400 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Noyember 2, 1893. 
Events of the Week. —During the ensuing week many Chrys¬ 
anthemum Shows will he held, but as a list of those which have been 
advertised in our columns is given on page 402 further reference is 
unnecessary. Attention may be called to Messrs. Harrison & Sons’ 
vegetable and root show, which will be held at Leicester on November 
8th and 9th. Particulars of this will be found in the advertisement 
pages. 
- The Weather in London.—A change in the weather has 
taken place since publishing our last issue. For the first time this 
season frost was apparent on Monday night, 1° having been registered 
in Hyde Park. A frost also occurred on Tuesday night, destroying 
Dahlias in many gardens. The barometer has risen, and at the time of 
going to press the weather remains cold. 
- Weather in the North. —A great deal of rain has fallen 
during the month in this district, the really fine days were few. We 
have now every appearance of an early winter. Snow appeared on the 
higher hills as early as the 23rd September, and they have since been 
white to their bases more than once. They are again covered, and frosts 
of 8° and 9° have been recorded on the last two mornings. Trees have 
generally lost their foliage, and flowers are virtually over.—B. D., 
/S'. Perthshire. 
- Chrysanthemums and Gardeners’ Orphans. —By kind 
permission of Mr. and Mrs. Hopwood the gardens and hothouses at 
Ketton Hall Gardens, near Stamford, will be opened to the public on 
Thursdays, November 9th and 16th, from 2 to 5 p.m. in aid of the 
Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. The fine collection of Chrysanthemums 
is now in flower, and contains over 1000 large blooms in various stages. 
Admission 6d. each. Gardener, Mr. W. H. Divers. 
- Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. —We learn 
that the Prince of Wales has been pleased to signify to the Earl of 
Meath that it will afford him much pleasure to accord his patronage to 
the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association, and at the same time to 
send a contribution of 10 guineas to its funds. 
- Corrected Nomenclature.—A glacnema not 
A. “ rotundum,” is the name of the plant that was figured on page 379 
last week, the wrong name having been inadvertently given to the 
plant when first exhibited. Through a mis-transcription the name of 
Cirrhopetalum (the proper name) was printed C. “ama- 
tissimum ” on page 378. 
- Magnum Bonum Potato. —Mr. A. Harding, Orton Hall 
Gardens, Peterborough, writes;—“ On October 26th I lifted one of the 
best crops of Magnum Potatoes I ever saw. The Potatoes were planted 
the beginning of June, after Ashleafs and Hebrons were earthed up. 
The tubers are clean, large and fine shaped ; being planted late they 
made no second growth like those planted earlier—a peculiarity of 
season, I suppose.” 
- A New Thames Embankment. —It is reported that a new 
Thames Embankment is to be formed at Battersea. It is decided now 
to claim the foreshore by the side of the Thames near Old Battersea 
Church, and by building a concrete embankment enclose an open space 
of 2800 square yards. This space when railed in and planted with 
shrubs and trees will make an open and delightful promenade with a 
river frontage. The cost is estimated to be £2400, towards which the 
Metropolitan Public Gardens Association will contribute £1000. 
- Wakefield Paxton Society.—A t a meeting of this Society 
last week, Mr. J, Haigh, of Sheffield, read a very interesting paper on 
“ Plants in Dwelling Houses.” Nothing, he said, could be more 
beautiful than floral or foliage embellishments in a house ; pictures, 
statuary, or other ornaments were inanimate, and could not compare 
with them in effectiveness. It was difficult to choose suitable plants 
for the varied conditions of heat and cold, light and darkness, dampness 
and dryness of different rooms in a house, but with care and observa¬ 
tion the many difficulties in keeping plants in a state of health and 
beauty could be overcome. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. Maurice Jones, late gar¬ 
dener to Miss C. Denton, Flemingate House, Beverley, East Yorks, has 
been appointed gardener to C. C. Arkcoll, Esq., Lime Park, Hurst- 
monceux, Sussex. 
- Dahlia Brilliant. —At the meeting of the Floral Committee 
of the National Chrysanthemum Society held on the 25th ult., a first- 
class certificate was awarded to Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons for Dahlia 
Brilliant, a rich deep crimson flower of the true Cactus type. 
- Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society, — 
Mr, Charles Parker, 11, Cannon Street, Preston, has been appointed 
Secretary of the above Society in place of Mr, John Atherton, who 
resigned. The spring show of the Society is fixed for March 14th and 
15th, 1894. 
- The Devon and Exeter Gardeners’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association.' —At the meeting of the above Association, held 
on the 25th ult., in the Guildhall, Exeter, Mr. Andrew Hope, of 
Messrs. R. Veitch & Son, read an able and interesting paper on “ Plant 
Names and Their Association.” The chair was occupied by Mr. G. B. 
Langsdale, and there was a large attendance of members. 
- Mr. C. Orchard, we learn, has given up the management of 
the Bembridge Hotel, I.W,, and taken over the Gardens on the reclaimed 
land from the Brading Harbour Co., with a view of developing a florist’s 
business, as well as supplying the hotels belonging to the Company with 
cut flowers, vegetables, and other produce. Mr. Orchard’s present 
address is 2, Harbour Mount, Bembridge, Isle of Wight. 
- Gustavia pterocarpa. —In a recent issue of the “ Garden 
and Forest,” Mr. G. Nicholson remarks that this plant has been flower¬ 
ing in the Palm house at Kew ; all the species of the genus are hand¬ 
some plants, well worth growing. The present species has large flowers 
—about 4 inches or more across—somewhat like those of a Magnolia in 
shape ; the petals are white inside and rose-tinted externally. The 
inflorescence consists of about ten flowers ; the stalked, leathery leaves 
measure from 12 to 20 inches in length and from 4 to 6 inches in width. 
- Large Vegetables. —We learn from a Cumberland con¬ 
temporary that there was a unique collection of fine vegetables filling 
the front windows of Messrs. Little & Ballantyne’s establishment on 
Saturday last. The specimens were all sent to the firm from growers 
in the neighbourhood of Carlisle. There were white Cabbages 20 lbs. 
weight. Red Cabbages 16 or 17 lbs. ; Brussels Sprouts nearly 3 feet 
high, “ buttoned ” to the very top ; pink and white Celery, which had 
displaced a depth of 2| feet of soil ; Leeks, of the Musselburgh variety, 
8 or 9 inches in circumference ; large round Onions from 1 lb, to 1^ lb. 
in weight ; Marrows of extraordinary dimensions, and a Gourd 
weighing 30 lbs. 
- Pot Marigolds. —These plants are the hardiest of annuals 
and give a fine show of flowers during the summer. If sown, 
however, in May a display of bloom is seen all the autumn, 
and that is very important. Amongst the very latest to flower 
outdoors is Orange King, one of the most effective of all, because 
the rich hue is particularly striking at this dull season. The 
old form of pot Marigold, a poor and uncertain flower, is quite elbowed 
out by such beautiful varieties as those named; Prince of Orange 
partially flaked with white ; Meteor, the petals striped white and yellow. 
Some varieties are self, lemon, or occasionally tinted with a dark 
hue on the tops of the petals. All these are excellent in gardens, all are 
beautiful, bloom freely, and endure longer than other hardy annuals.— A. 
- Colouring Fruit. — Have you ever noticed what a fine 
colour most of the fruit offered for sale in the street generally 
possesses ? It is all a question of dyes, remarks a “ Society ” journal. 
Ordinary Oranges are dyed a deep red, which enables them to be passed 
off as fine Blood Oranges at an enhanced price, especially when they 
have been made half as large again by boiling. Pine Apples are also 
tinted to make them look more attractive, and hard, unripe Straw¬ 
berries are dyed so as to look a deep, luscious red. Melons are coloured 
a deep orange, and essence of Melon is injected to increase their flavour 
The latest development of the business of colouring fruit in France is in 
connection with Pears, which are dyed blue for a third of their size and 
red below, so that they present the national tricolour when peeled 
They are said to be in great demand for dessert fruit on account of their 
novelty, just as the green Carnations were over here with certain 
persons. 
