406 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 21,1891. 
It is questionable if during all past years such a profuse display of 
blossom has been seen at one time as is now expanded or approaching 
expansion.” Such exactly describes the state of things in our Leicester¬ 
shire orchards and gardens. Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries, and indeed 
all kinds of fruit trees are alike, literally full of expanded blossom, or 
buds nearly ready for expansion. Such also is generally remarked 
upon as being very fine in character; large, bold, and most perfect in 
development; but against these cheering prospects we have first to 
place the unwelcome re-appearance in large numbers of our old enemy 
the caterpillar of the winter moth, and secondly this disappointing 
return of winter weather. On Thursday, the 14th, we were visited by a 
strong gale of wind, which dislodged a large proportion of the petals 
from the Plum trees, carpeting the ground underneath and around with 
a white covering, but it was pleasing to see that the embryo fi’uit 
remained persistent and apparently satisfactory.—W. K. W., Leicester. 
This district, during the past few days, has been visited by frost 
and snow, hail and storms, more suggestive of January than any other 
month. On Friday we registered OdO inch of hail and snow ; Saturday, 
O'Ol inch snow ; Sunday, 0‘13 inch snow ; with a minimum temperature 
of 26°, and on Monday morning a minimum temperature of 20°. Potatoes 
are completely cut down ; young Plums, which were just set, and had 
lost their petals, and completely blackened through ; Pears, Strawberries, 
Ac., have suffered in a varying degree. Bush trees are cut, as also are 
numbers of plants in herbaceous borders ; in fact to enumerate all the 
damage done would require a longer list than I have time at present 
to prepare.—J. Tunxixgton, Rqyley, Yorlis. 
To Contributors. —We desire to thank all our friends who have 
so promptly and spontaneously favoured us with notes on the late 
extraordinary weather as well as on other subjects of interest, and to 
assure them that if all communications we receive cannot be inserted at 
once they are not on that account the less appreciated. 
- Royal Horticultural Society. —We are desired to state 
that this Society will hold its fourth great annual fiower Show in the 
gardens of the Inner Temple, London, on the 28th and 29th inst. So 
far the entries have been numerous and important, and to prevent 
eventual disappointment-those who are still desirous to exhibit should 
at once communicate with the Superintendent, R.H.S. Gardens, Chis¬ 
wick. This year the arrangements have been nearly all completed 
somewhat earlier and more systematicallj' than usual, and there is every 
reason to hope that if favoured with fine weather H.R.H. the Princess 
Christian wid have the pleasure of opening the finest Show the Society 
has yet held in the Inner Temple Gardens. 
—— The Horticultural Club. —It has been suggested that 
an informal dinner of the Club should take place on Thursday, the 
28th inst., at 7 o’clock. This will be the evening of the Temple 
Show, and no doubt many members and friends will be glad of the 
opportunity of dining together. 
- Gardening Appointments.— Mr. G. F. .Jeal, until recently 
head gardener to W. J. Cheetham, Esq., Rawdon Hill, Arthington, 
Leeds, has been appointed head gardener to F. C. Arkwright, Esq., 
Willersley Castle, Cromford. Mr. John A. Wood, foreman at Culzean 
Castle Gardens, May bole, N.B., has been appointed head gardener to 
Lord A. E. Hill Trevor, Brynkinalt, Chirk, Denbighshire; and Mr. 
Charles Portsmouth as head gardener and bailiflE to Mrs. Baker Baker, 
Elemore Hall, Haswell, Durham. 
- Death of Dr. Schomburgk.—A correspondent sends us the 
following extract from the Sydney Bulletin of April 4th last. “ Dr 
Schomburgk, the octogenarian Curator of the Adelaide Botanical 
Gardens, who died suddenly last week in the arms of his son Otto, was 
an ideal scientist—a simple-minded, single-hearted genius. He came 
to Adelaide more than a generation ago with a younger brother, both 
being political refugees from Germany. Another brother. Sir Robert 
Schomburgk (who discovered and named the Victoria regia in the 
Brazils), was a fellow traveller with the immortal Humboldt, botanist • 
and naturalist, and it was through the powerful interest of Humboldt 
that the escape of the two Schomburgks was connived at. The 
deceased controlled the Adelaide Gardens for a quarter of a century.” 
- Sdtton’s Potatoes in Ceylon.—W e learn that Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons of Reading have been awarded a gold medal at the Ceylon 
Agri-Horticultural Exhibition held at Nuwara Eliya on April 1st, 1891, 
for a collection of Potatoes grown in the garden of His Excellency the 
Governor of Ceylon. The varieties were exclusively of the firm’s intro¬ 
duction, and included such varieties as Abundance, Satisfaction, Windsor 
Castle, and Masterpiece, and Mr. Nock, the Superintendent, writes :— 
“ The Potatoes were a good sample, and made a splendid show; they 
would have held their own in most exhibitions, and would have been 
hard to beat for evenness and general appearance.” 
- Single Flowers Doubling.—I have numerous cases of 
single Daffodils becoming double. What is the primary cause ? Has 
the pollen of semi-doubles any influence upon the bulbs, or is it 
simply a malformation from the peculiarity of the soil or cultivation ? 
—A. L. B. 
- Messrs, James Carter & Co., High Holborn, exhibited a 
Group of Cinerarias at the Crystal Palace Show recently, compris¬ 
ing well-grown plants representing their “ Brilliant Prize ” strain. The 
colours were varied and extremely bright, the flowers also of good size 
and shape. 
- Narcissus princeps.—T he early flowering is very showy 
growing in a mass out of doors, and it is so useful on account of its 
earliness, being one of the first to flower of the trumpet section. For 
pot culture it is equally prized. The sulphur white perianth and yellow 
trumpet are colours much appreciated. 
-Early Planting of Potatoes.—I n some districts for 
several years past farmers have been in the habit of planting Potatoes 
during the first favourable opportunity, and before cereals were sown. 
This year, as usual, many were planted in the early part of February, 
but unfortunately in several instances the seed has been destroyed 
by the severe frosts of March, and the ground has had to be planted 
anew. 
- For planting in a mass in the flower garden Narcissus 
Horsefieldi is one of the best of the family. The flowers are freely 
produced on short stout stalks, quite in keeping with the foliage, 
which is very stiff in habit, the broad leaves having a decided glaucous 
tint. The rich yellow of the trumpet corresponds well with the white 
perianth. Altogether this Trumpet Daffodil is deserving of extended 
cultivation in the flower garden, where it is best seen growing in a 
mass by itself.—E. M. 
- Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, Hextable, Swanley, Kent, 
write :—“ I herewith beg to send you a flower of a new American 
Carnation Lizzie McGowan, which we are sending out this spring. 
It is a very fine-growing variety, very free, and we consider it is the 
best white perpetual Carnation in cultivation. The flowers are much 
larger when the plants are grown strongly and well-established. 
For cutting purposes it is especially good, and therefore valuable for 
market work.” i[The flower received had suffered in'its journey, but is 
evidently pure white and extremely fragrant, somewhat of the Clove 
scent.] 
-Ware Horticultural Mutual Improvement Society.— 
This Society held its fortnightly meeting on the 12th inst., when an 
interesting paper was read by Mr. H. Smith on “ Leaves, their Form, 
Modification, Sensibility, Functions, and Uses.” Questions were asked 
by several of the members, to which Mr. Smith replied. A good 
selection of Pansies was shown by Mr. Gull, and a choice collection of 
cut flowers and good pans of market Lettuces by Mr. G. Fulford. Votes 
of thanks to the essayist and Mr. G. Collins, who presided, brought the 
meeting to a close. 
- The summer Show at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, 
yesterday (^Vednesday) comprised some excellent groups and collections 
of a bright and varied character. Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest 
Hill, had an effective group of Tuberous Begonias, Orchids, and foliage 
plants, also handsome specimen Caladiums. Messrs. W. Paul & Son, 
Waltham Cross, showed a magnificent bank of Roses in pots, with 
boxes of cut blooms ; and Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, also had a very 
beautiful group of Tree Pmonies and hardy plants. Extensive collec¬ 
tions of cut Daffodils and hardy flowers wmre contributed by Messrs. 
Barr & Son, King Street, Covent Garden, and Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, which imparted much interest to the Show. Stands of 
flowers, a few groups of Gloxinias, Calceolarias, and miscellaneous 
plants were also exhibited by amateurs. Green baize screens were 
employed as a background to the groups arranged on the floor and 
tables with capital effect, a very notable improvement. 
