236 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March J3, H93 
- Essay on Manures. —I find a mistake ia the paragraph on 
Potatoes (page 213), which I shall be glad if you will rectify. The 
yield of Potatoes should read three to four bags (of 180 lbs.) per rod 
(not rood), and the word “ rod ” should also be used three lines farther 
down in the same paragraph.— G. A. Bishop. 
- Scottish Horticultural Association. —In giving a lecture 
on the “ Cultivation of Peaches and Nectarines ” before this Association 
recently, Mr. Fairgrieve, Dankeld, said the particular branch of fruit 
culture which was the subject of the lecture was as of great importance 
as any in the held of horticulture. As they were aware, there was an 
increasing demand on the part of the public for fruit, and it was to be 
deplored that good sound fruit was not within the reach of all. It was 
the case that foreign countries could not supply Peaches and Nectarines 
in good condition, and that being so, it was for home growers to show 
that that fruit could be produced in this country. It might be asked 
whether the Peach could be grown out of doors to perfection in Scotland, 
and to that question his answer was that it could, although in many 
situations it could not. Mr. Fairgrieve dealt with his subject in a 
practical manner, discussing the question of situation, drainage, stock, 
and other aspects of the matter in detail, and giving in each case the 
results of his experience as a grower. 
- Iris reticulata. — Coming round to Guildford the other 
morning by rail I was interested with a few passing remarks from 
some fellow passengers who were struck with some flowers growing in a 
border beside the platform at one station. I looked over their shoulders 
and saw that the flowers were a couple of lovely clumps of this early 
Iris. Just at the moment an oflScial came by, to whom appeal was made 
for the name of the flower, when he gravely replied, “ Hiris reticulata,” 
placing special emphasis on the aspirate. This was exceedingly amusing. 
But apart from the incident it really was delightful to see such fine 
clumps of this pretty Iris thus blooming at a railway station, and yet 
there are thousands of pretentious gardens that does not contain a plant 
of that or other early bloomers.~A. 
•- Horticultural Club. — Discussion on Home and 
Foreign Fruit. —The usual monthly dinner and conversazione took 
place on Tuesday evening, 14th inst., at their rooms. Hotel Windsor. 
There was a large attendance of members, the chair being occupied by 
the Rev. W. Wilks, Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society. 
Amongst others present were the Revs. F. H. Gall, and F. R. Burnside, 
Messrs. Geo. Bunyard, Geo. Monro, James Webber, Geo. Paul, Jos. 
Cheal, J. C. Stogden, Arnold Moss, J. S. Cousens, C. T. Druery, 
J. Assbee, Peter Kay, Alfred Watkins, J. Walker, and Selfe Leonard. 
The discussion was on the effects of imported fruit on British fruit¬ 
growing, which was opened by Mr. James Webber, followed by Mr. 
Geo. Monro. Mr. Webber’s opinion was that as foreign fruits came in 
before our English-grown fruits were ready he did not think that in 
most cases competition was injurious, for that as soon as the English- 
grown fruits appeared on the market the foreign fruit disappeared. The 
one fruit in which he thought we must be dependent more or less on 
foreigners was Pears, of which, however, only five varieties were 
exported to us—Williams’ Bon Chretien, Duchesse d’Angouleme, Beurr^ 
Diel, Glou Morgeau, and Easter Beurr6, and that several of these were 
not of first-rate quality, certainly not equal to Doyenne du Comice. 
The same held good with regard to vegetables—as, for example, Lettuces 
and Asparagus, which were largely imported early in the season; but 
as soon as the English producer could put his produce on the market 
the foreign disappeared. Mr. Monro fully corroborated these state¬ 
ments, and at the same time spoke of the injurious effects of the high 
price of railway carriage, stating that fruit from the Continent could 
be carried at a lower rate and for a greater distance than the English 
grown. An interesting discussion followed, in which most of the 
members present itook part. Amongst other things, it was contended 
that the English public required to be educated on the subject of 
fruit, and to be shown that high colour, which is more easily obtained 
in hotter climates is not a proof of excellence, and that, as far as 
flavour was concerned, no country in the world can produce better 
Apples than the British Islands. The fruits of Canada, the States, 
Tasmania, and California are more brilliant in colouring, but not 
equal in flavour. The Chairman, in summing up the results of the 
discussion, remarked that perhaps something might be said on behalf 
of the railway companies, who had to consider the shareholders as well 
as the public. He also proposed a cordial vote of thanks to Messrs. 
Webber and Monro, which was carried with acclamation. All felt that 
a valuable and interesting discussion had been carried out. Several 
pew members were admitted. 
- Heavy Rainfall.—W. Mabbott, The Gardens, Gwernllwyn 
House, Dowlais, Glamorganshire, writes :—“ I have not noticed a heavier 
rainfall recorded in the Journal of Horticulture than has been 
experienced here. The week ending February 3rd, the fall was 3'19 inches ; 
the week ending February 10th, 1'42 inch ; week ending February 
17th, 2-95 inches ; week ending February 24th, 1'61 inch ; and 
from February 24th to March 3rd, 2 56 inches. The rainfall during 
January was 3-80. The total rainfall for 1891 was 6330, for 1892 
was 39-50.” 
- Estate Management.— “ Cotswold ” writes :—“ I am grate¬ 
ful that ‘ A Farmer’s Wife ’ was aroused, and to you for giving her reply 
on page 211 to the letter in the previous week’s issue. It matters very 
little what a man comes from professionally. If he is capable he is the 
right man : if he is incapable he is the wrong man. What we want are 
resident gentry, and no charges allowed on land. Old English pastimes are 
not to be sneered at. With the legislation likely to come the tenants 
of farms and small holdings will be placed very much beyond inter¬ 
ference, and therefore education is the requirement all round, agricul¬ 
tural and horticultural, not fault-finding with the resident landlord who 
rides to hounds.” 
- The Fruit Industry in Cornwall.—I n giving a lecture 
on fruit culture in Cornwall recently at Kea, Mr. Lawry, C.C., a suc¬ 
cessful grower, remarked that in his parish they had 700 or 800 people, 
and they turned out 2000 gross of small fruit baskets per year, besides 
their own wants. And what was more, they could do it at 23. 9d. per 
gross, whereas in London they could not get them under 5s. There was, 
he said, no knowing what Cornish people could do when they put 
themselves to work. Girls and boys of the parish made these baskets 
in the winter, and in the summer picked the fruit j earning for the 
former lid. per gross, working five or six hours ; and for the latter 2s. 
and Is. 6d. a day according to the kind of fruit picked. 
- Parasitism in Plants. —At the Museum, Newcastle, recently. 
Professor G. S. Brady, F.R.S., delivered a lecture on parasitism in 
plants and animals, this being the fifth of the six popular lectures 
arranged by the Natural History Society. Dr. Embleton presided, and 
there was a good attendance. Dealing with the parasites on plants, 
Professor Brady said a true parasite usually had no green colour about 
it. It had lost all the green colouring matter of its leaves, and became 
a brown or pinky flesh colour. Green colouring matter, or chlorophyll, 
was really the essential, not only of vegetable life, but indirectly also 
of animal life. Those plants which lost the green colouring matter had 
become degenerate. They also lost their woody tissue to a large extent. 
- Some Societies’ Amenities. —The engineer of the N.C.S. we 
find pouring out a bitter complaint against the action of the National 
Auricula Society in a contemporary, such as makes Mr. Godfrey’s 
growls at the N.C.S. seem tame and commonplace? What does he charge 
against the N.A.S. ? Why, that an expert is brought up to London, 
employed to dress and help to set up a particular officer’s flowers, and 
then judge them. “ I know’un, he comes from Sheffield,” a “ Pair of 
Spectacles.” How much it seems to depend on which “ pair of 
spectacles” is worn, whether those of the N.A.S. or the N.C.S. The 
moral of all this is, that those who control these or other societies should 
avoid m every way the appearance of injustice or partiality. But at 
present what appears orthexlox with the N.C.S. would seem with the 
N.A.S. to be rank heresy.— Diogenes. 
- The Weather in America. —In a letter dated March 2nd 
my old friend, Mr. J. W. Lawrence, Harrisburg, P.A., United 
States, who was up to twenty years ago for nearly twenty years 
gardener at Farnham Castle, near Aldershot, says, “ We are still 
floundering on through our long severe winter which has kept us 
frozen up since the latter part of December ; but we have not been much 
below zero, and have not had a great quantity of snow, but what there 
has been was badly drifted, and we had to take down panels of fencing 
and cross some fields to get to town. I see by the newspapers that you 
have had some of it, but a bad English winter is comfortable compared 
with ours. The ground is frozen 3J to 4 feet deep, and the snow¬ 
banks will not be gone before April. We are still to the front in 
Primulas, and could not supply all customers last year with young 
plants, and we hear of none equal to our strains. Trade in Harrisburg 
has been bad for a long time, and no one seems to have any money to 
spend. You must not believe all you hear of the wonderful prosperity 
of this country, as we see daily reports of wages falling and prices of 
necessaries rising.” Mr. Lawrence has kept himself from time to time 
fully supplied with seeds of the superb varieties of home-grown 
Primulas.—W. D. 
