122 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 11, 1892. 
Events of the Week. —To-day (Thursday, August 11th) there 
will be Exhibitions at Maidenhead and Taunton Deane. On Friday, 
the 12th, Shows are to be held at Matlock and Cheadle, both being 
continued on the following day. On Saturday, the 13th, Barnard Castle 
Show takes place. On Wednesday, the 17th, the great Exhibitions at 
Cardiff and Shrewsbury will be held, both being continued on the 
following day. On Thursday, the 18th, Aberdeen Show opens, con¬ 
tinuing on the 19th and 20th. A sale of Orchids will be conducted 
by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris on Friday, August 12th, 
- The Weathee in London.—T he weather has been much 
colder during the last few days. On the 7th rain fell intermittently. 
The Sth was bright until evening, when more rain fell. On the 9th the 
weather was dull, and towards evening a cold east wind sprang up, 
the temperature falling considerably. At the time of going to press 
the barometer is rising. The weather is dull and the wind easterly, but 
inclined to be warmer. 
-United Hoeticultukal Benefit and Peovident 
Society. —The usual monthly meeting of this Society took place on 
Monday evening last at the Caledonian Hotel. Mr. W. Woods was 
elected Chairman. Two new members were elected. There are three 
members on the sick list at the present time. It was announced with 
much pleasure and gratitude that Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Veitch had 
(through the Treasurer) very kindly and generously presented the 
Society with a cheque for £i00 on the occasion of their silver wedding, 
the interest of which will be put to the Convalescent Fund. 
- Gaedenees’ Royal Benevolent Institution. —We have 
much pleasure in announcing that the Right. Hon. Lord Brassey, K.C.B., 
has kindly consented to preside at the fifty-third anniversary festival 
dinner of this important Charity. The dinner, which was unavoidably 
postponed in consequence of the lamented death of Lady Goldsmid, will 
take place at the Hotel Mctropole on a date to be fixed in November 
next. Gentlemen who are interested in the welfare and progress of the 
Institution are invited to act as Stewards on the occasion, and should 
communicate with the Secretary (Mr. George J. Ingram) at 50, Parlia¬ 
ment Street, London, S.W., who will gladly reply to any inquiries that 
may be addressed to him. We have also to announce that Mr. Arthur 
Veitch has been elected a member of the Committee in the place of 
Mr. John Fraser, who is retiring after many years of zealous service on 
behalf of the Institution. 
- A Good Ceop of Plums.—P lums are the reverse of plentiful 
in many, if not most districts, but evidently not at Glewston Court, 
Herefordshire, according to the following note from Mr. S. T. Wright :— 
“ I am pleased to tell you our Plum crop is enormous ; I estimate it at 
20 tons per acre. Apples are a heavy crop on some varieties, notably 
Ecklinville, Worcester Pearmain, Lord Suffield, and King of the 
Pippins ; other kinds below the average. Pears light.” 
- Fkost and Aphides.—O n Wednesday night, the 3rd inst,, we 
had quite a sharp frost for some four or five hours. On Friday after¬ 
noon I found aphides in quantity on the young shoots of my Tea Roses, 
also on the Chrysanthemums. I quite thought that I was going to 
boast a record as regards the aphis nuisance this year. The old idea 
of checked sap becoming sweet and palatable to this pest receives one 
more mark in confirmation of the theory.—J. A. W., Norfolk. 
- — Annuals versus Bedding Plants. —At the last meeting of 
the Wakefield Paxton Society, held at the Saw Hotel, a paper was given 
on “ Best Hardy Annuals : How to Grow Them” by Mr. W. Wardman, 
gardener to Councillor Roberts of Wakefield. The paper proved exceed¬ 
ingly interesting, the lecturer pointing out that by means of careful 
selection of the best annuals the grower may get a display in the garden 
equal to bedding plants and at a much less cost, as a greater variety 
both in form and colour is found amongst annuals than in bedding 
plants. There was a beautiful display of annuals on the table. A very 
hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the essayist and exhibitors of 
flowers. 
- The Opening of Geimston Paek.—T he opening of Grim- 
ston Park to the public in aid of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund and the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, by permission of J. Fielden, 
Esq., will take place on Wednesday, August 17th. The public will 
have access to the beautiful gardens and grounds, and a cricket match 
will be played. 
- Inteenational Exhibition IN 1900.-It is stated that 
M. Carnot, as President of the French Republic, has signed a decree- 
deciding upon the opening of a great Exhibition at Paris in 1900, so as 
to make a good start with the twentieth century. This is certainly 
taking time by the forelock, and providing us with plenty of time to- 
prepare material for the horticultural department. 
- The July Rainfall in Sussex.—T he total rainfall at 
Cuckfield, Sussex, for July was 2-57 inches, which is a little more- 
than the average. The heaviest fall was 0'52 on the Sth. Rain fell 
on ten days. Maximum temperature, 76° on the 3rd; minimum, 46 a 
on the 1st. Mean maximum, 68°; mean minimum, 51'2°. Mean 
temperature, 59'6°. Partial shade readings, 2° below the average 
— R. I. 
- July Weathee in Heets.—D uring the past month the- 
weather was of a very pleasant character although somewhat cool. 
There was a fair amount of sunshine and a good rainfall. A heavy 
thunderstorm occurred on the 16th, when D50 of rain was registered in 
three hours. The nights for the most part were very cold, as the 
wind was generally in the northern quarter. Rain fell on seven days 
during the month. The maximum in any twenty-four hours was l"51fc 
on the 16th,miDimum 0'07 on the 17th. Totalforthe whole month 4 - 02 
against 2-48 in July, 1891.— E. Wallis, The Gardens, Hamels Parh. 
- Disqualifying Feuit. — “ W. H. M.” writes:—“I fully 
agree with Mr. J. Mclndoe that (in the absence of the contrary in the 
schedule) he was fully justified in exhibiting the two Pine Apples as 
separate dishes, for which he was disqualified. There is no doubt that 
committees forming schedules ought to be more definite in quoting 
the conditions, which would prevent any unpleasantness through an 
exhibitor being disqualified. In any case the judges ought to have 
fully considered the words in the schedule, and doing so, I fail to- 
see on what basis they formed their decision.” 
- Salvia patens.—T his lovely old plant is not met with now 
as much as formerly. Though not hardy it makes a fine bedding 
plant throughout the summer and autumn. The large dark green 
leaves generally tinged with purple, serrated and hairy, are themselves 
very pretty ; but the full glory of the plants is seen when they are 
covered with their elongated spikes of bright blue flowers in large 
clumps or circular beds. There seem to be several varieties of 
S. patens differing from each other in the colour of the leaves or 
flowers, the latter in some instances having quite a purple shade. A 
round bed is looking splendid in the R.H.S. Gardens, Chiswick. 
Light soil suits the plants provided they can be cared for in the matter 
of moisture.—C. K. 
- Feuit Geowing in Austkalia.—T he Earl of Jersey, 
Governor of New South Wales, has paid a visit of inspection to the 
Australian Irrigation Settlements, situated in the neighbouring colonies 
of Victoria and South Australia, where some 5000 settlers have 
become located during the last four or five years for the purpose of 
engaging in the cultivation of fruit, their plantations being rendered 
highly productive by means of irrigating them with the fertilising 
waters of the River Murray. The Governor and party were driven 
round the settlements, calling upon Lord Ranfurly, Captain Aylmer, 
Mr. W. B. ChafEey, and other prominent settlers, and expressed 
astonishment at the magnitude of the works and the horticultural 
progress which had been made. 
- The Yellow Callas. —A few weeks ago “Boscobel” stated 
explicitly in the Journal of Horticulture that Calla Elliottiana was 
a hybrid between C. mthiopica and C. hastata, but on being challenged 
to give his authority for the statement had to confess that it was only 
an inference. The fruit of his precise, but, as it appears, most ill- 
founded assertion, is to be seen in the notes in continental papers, 
wherein the parentage suggested is accepted in good faith. It is in 
this manner that information of doubtful accuracy is disseminated, and 
it is very much to be regretted that explicit statements should be made 
on other than reliable information. Perhaps “ Boscobel ” will in the 
future exercise greater care in his remarks.—E. H. M. 
