June 22, 1893. ]j 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
499 
and 24th, thirteen flowers; or a total of thirty-nine for the season. 
June, 1889: 18th, seven; 19th, seventeen; 26th, ten; July 13th, 
thirteen ; total, fifty-eight flowers. July 7th, 1890, twenty blooms 
•and a total of sixty-four ; July 6th, 1891, six flowers ; 8th. thirty-eight; 
total, 74 flowers. June 25th, 1892, eight; total, 22 flowers. June 7th, 1893, 
eleven, leaving twenty-four buds to open. During the autumn of 1891 
a large shoot was accidentally broken off, thus accounting for the 
difference between the seasons 1891-92. We have been successful in 
keeping the flowers in perfect condition over a week.— Harky Corlett, 
Woolton. 
Events of the Week. —Horticultural events of special interest 
are not particularly numerous during the ensuing week. To-day 
^(Thursday) the annual dinner of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution will take place at the H3tel M^tropole, as announced in 
our last issue. A Show of Roses and fruit will be held at the 
•Gardening and Forestry Exhibition, Earl’s Court, on Wednesday, 
28th inst ; and on the same day the annual display of the Richmond 
Horticultural Society will be held in the Old Deer Park, Richmond. 
The first annual Show of the Sittingbourne and District Rose Society 
will be held in the Town Hall, Sittingbourne, on June 29th. 
- The Weather in London.— The heat in the metropolis 
during the past week has been oppressive, and with the exception of a 
very slight local thunder shower no rain has fallen. Tuesday proved 
dull, and not quite so warm, as likewise did Wednesday morning, and 
at the time of going to press it is cloudy. Rain is much needed in the 
south. 
- The Weather in Stirlingshire. — The highest shade 
temperature last week was 79°, the lowest 71°, with an average for 
the week of 77°. On Sunday at 7 A.M. it was 75°, and gradually 
rose until about 1 p m., when it reached 90 5°, and at seven o’clock, 
evening, it recorded 74°. On Monday last the maximum was 83°.— 
G. McDougall, Ravenna Cottage, Stirling, 
-The Philadelphia Horticultural Hall. —The hall of 
the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society at Philadelphia was destroyed 
by fire a short time since. Fortunately, however, the most valuable 
portion of the Society’s library was not damaged either by fire or 
water, and the valuable oil paintings of the founders of the Society 
were saved. The Directors have decided to erect a more spacious 
edifice on the old site. 
- Foreign Potatoes. —Immense quantities of Potatoes were, 
•according to the Board of Trade returns, imported into this country 
during May, the aggregate being 479,902 cwt. From the Channel 
■Islands we received 228,788 cwt., as compared with 14,780 cwt. in the 
•same period of last year. France sent 45,394 cwt., and Germany 
106 cwt. only, against 846 cwt. in the corresponding month of 1892, and 
of 45,978 cwt. in May, 1891. From this it will be seen that there is a 
decided decline in the importations of Potatoes from Germany. 
- Gardening and Forestry Exhibition. — The forestry 
section of the Exhibition is now fairly complete, and nearly all the 
exhibits promised by official bodies and private individuals are now en 
evidence. Among them will be found a most interesting consignment 
from Balmoral, lent by the Queen, as well as a vast number of examples 
of what may be termed the curiosities of forestry, illustrating abnormal 
growths and eccentricities of tree life. Other exhibits set forth the 
varying effects of salt and fresh water on timber, and ravages of 
insects. 
- Spring Sown Cabbages. —There can be no doubt as to the 
advisability of raising a few Cabbages in spring to follow those from seed 
sown in the autumn, as these latter are rarely good in quality after thisdate. 
We are now, June 15th, cutting useful heads of Sutton’s Earliest from 
seeds sown in February, this allowing the autumn planted beds to be 
cleared and the ground cropped with ridge Cucumbers, Spinach, and 
other things. This variety is exceptionally quick in turning in, and 
when cooked is very tender and good in quality.—H. Richards, Rock 
Court, Salislvrg. 
- Importation op Apples. —According to the Board of Trade 
returns for May the importation of Apples during that month amounted 
to 98,442 bushels, as compared with 91,608 bushels in May, 1892. 
- Mr. D. Morris. —We are pleased to see that Mr. Daniel 
Morris, the assistant-director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, has received 
the honour of appointment as Companion of the most distinguished 
Order of St. Michael and St. George. 
- Oxford Carnation and Picotee Union. —We are informed 
that the annual Exhibition of this organisation will be held in Mr. 
Dodwell’s garden on Tuesday, July 18th, the season necessitating 
holding the Show earlier than was originally intended. 
- British Butterflies. — In the “ Entomologists’ Monthly 
Magazine” Mr. R. McLachlan, F.R.S., in an article on the extinction of 
several species of British butterflies within recent years and the ap¬ 
parent decadence of others, suggests the enforcement of a close time 
to last continuously during the whole of a series of five or ten years. 
- Horticulturists’ Cricket Match. —Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, 
the Hon. Secretary, desires us to announce that on the occasion of the 
annual outing of the members of the National Chrysanthemum Society 
at Wycombe Abbey, on Monday July 17th, a match of cricket will be 
played with the members of the Aylesbury Horticultural Society, and 
he will be pleased to receive as soon as possible the names of members 
of the N.C.S. who are willing to play. 
- The Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Bill.—I n this Bill 
introduced by Mr. Herbert Gardner, it is proposed that every person 
who sells for use as a fertiliser of the soil any article manufactured in 
the United Kingdom, or manufactured abroad, shall give to the pur¬ 
chaser a warranty stating the ingredients used, and that where food 
for cattle is sold under a name or description implying that it is com¬ 
posed of any particular substance or substances, there shall be implied 
a warranty by the seller that it is composed of the substance or 
substances stated. The penalty for breach of the provisions of the 
Act is a fine not exceeding £20 for a first offence, and not exceeding 
£50 for a subsequent offence. 
- Forcing Vegetables. —At the June meeting of the Dundee 
Horticultural Association Mr. M. Temple delivered an excellent lecture 
on “ Forcing Vegetables.” Mr. Temple referred to the means for cul¬ 
tivating forced vegetables, and remarked that early forcing in Scotland, 
so far as fruits and vegetables were concerned, was merely nominal com¬ 
pared with the practice in England in the majority of well appointed 
places. To successfully force Asparagus, strong, well ripened, and 
healthy roots and crowns were essential, each plant grown separately 
and freely exposed to the sun and air, so that the crown might be 
thoroughly matured. All kinds of vegetables suitable for fercing were 
dealt with, and a vote of thanks v/as accorded Mr. Temple. 
- Seaweed as Manure.—I n an American contemporary it is 
stated that when this is used as a manure nothing is gained by allowing 
it to ferment. The best practice is to use it in its fresh state, either for 
ploughing in or for top-dressing grass lands, but as it contains 70 to 80 
per cent, of water it will not pay to cart it a long way from the shore. 
Since it contains a comparatively large percentage of nitrogen and 
potash. It is not a well-balanced fertiliser, and needs to be supplemented 
by some material rich in phosphoric acid. It is preferred to stable 
manure for growing Potatoes, since they are less liable to the disease 
known as the scab than those grown on farmyard manure. Sea-wrack 
shares with commercial fertilisers the conspicuous advantage of being 
free from seeds and weeds, spores of fungi and eggs of insects. 
- Margaret Carnations. —A number of these most useful 
Carnations are just opening hundreds of buds in the garden. If 
proof were needed to add to their popularity, I might mention that 
dozens of good named varieties growing in the same border have 
succumbed during the past winter, whilst the Margaret Carnations have 
stood untouched. Another proof was the experience of a neighbour of 
mine—Mr. T. Eaton, gardener to John Farrington, Esq., Roby Mount. 
In the autumn he found hundreds of buds on his plants outside, which 
seemed firm and likely to open. The plants were carefully lifted, put 
in 6-inch pots, and placed in the Peach house. Here they were flowered 
continuously throughout the winter and spring, and looked quite healthy. 
The value of plenty of Carnations with their sweet-scented flowers 
throughout the dull months may be readily imagined. The plants which 
are now coming into bloom are from seed sown in February, 1892, and 
they flowered all last summer.—R. P. R. 
