February 23, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
161 
is richer ; there is more than a suspicion of purple in it. Though the 
plants were young, they were carrying good trusses. Altogether the 
variety may be considered one of the best yet raised. Holborn Magenta 
is very fine in its colour. It is rich and striking, besides carrying a 
good truss. Holborn Vermilion is somewhat smaller in bloom, but has 
dense clusters of flowers. Its hue is a particularly brilliant and telling 
one. Holborn Queen is wonderfully pleasing. It is a white, with a 
very faint blush tint, having a good even truss and medium-sized blooms. 
Holborn Rose is not so striking as its more brilliant sisters, but its 
colour—rosy pink—is eminently pleasing, and the flower is large. It is 
a Fern-leaved variety. In Holborn Venus we have a striped and spotted 
flower, the groundwork being white and the colouring rosy magenta. 
There are two Holborn Elaines, one Palm and the other Fern-leaved. 
Both are pure white and both beautiful, but the latter is usually the 
more admired. It is a beautiful variety, the blooms being large, 
substantial, and well shown up by the brown stems. In the estima¬ 
tion of many persons this ranks as one of the best in the whole 
collection. Holborn Salmon is a fine deep salmon with an excellent 
truss. It is a late bloomer, not yet at its best. Holborn Carmine is 
particularly rich in colour, and its fine trusses are borne well above 
the foliage. 
The novelties include a really remarkable variety named Holborn 
Blush. In size and substance of bloom it is one of the finest Primulas 
ever raised. The petals are quite leathery in texture. The variety is 
the result of a cross between the blue Holborn Porcelain and the white 
Holborn Queen, the former being the pollen parent. A happier union 
was never effected. The new form has the large proportions and 
beautiful fringing of Porcelain, with even increased size, many of the 
flowers measuring 3 inches across, and it has the light foliage of Queen. 
The colour, as will be gathered from the name, is distinct from either 
parent. The stock of plants is now small. Should the variety prove 
capable of developing a good truss without losing materially in quality 
of bloom, it will soon find its way to the position of head of the 
collection. Another meritorious novelty is the Palm-leaved Holborn 
Rose, which is the result of a cross between Porcelain and Magenta. It 
has the shape and substance of the former, but a larger flower than 
either, and the colour is a bright rose. While not quite equal to Blush, 
it is a not unworthy companion to it. Holborn Ruby is a curiosity. It 
has large substantial ruby red flowers, dotted with patches of white, as 
though they had been splashed with whitewash. 
There are half a dozen double and semi-double flowers well worthy 
of mention. The first is Princess of Wales, white dotted and flaked with 
rosy carmine. It might be described as a double form of Venus. Lilac 
Queen has full blooms and a fine truss, the colour being deep lilac 
mauve. Blue Rosette has double and semi-double flowers of a clear 
lavender hue. Snowflake is a remarkably free bloomer. The flowers 
are white, but with a very faint tinge of pink. Prince of Wales, rich 
rosy salmon, is free in blooming, and very bright in colour, altogether a 
charming variety. Carmine Empress produces abundance of medium¬ 
sized blooms, and in colour it is one of the richest of all, showing up 
prominently amongst all the others. 
APPLES DR. HARVEY AND WORMSLEY PIPPIN. 
“ A. D.” (page 130) invites me to send samples of six fruits of eaeh 
of these Apples to the next Committee meeting of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society at the Drill Hall. I am sorry I cannot oblige him 
this season, as the demands of the kitchen have cleared away all the 
fruit of these varieties. “A. D.” has, however, had ample opportunity, 
and doubtless will have again, of comparing the Apples in question. 
The Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, vol. x., 1888, on British 
Apples, states that the Apples named Dr. Harvey, Wormsley Pippin, and 
Waltham Abbey Seedling were exhibited both in 1883 and 1888, and the 
Fruit Committee considered Golden Noble synonymous with Waltham 
Abbey Seedling. Although the members of the Committee act to the 
best of their knowledge for the time being, they are liable to be proved 
wrong, even by “ A. D.” himself, as he remarks that Golden Noble has 
long since been proved to be distinct from Waltham Abbey Seedling. 
I thoroughly agree with him that Golden Noble is a very distinct 
variety, and worthy of extensive cultivation, either as a standard or on 
the Paradise stock for bush culture. At some future time, if required, 
I may perhaps send samples with wood and leaves attached to the 
Editor of the Journal of Horticulture. The description given in the 
list of British Apples, vol. x., 1888, of the three differently named 
Apples is almost identical as regards shape, colour, season, and quality. 
Whatever one may prove, there is not the least doubt that the Apples in 
question will continue to be grown under their local names in certain 
districts. In the East of England—Norfolk—Dr. Harvey is extensively 
grown. The name is commemorative of a learned doctor who lived in 
South Norfolk and grew the Apple extensively. In the West of England 
it will always be called the Worms,ley Apple.— John Chinneey. 
[There is not the least necessity,to send samples of Golden Noble and 
Waltham Abbey Seedling here for showing the distinctness of the two 
varieties. The essential points of difference are clearly pointed out in the 
Fruit Manual,” and Dr. Hogg says, referring to the last named 
variety, “ I know of no Apple which bears fruit so large and has foliage 
so small.” We also know it would be impossible that the present Fruit 
Committee of the R.H.S. would give anything like a unanimous vote, 
declaring Golden Noble and Waltham Abbey Seedling synonymous, 
and the members would be much more likely to laugh the proposition 
off the table. ] 
GILIA BRANDEGEI. 
The annual Gilias are better known and more extensively grown 
than the biennial and perennial forms, though some of both of the 
latter are worthy of a place in every garden. G. Brandegei, the 
perennial species represented in the engraving (fig. 29) forms tufts of 
small peculiar and pretty leaves, alternate on the leafstalk ; the 
flower stems are erect, from 6 to 8 inches in height, giving a 
succession of bright primrose-yellow flowers all through the summer 
and autumn. It is perfectly hardy, and seems to flourish best in a 
damp shady situation ; if on rockery the natural drainage will be 
found sufficient. Planted out in a position where it can be treated 
liberally it attains a large size for a Gilia, forming in one year a 
clump from 1 to 2 feet in diameter. The young growths or side 
shoots may be struck readily under a hand-glass in August and 
September. It is a native of the Rocky Mountains of South Colorado. 
ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The monthly meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday 
evening, the 15th instant, at the Institution of Civil Engineers, 25, Great 
George Street, Westminster ; Dr. C. Theodore Williams, President, 
in the chair. Dr. J. H. Davies, Mr. G. F. Deacon, M.Inst.C.E., 
Mr. A. S.Helps, and Mr. R. H. Jeffrey, B.A., were elected Fellows of the 
Society. The following papers were read :— 
1. “ Report on the Phenological Observations for 1892,” by Mr. 
E. Mawley, F.R.Met.Soc. The Royal Meteorological Society has for a 
number of years past collected observations on natural periodical 
phenomena, such as the date of the flowering plants, the arrival, song 
and nesting of birds, the first appearance of insects, &c. These observa- 
