November 3, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
397 
- Anemone japonica elegans.— How seldom do we see this 
Anemone mentioned in the horticultural Press, notwithstanding its 
effectiveness on the herbaceous borders or when grown in a mass in the 
shrubbery. For cutting, too, the blush pink flowers are useful, but 
as a border plant it is most valued. If anything it is of a rather stronger 
growth than A. japonica alba.—E. M. 
- Rainfall at Cuckfield. —The total rainfall at Cuckfield, 
■Sussex, for October, was 5 24 inches, being 1'29 inch above the average. 
The heaviest fall was 0 93 inch on the 30th ; rain fell on twenty days. 
The highest temperature was 58° on the 29th, lowest 30° on 24th 
Mean maximum 51°, mean minimum 40°, mean temperature 45T 0 , 
Partial Bhade readings 1° above the average.—R. I. 
- Bouvaedia Purity. —What a chaste and strongly scented 
Bouvardia this is ! It appears to resemble Humboldti corymbiflora, 
only more dwarf and free flowering than that kind. After seeing 
the note by “ H. W.” on Bouvardias at Messrs. Veitch’s nursery the 
above variety suggested itself to me, as I notice it docs not appear in his 
list.—A. Y. 
- Stevensonia grandiflora. —It is a pity this Palm will not 
•conform to ordinary treatment. To grow it well it requires a high and 
moist temperature and to be shaded from strong sun. I see the flower¬ 
ing of this rare Palm is noted as an event at Kew. Mr. George 
Legg, when at Cleveland House, Claplram, used to occasionally exhibit 
a splendid plant. It is too tender for decorative purposes.—A. Y. 
- Grapes at Waterlow Park. —The thousands of people who 
now daily visit the Chrysanthemum Show at Waterlow Park, Highgate, 
are much interested in the Grapes that are hanging in the vineries. 
The bunches are of medium size and well coloured, considering the fact 
that previous to last year the Vines were sadly neglected. As mentioned 
in these pages some weeks ago, all the Grapes and other fruit grown at 
Waterlow Park are distributed amongst the various metropolitan 
hospitals.—C. 
- The Weather in the Bingley District (Yorkshire). 
—The first snow of this season fell here on the morning of the 24th ult. 
The two following mornings we registered 11° frost, and on Thursday 
rain fell during the greater part of the day. Friday and Saturday were 
remarkable for being extremely mild, the thermometer standing as high 
as 53° at half-past six in the morning. Apples in these gardens have 
been a failure with three exceptions—namely, Duchess of Oldenburg, 
Emperor Alexander, and Betty Geeson, the second named being the 
heaviest bearer.—T. H. B., Milner Field. 
- School Gardens. —One of those active and energetic persons 
who constitute in so high a degree the force which impels to good 
work, a local technical education) secretary, remarked the other day 
how very much he would like to obtain in a suitable situation in each 
village under his jurisdiction a small area of ground, perhaps one- 
eighth or one-fourth of an acre, which could be utilised as real training 
grounds for the oldest and most energetic lads in the village schools, 
as horticultural practice gardens. It wears a most hopeful look when 
we see a movement of this description fostered and assisted by the 
county councils, and aided and supervised outside the ordinary 
elementary school management and teaching staff. One weak feature 
of all the proposals made hitherto in the direction of instructing 
children in gardening, was the almost entire absence of knowledge, 
either practical or theoretical, on the part of school teachers. In a 
limited degree that difficulty is being overcome by inducing school 
teachers to attend horticultural classes, and thus become fairly pro¬ 
ficient in at least theoretical horticulture. But to make apt pupils or 
teachers practical knowledge is needful, and school gardens for advanced 
boys seem to present in an eminent degree the means to the desired 
end. We have in a very few places school gardens already in exist¬ 
ence, and in all our large industrial or pauper schools where there is 
garden ground, the boys have in these some practical horticultural 
instruction. Still we want to see this sort of thing universal, as in 
that way we may hope to see quite a new stimulus given to gardening 
and a deep interest aroused in all that concerns both the culture of the 
soil, and hardy fruits and vegetables. I am glad to know that a com¬ 
mencement has been made in the direction indicated in Surrey. 
Groups of continuation school gardens have been formed, and some of 
them cropped during the present season, and steps are being taken to 
extend the system. An experimental garden on a larger scale is, I hear, 
to be established in Derbyshire!,—A. D. 
- The Weather in Perthshire. — The intense frost of the 
25th and 26th ult. was followed by a sudden and unexpected thaw, 
followed by a great deal of rain. The last day of October was very fine ; 
at night frost set in, and this morning (November 1st) 7° are registered. 
B. D., S. Perthshire. 
- A Large Portugal Laurel.— A Portugal Laurel at Com- 
bermere Abbey, in Cheshire, is said to be at least 200 years old, and 
its branches have rooted in every direction. It has the appearance of 
being a large mass of shrubbery instead of a single Laurel. In places 
it is 30 feet high, and altogether it is 100 feet in diameter. 
- A Magnificent Douglas Fir.—A Douglas Fir was planted 
in the spring of 1842 at Walcot Park, the seat of the Earl of Powis, in 
Shropshire. Tnis spring, after it had stood fifty years, it measured, 
says an exchange, 107 feet to the top of the leader, and at 4 feet from 
the ground the girth of its trunk was 12 feet 9 inches. 
- Potato Disease in the Midlands. —It is reported that, in 
consequence of the recent excessive rains, disease has attacked the 
Potato crops in Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire. Potatoes are 
extensively grown in these districts, and if the crops should fait, in 
addition to the bad harvest, the present agricultural depression will be 
increased. 
-- Trees and Tree Planting.—A t a recent meeting of the 
Wakefield Paxton Society, Mr. Waraman, The Gardens, St. John’s, read 
a very useful and opportune paper on the above subject, in the course 
of which he pointed out the marked absence of taste and the meagreness 
of variety, with the consequent loss of effect, which is manifested in the 
planting of many gardens. 
- Pyrethrum uliginosum. —“ H. W. W.” doe3 well to say a 
word in favour of this perennial. It is at the present time (October 
15th) in splendid condition. We have clumps of it growing 8 feet 
apart down two sides of the kitchen garden, and being alternated with 
Michaelmas Daisies form quite a seasonable display with us, though the 
Pyrethrum grows over 7 feet high.—E. M. 
- Culture of Onions.—M r. W. K. Woodcock, lecturer to the 
Norfolk County Council, recently dealt with the culture of Onions. 
He considered the Onion as ranking next to the Potato in importance 
as an article of consumption, and in its extensive cultivation. The 
manuring of the land, as in the case of the general cultivation of most 
crops, should be done in the autumn. Lime and soot dressings were 
invaluable at the proper season, in order to prevent or minimise the 
havoc caused by the maggot. The disease known as the “ Onion 
mildew ” was fully explained by Mr. Woodcock, and was shown to 
belong to the same species as the Potato disease (fungi family), and 
most prevalent in warm and moist localities. To prevent as far as 
possible the spreading of the disease, the dressing of the land with lime 
and the advantages of a rotation system of cropping were advocated. 
- Drying Fruit.—I t is singular that, while for many years the 
process of drying fruit has been carried on upon an enormous scale in 
the United States, the British fruit grower, although bewailing often 
the cost of carriage and the rapacity of the average middleman, has, 
So far, says a daily contemporary, taken no steps whatever to avail 
himself of a process by which he can diminish the freight to one-fifth 
eliminate the loss arising from damage during transit, and render himself 
altogether independent of Covent Garden. The recent Exhibition, 
before a number of fruit growers, at the Chiswick Gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, of the work of a cheap and simple process for 
drying fruit will, it may be hoped, induce many of our fruit growers 
and farmers to consider the question seriously, and to give a trial to 
methods which have proved in America of such value alike to agricul¬ 
turists and to the public. Enormous quantities of fruit are yearly 
wasted in this country simply because of the expense of getting to 
market, and the fact that there is at that season so great a glut that 
the prices obtained often hardly cover the cost of picking. For dried 
fruits, however, the demand would be steady throughout the year so 
soon as the public in general came to understand and appreciate its 
value for all culinary purposes. The carriage would be comparatively 
trifling, and the fruit should command prices very much more remunera¬ 
tive than when fresh. Naturally, the best kinds and varieties of fruit 
would still come to market, for these always command fair prices. It 
is for the cooking Apples, and for the varieties that are attractive 
neither to the eye nor the palate, that the drying process is peculiarly 
applicable. 
