October 12, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
383 
- Proposed Park for Manchester,—I t is reported that the 
Manchester Corporation are negotiating with the owners with the view 
to purchasing 134 acres of the Booth Hall Estate, including the 
picturesque Boggart Hall Clough, for the purposes of a cemetery and 
an open space. 
- Dr. 0. Loew, op Munich, well known for his investigations 
of the nature of protoplasm in connection with Dr. T. Bokorny, has, we 
understand, been appointed Professor of Agricultural Chemistry in the 
University of Tokio, Japan ; and Dr. D. Brandis, Professor of Forestry 
in the University of Bonn. , 
- Ecklinville Apple.—I agree with Mr. Molyneux (page 317) 
as to the tenderness of this Apple when ripe, but would point out 
the fact that it is of a sufBcient size and good appearance in a 
green state to “ market ” early in the season, when it would not bruise 
more than other Apples.—Y. 
- Earthing up Winter Greens. —Mr. G. Garner, Cadland 
Park, Southampton, writes—“A few weeks since I advised in this 
Journal those who were troubled (as we were at that time) with 
clubbing in winter Broccoli to thoroughly tread the ground around 
each plant and then draw some soil up to the stems. At the present 
time the advantage of doing this is plainly to be seen here in the mass of 
small white roots which have emanated from the stems and taken full 
possession of the soil.” 
- Pipe Raspberries in October.—T he same correspondent 
observes : “ On October 4th I gathered a small dish of ripe Raspberries 
in these gardens. It is not a very uncommon occurrence I know to be 
able to gather the above fruit so late as this month, but the Raspberries 
referred to grew upon summer fruiting sorts, and were of excellent 
flavour.” 
- Potato Experiments in America. —We learn from the 
“ Garden and Forest ” that some Potato experiments have been con¬ 
ducted at the Michigan Agricultural College for two or three years 
past, with a view to show the results of growing Potatoes under a 
mulch as compared with the ordinary method of cultivation. In a dry 
season it was considered that mulching may be profitable. The Potatoes 
grown under the mulch were of excellent quality and almost entirely 
free from scab. The unmulched Potatoes were badly affected with scab, 
and although the yield was heavier, the quality was inferior. 
- Distribution op Plants. — In addition to the previous 
announcement regarding this subject (vide Journal of Horticulture, 
September 28t.h, page 289), it is stated that the Commissioners of Her 
Majesty’s Works and Public Buildings intend to distribute this autumn 
among the working classes and the poor inhabitants of London the 
surplus bedding-out plants in Hyde and the Regent’s Park and in the 
Pleasure Gardens, Hampton Court. If the clergy, school committees, 
and others interested will make application to the Superintendent of 
the Park nearest to their respective parishes, or to the Superintendent of 
Hampton Court Gardens, they will receive early intimation of the 
number of plants that can be allotted to each applicant, and of the 
time and manner of their distribution. Any costs of carriage must be 
borne by the recipients, 
- Tea Cultivation in Ceylon. —An Indian paper observes 
“ We have more than once lately pressed upon the attention of our 
planting readers that their lands cannot go on producing Tea crops from 
year to year from the same soil without eventual exhaustion sooner or 
later of some one or more of those ingredients which are essential to the 
quality of the Tea that the land produced when it was first cultivated 
It may be, and we believe it is true, that there are comparatively few 
Tea estates where the restorative process has become imperative ; but 
what we contend for is timely help to those which have not yet begun 
perceptibly to suffer for the want of it. Tea is a much more critical 
product for the cultivator than Coffee ever was. Though the bush is 
hardy in growth, and in same senses easy to grow, the leaf when grown 
cannot in the course of Nature remain permanent in quality while the 
soil that produces it is being drawn upon year by year for the same 
essential ingredients. One by one, as each in turn becomes scarcer, the 
leaf will feel more and more the deficiency. Tea planting in Ceylon is 
as yet a young enterprise. Estates that were old before they were planted 
with Tea. become more quickly exhausted than younger ones ; but as 
yet they do not form a large proportion of the whole, and they would 
benefit by an early application of restorative ingredients and conditions 
such as are not of merely stimulating nature.” 
- The Brussels Botanic Garden.—I t would appear that the 
King of the Belgians takes an interest in horticulture, for on Saturday, 
September 23rd, His Majesty paid a visit to the Botanic Garden. 
M. Louis Lubbers, the Director, conducted the royal visitor through the 
various departments of the garden, and into the principal houses. 
- The Natural History Society of Danzig has offered a 
prize of 1000 marks for the best essay on the best means of producing 
and spreading fungus epidemics for the destruction of insects injurious 
to the forests in Western Prussia. The essays, says ” Nature,” must be 
written in German or French, and are to be sent in before the end of 
the year 1898. 
- Greek and Persian Flora. —Some interesting reports of 
the botanical excursion of Dr. E. von Halficsy in the Pindus range in 
Greece, and of that of Dr. J. Bornmilller in Persia, were recently given 
in a foreign contemporary. Dr. Bornmiillef describes the flora of the 
neighbourhood of Bushire in March as being especially rich and 
beautiful. 
- Su MMARY OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT HODSOCK 
Priory, Worksop, Notts, for September. —Mean temperature of 
month, 55'3°. Maximum on the 4th, 75’5°; minimum on the 12th, 30 2°. 
Maximum in the sun on the 3rd, 128'5° ; minimum on the grass on the 
12th, 221®. Mean temperature of air at 9 A.M., 571° ; mean temperature 
of soil 1 foot deep, 56-7°. Nights below 32°, in shade one ; on grass ten. 
Total duration of sunshine in month, 134 hours, or 36 per cent, of 
possible duration. We had one sunless day. Total rainfall, 0‘85 inch. 
Rain fell on twelve days. Approximate averages for September: Mean 
temperature, 65'5° ; sunshine, 110 hours; rainfall, 2'26 inches. Another 
fine and dry month of average temperature. The rainfall is less than in 
any previous September, except 1884.—J. Mallender. 
- The Weather Last Month. —September was chiefly bright 
and dry until the 22nd, but more changeable and showery afterwards. We 
had nineteen bright days, three of which were clear. Wind was in a 
westerly direction nineteen days. The total rainfall was 1'20 inch, 
which fell on thirteen days, the greatest daily fall being O'40 inch on 
the 8th ; the total is 1'81 inch below the average for the month. 
Temperature was higher than usual. We had not enough frost to injure 
the Dahlias and other tender plants, which is quite unusual for this 
locality. Highest shade temperature was 79° on 6th, lowest 34° on 12th ; 
lowest on grass 29° on 24th. Mean daily maximum, 66 23° ; mean daily 
minimum, 45 93°. Mean temperature of the month, 54'26°. Barometer, 
highest, 30'34 inches at 9 A.M. on 12th ; lowest, 29'28 inches at noon on 
30th. The garden spring ran 11 gallons per minute on 30th.— 
W. H. Divers, Ketton Hall Gardens, Stamford. 
- Jaffa Oranges, — The British Consul at Jerusalem has 
recently sent to the Foreign Office a translation of a report by an 
engineer of the Turkish Government on a scheme for irrigating the 
plains and Orange gardens of Jaffa, in which, incidentally, some 
interesting information is given in regard to the famous Jaffa Oranges. 
The town, it is said, owes its importance to its climate, which is 
extremely favourable for Orange growing. In consequence the port 
is surrounded on the land side by Orange groves, covering an area of 
about 1780 acres. Jaffa Oranges, on account of their excellent flavour, 
have of late years acquired a world-wide reputation, and while some 
eighteen years ago they were known only at Beyrout, Alexandria, and 
Constantinople, enormous consignments are now exported to Europe, 
America, and even to India, and the cultivation has consequently 
increased to a very considerable extent. A special feature of Jaffa 
Oranges is that they will keep from thirty to forty days, and, if properly 
packed, for two or even three months. New Orange groves are continu¬ 
ally being laid out, and the total number is now about 400, against 200 
fifteen years ago. The exports for the last few years have averaged 
36,000 boxes per annum, and owing chiefly to this trade Jaffi ranks 
next to Beyrout in importance among Syrian coast towns. Orange 
growing in Syria is conducted exclusively by natives. Each Orange 
garden contains about 2000 square feet of planted area, equal to about 
1300 trees to 2J acres. The trees begin to bear the fourth year after 
planting, but it is estimated that it takes seven and sometimes eight 
years before an Orange orchard yields a remunerative crop. During all 
this time, and even afterwards, the orchards have to be watered 
continually, and this irrigation is the most difficult and laborious part 
of the work, inasmuch as the water has to be drawn by means of 
primitive water-wheels from wells dug in the gardens 90 feet and even 
100 feet deep. 
