JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 12, 1891. 
20 3 
saw growing in various parts of Kent. But in some counties 
this Dielytra seems quite unknown. Where such in the case I 
feel convinced that those who can procure a few plants will be 
thoroughly satisfied. In addition to its usefulness and beauty as an 
outdoor plant it is also capital for pots, but it will not endure sharp 
forcing. Clumps must be lifted in the autumn or at the present time, 
be potted in rich light soil, and brought gradually on in cool houses or 
pits. When flowering in 32 and 21-sized pots they are exceedingly 
effective if arranged with Spiraea, Solomon’s Seal, and Maidenhair 
Ferns, and the flowers are equally beautiful in a cut state. When the 
flowering period is over the crowns after being hardened should be 
planted in rich soil, and be left undisturbed the following autumn. 
Twelve mont’ns later they will be in fine condition for flowering in pots 
again if their wants have been well attended to. Keep them free 
from weeds at all times. Water occasionally during the summer time 
if the soil becomes very dry. Cover the crowns with a couple of inches 
of coal ashes in October, and give a coating of well decayed manure or 
leaf soil between the rows at the same time.—H. D. 
- Can anyone inform me as to the best way of Catching ou 
Destroying the Short-tailed Field Mice? They are fast clear¬ 
ing off a bed of Globe Artichokes for me. The first sign is the drooping 
of the plant, and on pulling them up the tap root is found to be 
complettly eaten away and the stalk hollowed out. The mice never 
seem to come above ground, and it is therefore useless setting baited 
traps for them. I have caught some by setting small gins in their 
burrows, but this is a difficult operation, as the hole is small and 
generally rather deep, and the few caught this w^ay seems to make little 
difference. It would be interesting to know where these mica come 
from. Perhaps some of your readers could give information about their 
habits, ivhich would be useful as well as interesting. Bound the 
Artichoke bed w'ere some plants of Endive, the roots of which have also 
been eaten by the mice. Some three years ago these same beds were 
destroyed by the mice, and I had the ground deeply trenched, so as to 
get rid of their runs, and replanted. The crops were left undisturbed 
by the pests till this wunter.—R. T., Portugal. 
- Bolton Hortichltttral and Chrysanthemum Society. 
—A very pleasant evening was spent at the monthly meeting of this 
Society held at the Operative Spinners’ Hall on Thursday last, Mr. 
Charles Tones presiding, when a paper was read by Mr. Pawson, The 
Pike, on “ Annuals,” giving a descriptive list of varieties best adapted 
for growing near large towns, and showing that by careful selection and 
a little more attention than is generally given to this group of plants in 
thinning, and after cultivation, many an unsightly spot may be made to 
look gay for several months at a very little cost. A lively discussion 
followed, Messrs. Corbett, Callow, Tatton, Wainwright, Harrison, and 
Smith taking part, votes of thanks to the essayist and Chairman bring¬ 
ing a very enjoyable evening to a close.—J. H. 
- The Royal Meteorological Society. — This Society’s 
twelfth annual Exhibition of instruments was opened on Tuesday 
evening, March 3rd, in the rooms of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 
25, Great George Street, Westminster. The Exhibition this year is 
devoted to rain and evaporation gauges, and such new instruments as 
have been constructed since the last Exhibition. Almost every known 
pattern of rain gauge that has been used in this country is shown, and 
it is interesting to compare the old with the new patterns. Most of the 
gauges have funnels 5 or 8 inches in diameter. The Meteorological 
Office 8 inch gauge is generally regarded as the best for erdinary 
observers to whom cost is not a primary object, as it has all the good 
features of the Glaisher and of the Snowdon patterns, and being of 
copper is very durable. In mountainous districts, where the rainfall is 
heavy and the gauges can only be periodically examine:!, gauges 
capable of holding 40 or 50 inches of rain must be used. Specimens of 
these, as well as of the rain and snow gauges used in France, Germany, 
Russia, Switzerland, and the United States are shown in the Exhibition. 
Some interesting storm and self-recording instruments are also 
exhibited. The evaporation gauges include several employed for 
measuring the evaporation from a free surface of water, and others 
for use with growing plants. Numbers of new instruments are also 
exhibited, among which are various anemometers, recording barometers, 
and cameras for meteorological photography. An interesting collection 
of maps of rainfall over the British Isles and various parts of the world, 
as well as numerous photographs of floods, meteorological phenomena, &c., 
are also on view. The Exhibition will remain open till Thursday the 
19 :h instant. 
- Eucharis grandiplora. — This plant is well grown at 
Calderstones, near Liverpool, where that veteran in the Chrysanthemum 
world, Mr. Tunnington, is gardener. The plants were well clothed with 
dark green foliage, with a profusion of flower spikes, which were throw¬ 
ing up in the different plants in even succession, giving promise of a 
long continued display, which is just now much appreciated. The 
flowers were of exceptional high quality, being large and of more sub¬ 
stance than sometimes seen. The plants were growing in a large span- 
roofed house not far from the glass, the pots were plunged in leaves up 
to the rim. At the bottom of the bed heat was obtained. By careful 
management in withholding water at various stages of growth a good 
supply of bloom can be had from the plants in the same house. 
- Royal Botanic Society op London.—D r. R. C. A. Prior 
presided at a meeting of this Society, held on Saturday. An interesting 
report by Mr. Lecky was read, giving a summary and digest of the sun 
record in the Gardens during the year 1890, showing the percentage of 
each month. As compared with the returns for the previous year this 
shows an increase of 15G hours of bright sunshine, a result due to the 
latter half of the year (the earlier months being comparatively sunless). 
The total recorded for the year amounts to 1092 hours as against 
a possible total of 4455 hours. A noticeable feature was the predomi¬ 
nance of afternoon sunshine, due, it seems, to the position of the 
Gardens in the north-west of London and the difficulty the sun 
has in piercing the smoke and mists from the eastern districts as it 
rises. It is a curious fact that not the slightest trace of sunshine is 
recorded as occurring during December. 
- Liverpool Horticultural Association.—A good attend¬ 
ance of members of the above Association was held in the Lecture 
Room, William Brown Street, Liverpool, to hear a paper on Den- 
drobiums by Mr. John Glover, gardener to Sir A. B. Walker, Bart., 
Gateacre Grange. Mr. White, who presided, said Mr. Glover had 
charge, some years ago, of a large collection of Orchids, comprising 
some of the largest plants in England. He mentioned that he had 
read many good papers on the cultivation of Orchids. One he re¬ 
membered in particular on the Odontoglossum, and on which he had 
composed a poem. The paper on this occasion proved highly interest¬ 
ing. A discussion followed. Mr. Cox differed from the reader with 
respect to drainage, and considered that pots half filled with crocks 
was not sufficient. He preferred baskets, and not such long rest as 
advised. Mr. Storey inquired as to cutting away the old growths of 
Dendrobiums, Mr. Glover’s reply being that he would not cut away 
old growths until they turned yellow, as they afforded nourishment at 
resting time. Mr. Powell (Botanic Gardens), spoke of the use of dried 
cow manure. He had succeeded well with it, and strongly recommended 
its trial. He had also used it for Laelias with success, mixing it with 
the compost. Mr. Carling remarked that Dendrobium chrysanthum 
made two growths in the one year, and Mr. Glover, in reply, said that 
it was natural to the plant, which could be flowered twice a year with 
good treatment. Mr. Smith and Mr. Simpson abo spoke on the subject, 
and Mr. Storey proposed a vote of thanks to the reader of the paper, 
which was carried unanimously. 
- Midland Carnation and Picotee Society. —Birmingham 
is not content to sit down calmly under the gentle reproach in the 
Journal of following the old lines too closely in respect to exhibiting 
Carnations and Picotees. With a spirit worthy of its progressive 
reputation it has set to work again, and the result is a schedule revised 
is so broad and liberal a spirit that we may hope to see a really repre¬ 
sentative Exhibition of one of the grandest of all florists’ and garden 
flowers. The advanced florist will still have ample scope, and he will 
not be the worse for rubbing shoulders with those who cultivate 
Carnations and Picotees in a different groove to his own. In the 
revised schedule the wearisome separate classes for single blooms of 
Bizarres and Flakes, Heavy-edged and Light-edged, in the various 
colours are dispensed with. In the place rf the fifteen before provided 
we now have one for Bizarre Carnations, one for Flakes, one for Heavy- 
edged Picotees, one for Light-edged, one for Selfs, and one for 
Yellow Grounds. In the first four the Judges will in each case select 
the three best flowers in each colour, nine in all (there are nine prizes), 
and then arrange these in their order of merit from one to nine. The 
arrangement, which is to be tried at Mr. Sydenham's express wish, may 
evoke criticism from some of the old school, but it is simple enough, 
and is a desirable innovation. Then there are two classes for Carnations 
or Picotees staged as cut from the open ground with their buds and 
foliage, no dressing allowed, a class for bouquets of Carnations or 
