August 24, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
171 
destroyed by fire to prevent the disease spreading. It may be mentioned 
that Mr. Blackmore (“ Journal Royal Horticultural Society ”) plunged 
an infected shoot into a can of strong liquid manure ; and this arrested 
the evil, and after two or three such dippings sound growth was 
renewed. The manure should be undiluted and strong. 
Primula Poissoni. —Mr. G. F. Wilson exhibited a plant with several 
■flower-scapes, one of which bore six whorls of purple flowers. 
Events of the Week. —Apart from the four days’ Show which 
opens at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, under the auspices of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, on Tuesday, August 29th, but few events 
of horticultural interest will take place in the metropolis during the 
ensuing week. A further reference to the Exhibition is given in 
another paragraph on this page. 
- The Weather in London. —After the abnormal heat of last 
week a change in the temperature has been generally welcomed. As 
mentioned in the leading article of this issue, 95° were recorded at 
Greenwich Observatory in the shade on Friday last; but on Saturday 
the thermometer fell to 75° in the metropolis. A little rain fell on 
Monday morning and also on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday opened 
showery, and at the time of going to press the weather appears 
unsettled. 
- Agricultural Hall Show.—O n Tuesday, August 29th, 
the great Show of plants, flowers, fruits, and horticultural sundries will 
be opened at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, by the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society, and will remain open to the public until the night of 
September Ist. The members of the Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Com¬ 
mittees will meet on the 29th inst, at 11 A.M. precisely, but will be 
admitted at the Barford Street entrance as early as ten o’clock. They 
are particularly requested to wear the badges given out at the last 
Temple Show, and to have their Fellows’ pass or tickets with them. 
We are requested to state that as the catalogue of the Show must go to 
press on Monday, it is hoped that all exhibitors will have given par¬ 
ticulars as to their exhibits by that day to the Superintendent of the 
R.H.S. Gardens, Chiswick, as otherwise they cannot possibly appear in 
the catalogue. 
- Lady Bird Tomato.—A lthough I knew this to be in many 
respects an excellent Tomato, I was quite unaware until I saw it recently 
growing in a house at Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons’ Eynsford Nursery 
what an extraordinary cropper it was. Growing here by the side of 
such sterling varieties as CannelTs Perfection, Ham Green Favourite, 
and Hackwood Park Prolific, it completely eclipsed them as regards 
weight of crop. The fruits are, however, not of such good shape as either 
Perfection or Ham Green, though they are equally as rich in colour. 
The growth made by Lady Bird is far stouter and more robust looking 
than any of the others, and the crop must have been at least twice as 
heavy. I am surprised that more is not heard of this Tomato, as to my 
mind it is one of the finest that has been introduced during the past 
three or four years. It was figured in the Journal for January 5th, 
1893, at page 15.—H. W. 
- Melon Blenheim Orange. —Now there are so many varieties 
annually introduced the value of this high-class Melon appears to be 
overlooked, but I am yet inclined to think that it ranks foremost in its 
section for all-round properties—namely, handsome shape and fine 
netting, high quality, good constitution, and free setting. I have a 
recollection of the fine fruits grown by Mr. Iggulden at Marston House 
some few years since on the extension system of training, many of them 
weighing 6 lbs. and upwards each. Cut from plants in full foliage they 
were unbeaten in the best competition. At Heywood its value seems to 
be fully appreciated, for calling there recently I saw one house devoted 
exclusively to this variety, the fruits averaging from 2 to 3 lbs. each. 
The plants were placed about 1 foot or so apart, and kept to single 
stems j and although this particular house is a small one, over forty 
fruits were swelling, and furnished with the perfect net so characteristic 
of the variety. It is good for growing in frames in summer under 
restricted treatment, but to see it in its best condition it should be 
grown on a trellised roof of a heated structure.—W, S., Rood Ashton. 
- An Annual Outing. —The employes of Messrs. William 
Cutbush & Son of Highgate, London, N., and Barnet, Herts, held their 
outing on Saturday, August 19fch, on which occasion they went to 
Hastings, where an enjoyable day was spent. 
- Vines in France. —On account of the intense heat at Medoc 
and Bordeaux the Vines, says a correspondent, have become completely 
ripe during the past week. At the Chateau Margaux the Grapes are 
already being gathered. It is estimated that the heat has spoilt 25 per 
cent, of the vintage, which, in spite of this loss, remains unusually 
large. 
- Pink Ernest Ladhams. —I send a few blooms of new 
perpetual-flowering Pink Ernest Ladhams, which is now as full of buds 
and blossom as in spring. I have never been without bloom since it 
was raised four years since, and it forces admirably. A recent storm 
has somewhat damaged the blooms, as the plants are growing quite 
in the open.—B. Ladhams, Shirley. [A beautiful border Pink with 
large fragrant blossoms.] 
- Tender and True Runner Bean.—T he public ought to 
be greatly indebted to Messrs. Sutton & Sons for the introduction of 
this splendid novelty. The seed resembles the ordinary French Bean. 
Canadian Wonder sown at the same time is all over. Tender and True 
is covered to a height of 4 feet with well shaped pods about the size of 
those of Canadian Wonder, and is likely to continue cropping until 
frost cuts it down. This Bean is likely to be much heard of in the 
near future.—R. 
- A New Cactus Dahlia. —At the South of Scotland Horticul¬ 
tural Society’s Show at Dumfries on 15th and IGth inst., Messrs. Dobbie 
and Co. of Rothesay exhibited a new Cactus Dahlia named Ivanhoe. It 
is the first of a new type, being single and having sharply pointed, some¬ 
what twisted petals. The colour is a beautiful rose, and for decorative 
purposes it will certainly be much in demand. Ivanhoe is a charming 
novelty, and was greatly admired.—S. A. 
-SiDALCEA PEDATA.—This was the most striking plant in an 
exhibit of hardy herbaceous flowers by Mr. Lister of Rothesay at the 
same Show. It is a beautiful Malva-like flower of a pretty blush pink 
colour. I can find no reference to this plant, but was informed that it 
grew about 3 feet in height. For exhibition purposes it looks as if it 
would be invaluable.—S. A. 
-Carnation Lady Nina Balfour.—T his new Carnation was 
exhibited with a number of others by Laing «fc Mather of Kelso. They 
were arranged in bunches with their own foliage. Lady Nina Balfour 
is undoubtedly a beautiful flower of a most attractive pink colour, and if it 
possesses the qualities claimed for it by the firm distributing it will soon 
be widely grown. A bright scarlet self named Dundas Scarlet in the 
same exhibit pleased me very much.—S. A. 
- Hardy Flowers at Dumfries Show.—A t this Show on 
15th and 16th inst. six exhibitors competed for the prize for twenty-four 
spikes or bunches of hardy herbaceous plants. The first prize was 
awarded to Mr. J. Harper, gardener to Mrs. Maxwell-Witham of Kirk- 
connell, with a good collection, arranged in a most effective manner. 
Among the most noteworthy plants was the larger and better of the two 
forms of Rudbeckia or Echinacea purpurea. The second went to Mr. 
J. Wilson, gardener to J. Davidson, Esq., Summerville, who had perhaps 
more variety, but must have lost several points for arrangement. Third 
Mr. W. Carruthers, gardener to Capt. Stewart of Shambellie. In the 
class for six spikes the prizes went to Mr. W. Edgar, an amateur, and 
Mr. W. Carruthers.—S. Arnott. 
- A New Agricultural College. —The Kent County Council 
have completed the arrangements by which they propose to extend 
their scheme of technical education, by the establishment, jointly with 
the Surrey County Council, of an Agricultural College at Wye. The 
idea is to provide a centre for agricultural science and practical 
instruction, at which not only will instruction be given to resident and 
non-resident scholars, but from its professional staff will be drawn 
lecturers to visit the towns and villages of Kent and Surrey, while the 
College itself will become a seat of scientific research and examination 
of soils, manures, seeds, and products. The acquisition of the premises 
at Wye was at the suggestion of the Earl of Winchilsea. The govern¬ 
ment of the College is vested in Lord Winchilsea, as Hereditary 
Governor, nine representatives of the Kent County Council, six of the 
Surrey County Council, two of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge 
one of the Royal Agricultural Society, and one of the Bath and West of 
England Society and Southern Counties Association, 
