July 14, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
81 
- Sheffield Shows. —The second summer Show of the Sheffield, 
llallamshire, and West Riding United Chrysanthemum Society will be 
held at the Museum, Orchard Street, Sheffield, on August 29th and 30th. 
There are classes both for professionals and amateurs. The Chrys¬ 
anthemum Show is to be held in the Corn Exchange on November 11th 
and 12th. 
- Gardening Appointments.—M r. H. Godfrey, for the past 
thirty years gardener to the late H. C. Rolhery, Esq , Ribsden Hill, 
Windlesham, Bagshot, Surrey, has been appointed gardener to — Fisher, 
Esq., The Grove, Streatham. Mr. Chas. Prior has succeeded Mr. <Jas. 
Merry as head gardener to G. M. Medely, Esq., Winsford Tower, 
Seaworthy, Devon. 
- Royal Botanic Society’s Evening Fete. — Cold and 
stormy weather sadly militated against the success of this fete, which 
was held on the evening of July 6th. The grounds had been beautifully 
illuminated, but a great number of the lights were blown out. There 
was a very large attendance, and, with good music and attractive floral 
■decorations, there was no lack of pleasant features. 
- Horticulture in Parliament. — The new Members of 
Parliament comprise several who take a keen interest in horticulture, 
and are capable of forming practical opinions on any questions that 
may arise respecting it in the House of Commons. To avoid in¬ 
troducing a partisan element two are mentioned representing opposite 
sides, Sir Jas. Whitehead, Bart., and Mr. W. H. Myers of Swanmore. 
Both are in all respects worthy additions to the great assembly. 
- The Weather Last Month.—J une was warm and bright 
up to the 10th, but changeable after, with some very cold nights, and a 
sharp frost on the morning of the 15th, which cut Potatoes, Kidney 
Beans, Heliotrope, Dahlias, and other tender plants rather severely. On 
the night of the 30th also the minimum temperature was very low— 
viz., 37°. Barometer highest, 30-47 at 9 AM. on the 8th; lowest, 
29 60 at 9 a.m. on the 23rd. Total rainfall, 2'25 inches, which fell on 
sixteen days ; the greatest daily fall being 0 81 on the 10th. Highest 
shade temperature, 82° on the 10th ; lowest, 32° on the 15th ; lowest on 
grass, 28° on the 15th. Mean of daily maximum readings, 67-30°; mean 
ol daily minimum, 45-26°; mean temperature of the month, 56-28°. The 
wind was in a westerly direction twenty-one days. We had thirteen 
bright days, one of which was clear. The garden spring ran 20 gallons 
per minute on the 30th.— W. H. Divers, Ketton Ilall Gardens, 
Stamford. 
- Summary of Meteorological Observations at Hod- 
sock Priory, Worksop, Notts, for June.—Mean temperature of 
month, 55-1°. Maximum on the 9th, 80 2° ; minimum on 15th, 34 2°. 
Maximum in the sun on the 26th, 130-1°; minimum on the grass on the 
15th, 28°. Mean temperature of the air at 9 A.M., 57 6°. Mean 
temperature of soil 1 foot deep, 56-8°. Nights below 32°—in shade, 
none ; on gras-, six. Total duration of sunshine in month, 186 hours, or 
37 per cent, of possible duration. Total rainfall, 3-26 inches. Maxi¬ 
mum fall in twenty-four hours on the 28th, P32 inch. Rain fell on 
eighteen days. Average velocity of wind, 7-5 miles per hour. Velocity 
exceeded 400 miles on one day and fell short of 100 miles on nine days. 
Approximate averages for June Mean temperature, 57-4°. Sunshine, 
157 hours. Rainfall, 2 01 inches. A cool and showery but rather sunny 
month. The rainfall would have been normal but for the heavy fall on 
the night of the 28th, accompanied by a sharp thunderstorm. Every¬ 
thing has grown fast and the country looks very well.—J. Mallender. 
- Progress in Begonias.— I observe Mr. Gumbleton’s remarks 
on page 9 respecting my article on Progress in Begonias. He is in 
error in charging me w-ith inaccuracy in my reference to Laing’s 
Picotee. Read, as it ought to, in relation to the context, the remark 
that it stood alone of its class is perfectly correct. I was then (to quote 
from my article) making “direct reference to the magnificent collection” 
at Forest Hill, and there Laing’s Picotee reigns unique and supreme. I 
by no means stated that it was the only one in existence, as he implies, 
for I knew from a statement by Mr. Laing, junior, that it was not. 
Nor is he more correct in stating that I led my readers to suppose that 
all the varieties mentioned were raised at Stanstead Park Nursery by 
Mr. Laing. On the contrary, I was most careful to guard against doing 
so. Messrs. Laing & Son have done too much to require crediting with 
other people s work. I regret very much that no opportunity has yet 
presented itself of responding to the. kind invitation, more than once 
repeated, to visit Belgrove. Judging from what I have heard and read 
of its treasures, no one could visit Mr. Gumbleton’s garden without 
benefit.—W. I’. W. 
- Calla Elliottiana. —I merely inferred that Calla Elliottiana 
was a hybrid between C. hastata and C. sethiopica from its spotted 
foliage being the same as that of the first-named species and the shape 
of the flower spathe about midway between that of both sorts. When 
seedlings bloom if they come true to name the question should be settled 
one way or the other. Could not “ W. W.” ask Mr. Elliot’s gardener 
whence he got it, and let us know his answer ?— Boscobel. 
-The Rival Societies at Brighton.—W e are informed that 
the struggle between the two horticultural societies at Brighton has 
come to an end, the fixtures of the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural 
and Floricultural Association, of which Mr. E. Carpenter was Secretary, 
having all been cancelled. The Show of the Brighton and Sussex New 
Horticultural and Mutual Improvement Society will be held as arranged 
on August 30th and 31st, and the Brighton and Hove Chrysanthemum 
Show on November 1st and 2nd. 
- Certificates at the International Horticultural 
Exhibition. — At the Show held on July 5th and 6th first-class 
certificates were granted to Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, for 
Cattleya Schofiekliana variety; C. Amesiae, C. Leopoldi var. Laucheana, 
and Mormodes pardinum ; Odontoglossum vexillarium vars. Inter¬ 
national, W. Lauche, leucoglossum, H. E. Milner, Duke of Suther¬ 
land, Harry Turner, John Jaques, and Duchess of Sutherland ; Vanda 
Hookeriana, and V. Sanderiana ; to Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, 
for Delphiniums James Kelway and Uta ; to Messrs. B. S. Williams and 
Son, Upper Holloway, for Ailamanda Williamsi and Nepenthes Burkei; 
to Mr. W. Allan, gardener to Lord Suffield, Gunton Park, Norwich, for 
Strawberry Gun' on Park ; to Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, 
for Tuberous Begonias Glory of Stanstead, Lady Foley, Jeanne d’Arc, 
Laing’s Golden Dwarf, W. Clifford, Mrs. Blundell Maple, and foliage 
Begonia Valentine Denize ; T. S. Ware, Tottenham, for Begonias 
Henshaw Russell, Princess May, Pico'ee, and Bexley Gem, also Lilium 
dalmaticum, L. maritimum, and Achillea The Pearl. 
- An Ex-Gardener Member of Parliament. —The newly 
elected member for North Lambeth, Mr. Alderman Coldwells, J.P., is 
an ex-gardener, hailing from Stoke Newington. When a lad he was 
a member of the Gardeners’ Society there, and attended meetings and 
took part in the essays read and discussions there. Mr. Coldwells has 
served as head gardener in Essex, Middlesex, and Surrey, his last place 
in that capacity being gardener to the late Colonel Morse Robinson, 
Birdliurst, Croydon. He has been an exhibitor at and a judge at flower 
shows, and subsequently became manager of the Croydon Irrigation 
Farm under the Croydon Corporation. He was afterwards elected a 
member of the Croydon Local Board, and one of the first members of 
the Croydon School Board. Since being made a corporate town he was 
elected a Town Councillor, and subsequently an Alderman, as a reward 
for the exertions he displayed in trying to bring about the incorporation. 
He was soon after made a J.P. He is now managing director of a com¬ 
panyowning a large tract of reclaimed land at Bembridge, Isle of Wight-, 
with a railway and steamboats running in connection with the place. 
A portrait of Mr. Alderman Coldwells, M.P., appeared in the Journal 
on August 16th, 1888. 
- Miniature Violas. — Mr. George Steel sends a box of Viola 
blooms which may be said to form a new section. We understand that 
they are the result of a series of crosses by Mr. Steel and Dr. Stewart 
of Chirnside, which have been in progress for a considerable time pash 
The flowers are extremely attractive ; they are much smaller than the 
ordinary type, and the habit of the plants is very dwarf and compact. 
There are probably very few persons who will not concede their right 
to be classed as a new and distinct type, while the flowers are so bright, 
fragrant, and charming in every way that they are certain to become 
very popular. Mr. Steel thinks that “ they hold a position to the 
ordinary type similar to that between the Pompon and Show Dahlias.” 
The suggestion is a happy one. The varieties received are Violetta 
(Stuart), white, yellow centre, very sweet ; Mrs. Joseph Oliver (Steel), 
nearly pure white, fragrant, very dwarf ; Ophir (Stuart), yellow, highly 
perfumed; Jeannie Turnbull (Steel), lavender, very beautiful and 
sweet; Mrs. George Finlay (Steel) pale yellow, upper petals shaded 
white, fragrant ; Mrs. Stephens (Steel), white, edged with lilac, yellow 
centre, sweet; White Lady (Stuart), creamy white, sweet; Beauty of 
Heatherlaw (Steel), rich yellow ; and Maggie Steel (Steel), primrose, 
very fragrant. We hope to see and hear more of these. Mr. Steel also 
sends two new varieties of the ordinary type :—Sylvia (Stuart), creamy 
white, good form ; and Border Maid (Steel) yellow, edged violet, which 
might be termed a yellow Skylark. 
