December 29, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
567 
- Adi antum farleyense. — Allow me to thank your corre¬ 
spondents who have so kindly given their experience of this beautiful 
Fern. Such notes cannot fail to be instructive to readers of the 
Journal, especially to those who have not been successful in growing 
this Fern. Your correspondents are unanimous in recommending loam 
in preference to peat to form the bulk of the potting compost. I quite 
agree with them on that point, also in the necessity of draining the pots 
well.— C. Russell. 
- Royal Meteorological Society.—T he usual monthly 
meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday evening, the 21st inst., 
at the institution of Civil Engineers, 25, Great George Street, West¬ 
minster, Dr. C. Theodore Williams, President, in the chair. Dr. R. H. 
Beardsley, Dr. T. C. Beatty, Dr. R. Brocklesby, Mr. C. H. Cotton, Dr. P. 
Fraser, and Dr. G. H. Ward-Humphreys were elected Fellows of the 
Society. The following papers were read :— 
(1) “Moving Anticyclones in the Southern Hemisphere,” 
by Mr. H. C. Russell, F.R.S., Government Astronomer, New South 
Wales. The author describes the results of his practical study of the 
daily weather charts for Australasia, and states that the leading fact 
brought out is that the weather south of 20° S. latitude is the product of 
a series of rapidly moving anticyclones, which follow one another with 
remarkable regularity, and are the great controlling force in determining 
local weather. These anticyclones are more numerous in summer than 
in winter, the average number for the year being forty-two. They 
usually take seven or eight days to travel across Australia in summer, 
and nine or ten days in winter, the average daily rate of translation 
being 400 miles. The shape of the anticyclone appears to undergo some 
modification as it nears the east coast. The winds on the north side of 
the anticyclone are not so strong as those on the south side, and the 
intensity of the weather is in proportion to the difference in pressure 
between the anticyclone and the V depression, but the relation of the 
pressures varies frequently before the wind responds, the pressure 
appearing to be controlled from above by the more or less rapid descent 
of air which feeds the anticyclone. Cyclonic storms are very unusual, 
and do not occur more than once in two or three months. 
(2) “Rainfall of Nottinghamshire, 1861-1890,” by Mr. H. 
Mellish, F.R.Met.Soc. The author has collected and discussed all the 
rainfall records made in the county during the thirty years, and finds 
that in the extreme west the mean rainfall is 27 inches or more, and that 
over the rest of the county it varies between 25 and 27 inches, except 
north of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway, where the 
rainfall is less than 25 inches, and in the north-east towards Gains¬ 
borough, where it is not more than 23 inches. The year of greatest 
rainfall was 1872, and of least rainfall 1887. October is the wettest 
month and February the driest. 
- Tea Growing in Australia.—E xperiments are going to be 
tried with a view of testing the soil and climate of certain localities in 
Australia for the cultivation of Tea. One paper suggests that Tea 
culture in Australia might be a recommendable venture. According to 
Mueller the Tea plant has proved hardy in the lowlands at Melbourne, 
where, in exposed positions, it endures quite unharmed light night 
frosts, as well as the free access of scorching summer winds ; but it is in 
humid valleys, with rich alluvial soils and access to springs for irriga¬ 
tion, that the most productive Tea fields can be formed. The greater 
the rainfall in any region otherwise adapted the richer the yield of the 
Tea plant. Its culture is not difficult, and it is singularly exempt from 
fungus diseases if planted in proper localities. Pruning is effected in 
the cool season, in order to obtain a large quantity of small tender 
leaves from young branches. 
_ Wintering Ecbeveria secunda glauca.— I find no diffi¬ 
culty in wintering these in a temporary made frame of stout boards or 
slabs about 18 inches high at the back, and 15 or so at the front. The 
bottom, which is on ashes, has a layer of freshly gathered leaves ; on this 
we place any soil from the potting bench, old Chrysanthemum compost 
or anything of that character. The Echeverias are planted in the soil 
quite up to the leaves, stripping off some of the old foliage. If the 
root stem is considered too long for planting next year in the beds it is 
chopped off to within 4 inches of the leaves. These plants come in 
most useful for planting horizontally at the edges of the beds next year. 
Roots are formed between the middle of October and the time the 
plants are put out in May or June. All the covering the Echeverias 
receive during the winter is with straw thatched hurdles, and they 
answer capitally.—E, M. 
- Blue Tits and Peas.—T hese birds are very destructive with 
the early Peas in my garden. I have seen them taking the Peas when 
very small from the pods and carry them away to the nest for their 
young.—G; F. 
- Ancient Society of York Florists. —The annual dinner of 
the Ancient Society of York Florists took place on the 21st inst. at 
Harker’s Hotel, Aid. Sir Joseph Terry, J.P., presiding. The Chairman 
was supported by a comp my of about fifty in all. Mr. Alderman 
Rymer proposed the “Ancient Society of York Florists,” and said he 
thought that it was filling a very important place in the welfare, 
elevation, prosperity, and entertainment of their fellow citizens. 
Responding, Mr. McIntosh said that never in the whole history of the 
Society’s career had there been so many members, and to give some idea 
of its rapid progress he might remind them that some twelve or thirteen 
years ago they had only some 50 members, whereas now they had no- 
less than 600. 
- English Orchards. —Whilst lecturing on the culture of 
fruit in Westmoreland recently, Mr. T. R. Spelmen, of Fulwood, said 1 
that three-fourths of the orchards in the country were in a lamentable 
condition and ought to be improved. The old worn-out trees he would 
grub up and clear away, the young varieties should be cut down and re¬ 
grafted in the spring, and the good varieties he would thin out well with 
a saw, so as to give them plenty of light and sun. The main branches 
and trunk should be scrubbed to remove moss and lichen. The follow¬ 
ing mixture he recommended to be used to rid the trees of caterpillars : 
Two parts of lime, one of soot and some clay, mixed with water and 
made into a thin paste, and then applied with a whitewash brush to all 
the branches and the stem, being careful to smear every part of the 
tree. 
- Double Primulas. —I was pleased to see in the Journal of 
December 8th (page 503) a note of successful culture of these beautiful 
winter flowering plants. It is more in defence of the old double 
Primula sinensis I wish to draw attention, as I find it is most free in 
flowering. We grow a variety named Princess, very much like Mrs. 
A. F. Barron, but for freedom of flowering it does not approach the 
old Double White. The hybrids possess a much more vigorous constitu¬ 
tion, therefore may be grown to a larger size. We have plants of both 
forms, averaging 15 to 18 inches through in 6-inch pots ; some plants 
of the old Double White are larger than this, and about 6 to 9 inches 
in height. We earth up the collars in spring with cocoa fibre refuse 
and keep the plants in an intermediate temperature. When well 
rooted they are divided into as many parts as necessary, placed in 
small pots and put on a shelf close to the glass in a rather close stove. 
When filled with roots they are repotted as required, using a compost of 
loam and leaf soil in about equal parts, with a good addition of old 
mortar rubbish and a little bonemeal if obtainable. Watering is very 
carefully performed at all times, especially after potting. During 
the summer the plants occupy a pit facing south ; a 4-inch pipe runs 
through the frame. We allow as much sun as plants will stand 
without flagging, and syringeon bright afternoons ; they require plenty 
of air, but enjoy more warmth at all times than the single varieties. 
—W. B. F. 
_ Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society.—Presenta¬ 
tion to Mr. P. Neill Fraser.— On Friday afternoon last Mr. P. Neill 
Fraser, Treasurer to the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, was pre¬ 
sented with a handsome service of plate in recognition of the gratuitous 
services as Treasurer of the society, a post which he has filled for the long 
period of twenty-three years. The presentation took place in the Royal 
Hotel, Princes Street. Mr. John Clapperton presiding over a gathering of 
well-known horticulturists. In making the presentation the Chairman 
spoke of the long number of years during which Mr. Fraser has given 
his services to the Society, and as showing how the Society had grown 
during that time he mentioned, that whereas in 1871 their funds were 
£90, now they were upwards of £1200. Again in 1871 their ordinary 
receipts, including the drawings at the annual show were £350, while 
last year they amounted to £1600, the prize money last year having 
alone amounted to £730. At the close of twenty-three years’ 
service as Treasurer, the Directors had thought that the time had 
come when Mr. Fraser’s services—gratuitous and disinterested services 
_should be acknowledged in some shape. In a sense the mantle of 
the late Dr. Neill had fallen upon Mr. Fraser, for he had always main¬ 
tained a lively interest in horticulture and botany. (Applause). Mr. 
Neill Fraser suitably acknowledged the presentation. He said that a 
Society like theirs was not too often over-burdened with funds, an l 
sometimes the Treasurer had a little difficulty in making both ends 
