July 7, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
7 
Events of the Week. —To-day (Thursday, July 7th) there will be 
Rose Shows at Bath, Norwich, Windsor, Woodbridge, and Lee ; the 
latter extending over Friday. Ware Flower Show will also be held on 
the 7th. On Saturday, the 9th, Reigate Rose Show will be held, also an 
Exhibition at Wood Green. On Tuesday, the 12tb, the usual Committee 
meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society will be held at the Drill 
Hall. The Mantell silver challenge cup (value 25 guineas) for twenty- 
four Roses, distinct, three trusses of each, open, will be in competition, 
and in the afternoon the Rev. E. Handley will read a paper on “ Orchids 
fora Cool Greenhouse.” A Rose Show will be held at Hereford on the 
112th, and the Wolverhampton Floral Fete opens on that date, extending 
over three days. On the 13th there will be Shows at Ealing, Tunbridge 
Wells, Bexley, and Bedford ; one will also be held by the Royal Cale¬ 
donian Horticultural Society. On the 14th there will be Rose Shows at 
Harleston and Helensburgh. 
- The Weather in London. —Bright warm weather has been 
mainly experienced in London and its neighbourhood during the past 
•week. The 2nd and 3rd were fine, but the barometer fell throughout 
Sunday, and rain was expected. It did not, however, come until 
Tuesday, the 4th being fine ; but during most of the afternoon and 
evening of the 5th rain fell somewhat heavily. At the time of going to 
press the weather is bright, and the barometer rising slowly. 
- The June Rainfall in Sussex.—T he total rainfall at 
Cuckfield, Sussex, for June was 3 25 inches, being 1 inch above the 
average. The heaviest fall was 0 94 inch, on the 28th. Rain fell on thirteen 
days. Total for the six months 8T7 inches, which is 4 inches below the 
average. The maximum temperature was 84°, on the 28th ; minimum ditto 
39°, on the 14th and 15th ; mean maximum 67 2°, mean minimum 49°; 
mean temperature 58T°. Partial shade readings, 4° below the average, 
—R. I. 
- The Weather in South Westmoreland.—S unday, the 
18th ult., will long be remembered owing to the severity of the hail¬ 
storm, which did considerable damage here. The morning was bright 
■and warm, but about noon a thunderstorm set in, accompanied by a 
severe hail shower which completely riddled all tender plants. Chrys¬ 
anthemums had fully two-thirds of their foliage beaten off, Celery was 
left almost leafless. Begonias and Petunias suffered worst in the flower 
garden, being almost denuded of their foliage ; while the leaves of Pelar¬ 
goniums and hardier plants were completely riddled. Funkias and 
Lily of the Valley had their leaves torn to shreds, and altogether things 
had a dejected appearance. Fortunately there was little or no wind at 
the time, or a great deal of glass would have been broken, as several 
panes are cracked. The storm was very partial, travelling from north 
to south. At a mile from here eastward no hail fell, and the same 
distance in the opposite direction they bad about 2 inches, while here it 
was 6 and 7 inches in depth, and in sheltered places was not melted 
until the afternoon of the following day. Since that time the weather 
has been cold and showery, vegetation progressing slowly.—W. J. 
Ireland, Sedgwick, near Kendal. 
-Fruit Show at Earl's Court.—W e have received the schedule 
of a great Fruit Show to be held at the International Horticultural 
Exhibition on August 26th and 27th. It comprises forty-six classes. In 
the first, prizes of £12, £9, £6, and £4 are offered for a collection of fruit 
not less than twenty dishes. In the second, £8, £6, £4, and £3 are 
offered for twelve dishes, and prizes of equal value are offered for ten 
varieties of Grapes, two bunches of each. There are eleven classes for 
Grapes altogether, two for Pine Apples, two for Figs, six for Peaches 
and Nectarines (grown and ripened out of doors), five for Plums, nine 
for Apples (the first five for outdoor fruit), four for Pears (two for 
outdoor fruit), and four for Tomatoes. The prizes are good throughout. 
It is added that in connection with this Show a social gathering of the 
gardeners of the United Kingdom will be held on the afternoon of the 
26th, followed by a dinner in the exhibition building, which, with liquid 
refreshments included, will be provided at 4s. a head. As only a limited 
number can be accommodated, the tickets will be issued according to 
priority of application. Dinner at 5 p.m. 
- Steyning Chrysanthemum Show has been fixed for 
November 3rd. Mr. Walter Slaughter is the Secretary. 
- Calla Pentlandi. —The specific name of this plant is surely 
rendered incorrectly. I think it ought to be Pentlandiensis. The 
terminal “ i” indicates a person, not a place.—E. H. M. 
- Calla Elliottiana.— I should like to ask “ Boscobel ” (vide 
p. 496) on what authority he states that the original plant of this Calla 
is a “ hybrid between C. aethiopica and C. bastata.” There are very 
good reasons for believing that it is a distinct species.—W. W. 
- Rose Jules Margottin.—A French writer estimates, pro¬ 
bably with accuracy, that it is by hundreds of thousands that Jules 
Margottin Rose is increased and sold every year, and the transactions to 
which it has given rise may be totalled by millions of francs. 
- Productiveness of Californian Orchards.— This is a 
Californian estimate of the productive capabilities of orchards in good 
bearing condition and under good cultivation. Tons per acre : Apples 4, 
Apricots 5, Prunes 6, Pears 5, Figs 8, Peaches 5, Walnuts and Almonds 
each 1^. 
- Gloxinias at Richmond. — Messrs. Sutton & Sons were 
awarded a first-class certificate at the Richmond Show for their distinct 
and pure variety Her Majesty. The flowers are smooth, spotless, and 
massive, showing with great effect in contrast with the dark green 
foliage. The scarlet and white Duke of York was also certificated, and 
it is undoubtedly a beautiful Gloxinia. 
- Sequoias at the World’s Fair.—F rom California is to be 
exhibited at the World’s Fair one of the famed huge Redwood Trees, or 
Sequoia gigantea. The one selected is 300 feet high, and more than 
30 feet in diameter at the base. A specially constructed train will be 
necessary to carry the monster across the continent. It is the intention 
to hollow the base into booths, in which will be sold California wines, 
fruits, and curiosities made of polished redwood. 
- Express Grape Growing.—A correspondent writes :—“ The 
question of ripening Grapes in ninety days from starting the Vines is 
causing some excitement in the north, and gardeners have been 
subjected to close questioning by their employers. The Sunderland 
Gardeners’ Society is, however, determined to thresh the question out, 
and a special meeting is summoned, which Mr. Gilchrist is requested to 
attend and explain the manner in which the feat was accomplished.” 
- Fibrous-rooted Begonias. —It appears likely that Messrs. 
Sutton are going to provide us with a new and valuable class of 
Begonias. The two fibrous-rooted varieties, Duchess of Edinburgh and 
Crimson Gem, exhibited by them at Richmond Show, and certificated, 
were delightful from their compact habit, free flowering, and charm¬ 
ing colours. The former was white margined with rose, a chaste and 
delicate flower, the latter bright crimson. It will be interesting to 
watch the development of this class. 
- Mock Oranges. —There is a remarkable display of the beautiful 
Mock Orange, Philadelpbus grandiflorus, at Adon Mount, East Dulwich. 
Dozens of huge bushes are wreathed in blossoms, which stud the long 
branches in racemes from base to apex. The ivory white flowers are 
deliciously scented. As grown in this delightful suburban garden the 
large-flowered Mock Orange is magnificent, but its condition only 
matches that of other plants, for in Mr. Henderson’s hands there are few 
that do not exhibit their best characteristics. 
-Fertilisers for Tomatoes.—As the Tomato combines the 
good qualities of a fruit and a vegetable, its consumption is large and 
is rapidly increasing. The warm soils of the Southern States of America 
bring this crop to perfection. Mr. G. Speth, at the Georgia station, has 
tested the effect on Tomatoes of single fertilising materials, of com¬ 
binations, and of successive applications of these. The soil was a hard 
clay, with a clay subsoil. The fertilisers were incorporated with the 
soil. The application of nitrogen or potash alone did not increase 
the yield on poor land. The effect of the nitrogen depended on the 
presence of phosphoric acid and potash. Only the complete fertilisers 
gave profitable returns. The yield increased with the amount of 
complete fertiliser used. The nitrate of soda did best in two appli¬ 
cations. Phosphoric acid, in double ration, not only decidedly in¬ 
creased the yield, but also furnished the earliest fruit. Large rations 
of nitrogen, especially in the form of cotton-seed meal, prolonged the 
time of bearing. These fertilisers were profitably applied in June when 
I cultivating. 
