548 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 22, 18S2. 
more which were busily feeding on my Damson trees i; in the very act.” 
I opened one, took out the contents of its stomach, spread it on card¬ 
board, where it is now, with the result that not a particle of a bud could 
be found, but on the contrary it was stuffed full of insect pests of 
various sorts, particularly brown scale and aphides.—J. Hiam. 
The Weather in London. —During the past week the weather has 
been unusually mild in the metropolis for the time of year. Sunday 
was mild and dry, but rather windy, similar weather continuing Monday 
and Tuesday. Wednesday opened fine and dry, but at the time of going 
to press it is foggy. 
- Weather in the North. —We have had no frost since the 
morning of the 15th, and snow has disappeared from the low grounds, 
and patches only are seen on the hills. The days of the past week have 
been generally good, though dull, with occasional drizzle, and high 
winds have occurred, especially during the nights.—B. D., S. Perthshire. 
- Royal Horticultural Society.—T he next meeting of this 
Society will take place on Tuesday, January 17th, and not the 14th, as 
printed in our last issue. 
- Scholarships in Horticulture.—A t a meeting of the 
Court of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, held on Monday, 
December 19th, at the Cannon Street Hotel, the scheme of examination 
in horticulture lately set out by the Royal Horticultural Society was 
brought under discussion, and it was decided that the Company should 
offer a scholarship of £26 a year, tenable for two years, to be awarded 
after the examination to the most successful candidate under certain 
conditions. It was also announced that a second scholarship of the 
same value was offered by the President of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., and it was hoped that others might 
follow such good examples. The exact conditions of the scholarships 
have yet to be settled, but the main provisions wfill be that the holders 
shall be between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two years, and that 
they shall study gardening for one year at least at the R.H.S. 
Gardens, Chiswick, and for the second year either there or at some 
other place to be approved. 
- The Royal Horticultural Society and its Competi¬ 
tions. —The announcement made to the Fellows of the Society on the 
part of the Council that it is proposed to hold three great exhibitions 
next year, it is hoped signifies that the few classes with prizes attached 
furnished at most of the fortnightly meetings will not again figure in 
the schedule. These have been miserable failures, the awards some¬ 
times going to exceedingly poor exhibits, whilst at times there were 
none whatever. If at these shows liberal prizes are offered some good 
competitions may be looked for. The Temple Show will fall on 
May 25th and 26tli. There will be one at Chiswick on July 11th ; and 
surprising as a new departure, one at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, 
on August 29th to September 1st. That will, indeed, be a big experi¬ 
ment, for which every success is hoped. The good prizes awarded at the 
Earl’s Court series of shows evidenced the power of money in attracting 
exhibitors. If but £500 be offered in prizes at the Agricultural Hall a 
grand Show may result.—D. 
- Horticultural Club. —The usual monthly dinner and con¬ 
versazione was held at the rooms of the Club, Hotel Windsor, Victoria 
Street, on Tuesday the 13th inst. There was a large attendance of 
members. The chair was occupied by Mr. Harry Veitch, Vice-Chairman 
of the Club. Amongst those present were the Revs. W. Wilks, F. R. 
Burnside, and F. II. Gall; Messrs. John Lee, H. J. Pearson, Alfred H. 
Pearson, John S. Cousens, J. Burrell, Geo. Bunyard, Joseph Cheal, Geo. 
Paul, W. J. Jefferies, W. H. Williams, Harry Turner, &c. The discussion 
was on growing Chrysanthemums for exhibition, opened by an able 
paper by the Mayor of Taunton (W. Herbert Fowler, Esq.), who was 
unable to be present. The paper (see page 543) was read by Mr. Alfred 
H. Pearson, and was received with much interest, and elicited a 
very profitable discussion. Two fine boxes of Chrysanthemum blooms 
from Mr. Blair (gardener to the Duke of Sutherland at Trentham) were, 
through the good offices of Mr. Harry Turner, sent to illustrate the 
lecture. The next meeting of the Club will be held on January 17th 
- Herefordshire Fruit and Chrysanthemum Society.— 
We are informed that the second annual Show of this Society will be 
held at Hereford on November 15th, 16th, and 17th, 1893. 
- Royal Botanical Society of Belgium.—W e are informed 
that M. Em. Rodigas, the Director of the National School of Horticul¬ 
ture of Ghent, has been elected President of the Society. 
- Government Tree Planting in Ireland.—W e learn that 
large orders for trees have been sent to Messrs. Dicksons (Chester), 
by the Irish Land Commissioners for planting on the west coast of 
Ireland. 
- Imported Fruit.—A ccording to the Board of Trade returns 
for November 901,959 bushels of Apples and 19,268 bushels of Pears- 
were imported into this country during that month. In addition to- 
this Oranges, Lemons, Grapes, and other fruit were imported in bulk. 
- Conifers and Taxads. —We have received a list of Conifers 
and Taxads cultivated in the open air in Great Britain and Ireland by 
Dr. Maxwell T. Masters, F.R.S. The list has been reprinted from the 
Conifer Conference Report issued a short time ago by the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, and is valuable as a work of reference. 
- Horticulture in Ireland.—T he Lord Lieutenant of 
Ireland was recently presented with an address by the members of the 
Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland. In reply, his Excellency said 
the study and practice of horticulture would lead to the promotion of 
an industry which would be of great importance to the country. 
- Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. — Several 
shows are arranged to be held during the coming year, under the* 
auspices of this Society. The spring Show takes place on April 5th and 
6th, the summer Exhibition on July 12th and 13th, and another on 
September 13th and 14th. All will be held in the Waverley Market,. 
Edinburgh. 
- A Late American Millionaire and Flowers.—I t is not 
generally known that the late Jay Gould, the American millionaire, 
loved flowers. He knew the names of every plant in the vast green¬ 
houses at his country place, and botany was almost his only recreation. 
Not many months ago he had a most elaborate conservatory erected 
at an enormous cost. 
- The Nursery and Seed Trade Association, Limited.— 
The annual dinner of this Association was held at the Guildhall Tavern, 
Gresham Street, recently. The President, N. N. Sherwood, Esq., 
presided, and was supported by a number of members, amongst them being 
Mr. H. J. Veitch, Mr. H. Turner, and Mr. W. Paul. The vice-chair was 
taken by the Treasurer, Mr. W. J. Nutting. 
- Wakefield Paxton Society.—A t a recent meeting of this 
Society, Mr. Hudson of Sandal Grange Gardens gave a paper on “ The 
Apple.” Alderman Milnes presided, and the vice-chair was occupied 
by Mr. H. S. Goodyear. The paper proved to be exceedingly interesting, 
and a long discussion followed. A case containing male and female 
specimens of the winter moth was shown by Mr. G. Parkin. 
- A New Luminous Fungus has been forwarded to Europe 
from Tahiti. It is said to emit, at night, a light resembling that of the 
glowworm, which it retains for a period of twenty-four hours after 
having been gathered, and it is used, by the native women, in bouquets 
of flowers for personal adornment in the hair and dress. It belongs to 
the section “ dimidiati ” of the genus Pleurotus, in which no luminous 
species has been hitherto known, although there are several in the 
genus, and has been named Pleurotus lux by M. Hariot. It is believed 
to grow on the trunks of trees. 
- Araucaria imbricata.— I have noticed on several occasions 
where a flower bed surrounds an Araucaria that the latter is invariably 
bare of branches at the bottom. I was visiting a place a few years ago 
where there were two large specimens of this Araucaria growing on the 
lawn, each in the centre of a small flower bed. The bottom branches 
had died off a distance of several feet up the stem, but the gardener 
assured me that previous to the flower beds being made both trees were 
branched to the ground. It seems a pity that such a beautiful tree 
should be so disfigured for the sake of a flower bed. This tree evidently 
do not like its surface roots disturbed. Not far from the two trees 
referred to is one of the finest specimens in Yorkshire, growing on a 
lawn. The bottom branches rest on the ground, and the tree is 
copiously watered with liquid manure during the summer, and it appa¬ 
rently appreciates such treatment.— C. Russell 
