194 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 1, 1892. 
cut flowers were several exceptionally fine blooms. For Roses the season 
has been a good one, and the display, though not large, was exceedingly 
creditable. 
- How Stolen Fruit was Stored. —Three schoolboys, William 
Harden, Charles Blackwell, and William Whicker, were charged on 
remand at the Hampstead Police Court with stealing from a garden 
sixty-five Pears, value Is. Gd. They were seen in the garden, and a 
constable was called in. When caught Whicker pretended to faint. 
Blackwell and Whicker had stowed the Pears away in the legs of their 
trousers, having previously tied the bottoms of the legs with string. 
Prisoners were fined 2s. Gd. each, the bench expressing the hope that the 
parents would inflict proper chastisement. 
- Late Strawberries —Having lately been able to pick about 
every other day a dish of bright, good-flavoured Strawberries from early 
forced plants of my favourite variety, Yicomtesse Hdricart de Thury, 
and as it came about by a very simple mode of treatment, I thought it 
worth recording. When the plants were removed from the forcing 
houses they were placed under a north wall, and kept well watered, 
with the result that they threw up abundance of green leaves and 
flower trusses. They were then placed on the low shelves of a late 
Peach house, and treated as pot Strawberries usually are, and are at the 
present time a useful addition to the dessert.—R. Maher, Yattendon 
Court, Newbury. 
- An Enemy in Fleet Street. —Fleet Street and neighbour¬ 
hood, says the “ City Press,” have been visited of late by a plague in 
the form of mosquitoes. In some of the offices they appear in swarms, 
and cause infinite annoyance to the unoffending occupants, who are 
savagely bitten in unprotected parts of the body. Large lumps are 
raised, and irritation is set up, which sometimes lasts for more than a 
week. They are a small kind of mosquito, but are quite as troublesome 
as the Australian breed. They move about with marvellous celerity, 
and have a curious knack of making themselves invisible. The theory 
is that these little tormentors have .been imported from Algeria with 
the esparto grass from which paper is made, and have come from the 
paper mills to London. They have not appeared at the Journal office 
yet, possibly having scented the stacks of insecticides awaiting trial 
there. 
-A Heavy Rainfall. —There was an exceedingly heavy rain¬ 
fall in London on Saturday, August 27th. It commenced soon after 
1 P.M., and continued with little intermission until about 9 A M. on the 
morning of the 28th, the rain falling in torrents during a great part of 
the time. In some places inch wa3 registered, in others as much as 
If inch, marking it as one of the heaviest falls for the time of year on 
record. Writing to one of the daily papers from Canonbury, which is 
in the North of London, Mr. J. Spiller stated that the total fall 
amounted to 1*83 inch in the twenty-four hours, and we have to go back 
to August 1st, 1888, to find its equal. On that date exactly the same 
amount was registered. The wettest day of last year (August 20th) fell 
short of this by half an inch, and on comparison with previous returns 
it is found that the total rain during the months of August, 1889 and 
1890 (P86 and P91 respectively) exceeded by very little the amount 
that fell on this one day. 
- Brighton Show. —Through the indefatigable exertions of Mr. 
Mark Longhurst and the Committee, the “ new ” Society has gained an 
unassailable position in a very short time. It is supported equally by 
practical horticulturists and influential patrons of horticulture. It will 
give an idea of the scope of the Summer Show to mention that there were 
about 700 competitive entries, besides a large number not for competi¬ 
tion, and that, in one class there were as many as twenty-four entries, with 
fifteen to eighteen in several others. One of the most remarkable features 
of the Exhibition were the magnificent specimens staged by Mr. Offer, 
gardener to J. Warren, Esq., Handcross Park, Crawley, which easily won 
the first prize (£10) in the class for twelve stove and greenhouse plants. 
They were of huge dimensions and in robust health. Mr. Jupp of 
Eastbourne also showed well in the class for six, and was placed first. 
Groups were a splendid feature, that arranged by Mr. Peel, Southamp¬ 
ton, in a space of 100 square feet, being extremely beautiful, and 
securing the premier position. Fruit was a large and good display. 
Mr. Reynolds, gardener to Messrs, de Rothschild, Gunnersbury Park, 
won with a collection, staging some excellent produce, and he showed 
prominently in other classes. We hope to be able to report as favour¬ 
ably of the financial result of the Exhibition as we are in a position to 
do of its general quality. 
- Kidney Beans at Chiswick. —The numerous varieties of 
Kidney Beans on trial were examined on Tuesday last. Among the- 
white flowered varieties Carter’s Jubilee was awarded three marks of 
merit, The Czar and Giant White two marks. Hill’s Prize, Veitch’s Giant, 
and Sutton’s Prizewinner Scarlet Runners were granted three marks,, 
and Giant Titan and Invincible two marks. Among the French- 
Runners, Hungarian Butter, Mont d’Or, Flageolet Wax, and Sutton s 
Tender and True received three marks. They were tender and delicious 
when cooked, the last named being remarkable for its long pods and 
productiveness. Empress Frederick received two marks. In the Dutch 
case knife section Fillbasket was the only noteworthy variety, and 
was granted three marks of merit. 
- Peas at Reading. —Having heard of the exhaustive trials of 
Peas being made by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, and as early and late Peas 
are a speciality of mine I had a wish to see their trials of early and 
late varieties. On application I was cordially invited to inspect them. 
All types and forms were well represented at their trial grounds, vary¬ 
ing in height from G inches to 6 feet, suitable alike to amateur suburban 
gardeners with whom sticks are not obtainable or desirable, and to 
landed proprietors with whom Pea sticks, long and plentiful, are to be 
had. In the latter case tall Peas are to be preferred. Taking a broad 
view of the minute and painstaking trials the advance in the dwarf 
section was truly remarkable, varieties being observable with large well 
filled pods of fine Marrowfat flavour. Medium height and tall varieties 
were all well represented, comprising the best in commerce grown along¬ 
side of the firm’s seedlings and introductions. Very conspicuous were 
Perfection Marrow and Exhibition Marrow, in height about 3 feet 
G inches to 4 feet, having fine long dark green pods in great abundance. 
—R. M. 
- Apple Stealing and its Sequel.—A t the Guisborough 
Police Court on Tuesday week, John Morgan, Frank Thompson, Walter 
Jackson, Ernest Burt, Chas. W. Bougham, John Abbott, and Wm. 
Harris, all of North Skelton, were charged with stealing Apples the 
property of Jno. A. Lince, gardener, Saltburn, on the 10th ult. Mr. 
Richardson prosecuted. Bougham, Jackson, and Morgan were each 
ordered to pay 10s. each and the others 7s. Gd. each. John A. Lince 
was charged with unlawfully shooting at John Morgan. Mr. Richardson 
defended. Complainant stated that he, in company with the other 
defendants in the previous case, walked towards Lince’s garden. 
Complainant got over the hedge, and was half way across the beck, 
when he heard someone talking. He turned, and had just got back 
over the hedge into the field, when he heard the report of a gun, and 
felt that he was shot in both legs and one arm. He looked round and 
saw defendant with a gun in his hand. Complainant admitted that he 
had gone to the garden with the intention of stealing Apples. Mr. 
Richardson submitted that defendant did not shoot with intent to do 
any harm, but simply with a view to frightening depredators away. 
Defendant was committed for trial at the Sessions. 
- Picotees from Mr. Ben Simonite.—O ur old Sheffield friend 
writes :—“I have sent for your inspection a box of my seedling Yellow 
and Fancy Picotees. I think them fine border flowers ; they are very 
vigorous growers. What is your opinion of them?” We think they 
are very fine indeed, the majority being large, well-formed flowers, with 
very broad smooth petals, the only fault of some being a tendency to 
pod-splitting, but others were good in this respect also. A brief note of 
each is added. Duchess of Portland is a splendid variety, having a 
stout stem, perfect calyx, and flowers of great size, the petals very 
broad, substantial, and evenly disposed ; it is a yellow ground, edged 
and lightly feathered with mauve. Sybil, yellow ground flecked with 
red, a large flower with broad stout petals. Orion, yellow ground, 
flaked on the edges with crimson—a noble flower. Kate, yellow ground 
feathered with rosy lilac, very smooth, broad petal. Ophir, lemon 
ground, lightly flecked with red, good petals. Mrs. Field, cream ground, 
heavily edged with deep rose, very broad petals, evenly folded. Mrs. 
Simonite, yellow self. Frisel, white ground, heavily edged with deep 
rosy crimson. Sylph, lemon ground, lightly flaked with rosy red, broad, 
smooth petal—a flower of great beauty. Ganymede, yellow ground, 
with a few flecks of crimson. Modesty, canary ground, with medium 
rosy pink edge—a charming flower. Brilliant, white ground, heavily 
edged with rich rosy red, broad, very stout petals, evenly disposed—a 
bright and effective variety. Sylvia, bright yellow ground, edged and 
flaked with rosy crimson, broad, well-rounded petal; and Ellen, lemon 
ground, edged and flaked purplish rose, very broad petals and strong 
I calyx. All things considered they are an excellent type of flower. 
