paper, and prophesied 
that within ten years the flowers will be 4 inches in diameter, and will 
realise a dollar each. Taking up the subject in the American Florist,. 
he remarks :—“ Somebody says they have Carnation flowers already 
3 inches in diameter. That is good, very good ; but Carnations are not 
modelled out of clay directly, or my 4-inch flower would be figured next 
week. To obtain a flower simply 4 inches in diameter is not a difficult 
task ; in fact, all the Malmaison varieties are fully 4 inches in diameter 
when well grown, but they are not what my 4-inch Carnation ideal is. 
Here is my model :—First, the flower is not to be less than 4 inches in 
diameter ; the petals must be thick and regularly disposed ; the colour, 
any colour ; it must have a decidedly sweet perfume. Second, the 
calyx to be not less than half the diameter of the flower; it must be 
sufficiently large so as not to burst during the period of the petals 
emerging from it. The stem must be in proportion to the size of the 
flower, and long enough to be cut not less than 18 inches long ; the 
lower end of the stem not thinner than an ordinary lead pencil. The 
stem to be clothed with leaves as are the best varieties to-day, excepting 
that the lower leaves are to be 8 inches long, one-half inch wide, 
covered with a glaucous surface which only Carnations have. The 
leaves to be curved in that lovely way already possessed by the ‘ divine 
flower.’ Such flowers will sell for one dollar each.” 
- Owing in part to the fine weather during September and 
October last those who grow Autumn-bearing Easpbereies had 
abundant and valuable crops. But though these may have been more 
