February 28, l£yS. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
183 
The Weather in London. —The weather on Wednesday morning 
though bright and clear was still cold. The sun gains power in the 
daytime, but beyond that there is not much prospect of a rapid 
thaw; at 9 A,M. the thermometer in the City read 35°, and on Tuesday 
morning registered several degrees below freezing. Rain fell on 
Sunday last, and a rapid thaw seemed imminent, but an unwelcome 
return of colder weather followed. 
- Weather in the North—T he frost fell from 18° on the 
20th to 9° on the morning of Friday last, when a thaw set in in the early 
part of the day. This continued, with the aid of a west wind, to tell 
effectively throughout Saturday, but on Sunday the wind had returned 
to the north-west, and though still fresh the day was cold. Frost re¬ 
turned at night, and 6° were registered on Monday and Tuesday 
mornings. The former was a beautiful day, the latter rather dull in the 
morning, but the wind again in the west and the thermometer at 41°.— 
B. D., 8. Perthshire, 
- Nurserymen and Market Gardeners’ Hailstorm 
Insurance. — Just as we are preparing for press we receive a 
prospectus on this subject. It states that the Corporation has been 
formed for the purpose of affording greater facilities in respect of the 
insurance of glass structures against damage by hail, as the rates of 
companies which effect such insurances are so high as to be to a large 
extent prohibitive. Application is made for shares, in order to raise 
a capital of £100,000. Considerable promises of support have been 
received, and it is proposed to commence business by the 1st of March 
Mr. Harry J. Veitch is Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Mr 
A. J. Monro Secretary tern. Offices : 1 and 2, King Street, Covent 
Garden, W.C. 
- Professor Balfour. — We see it announced that Dr. J. B. 
Balfour of Edinburgh has been elected a member of the Athenmum 
Club. Professor Balfour occupies the Botanical Chair in the University 
of Edinburgh, a position which was held by his father for thirty-four 
years. Professor Balfour takes great interest in the extension of forestry 
on systematic lines. He is a distinguished botanist, and highly esteemed 
in Edinburgh society. 
- Death of Lord Aberdare.—W e record with much regret 
the death of Lord Aberdare, who will be remembered by many of our 
friends as having occupied the position of President of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at a critical period of its career. His Lordship 
succeeded Lord Bury in 1875, when the skating rink policy of the South 
Kensingtonians was overturned. Lord Aberdare displayed great ability 
in the exciting meetings which followed, and made himself highly 
popular with horticulturists. His L'):d8hip took great interest in 
educational and social matters, and has left the stamp of his 
intellect on the legislative enactments of the kingdom. Lord 
Aberdare died in London on Monday night in the eightieth year of 
his age. 
-A New Asylum for Sunderland at Ryhope. — The 
Visiting Committee of the Ayslum has, with the Borough engineer (Mr. 
R. S. Rounthwaite), for some time past been considering the best 
arrangement for the laying out of the extensive grounds adjoining the 
new Asylum at Ryhope, and have just accepted the tender of Messrs. 
Wm. Fell & Co., nurserymen, Hexham, whose plans they have pre¬ 
ferred for the laying out of the grounds, the supply of ornamental 
trees, and the planting of the same. 
- Crystal Palace Shows. —The shows of flowers, plants, and 
fruit at the Crystal Palace during 1895 will be as follows :—Spring 
exhibition of plants, flowers, &c., Saturday, March 16;h; the National 
Rose Society’s exhibition of Roses and the London Pansy and Violet 
Society’s show, Saturday, July 6.h ; the National Carnation and 
Picotee Society’s show, Wednesday, July 24th; the National Co¬ 
operative flower, fruit, and vegetable show, .August 17ch or 24th; the 
National Dahlia Society’s show, Friday and Saturday, September 6th 
and 7th ; the Royal Horticultural Society’s exhibition of British-grown 
fruit, September 26th, 27th, and 28th ; Chrysanthemum exhibition, 
Friday and Saturday, November 1st and 2Qd. 
- Professor Greene of the University of California has 
accepted the Chair ol Botany in the Catholic University of Washington. 
Professor Greene intends, however, to continue his work in connection 
with the botany of California. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. Joseph Brooks, who for a 
short time has managed the gardens at Withington Hall, Cheshire, for 
the trustees, has been appointed head gardener to Ernest Frank, Esq., 
who has recently taken a lease of the mansion. 
- A Large Tomato. —On page 162 there is a note respecting 
a largS Tomato, and it appears to me that the grower claims it to 
be the largest on record. If so, he is certainly mistaken, for I well 
remember cutting one whilst a journeyman which scaled 3 lbs. 15| ozs. 
The variety was Hathaway’s Excelsior ; it was an ugly monster, but it 
was one Tomato.—W. S. E. 
- Thickness of Ice. —At Alton Towers, Staffordshire, the frost 
has been so severe during the month of February that the ice on the 
lake was frozen to a depth of 16 inches. So far as is known this is 
the greatest thickness on record. Daring the severe weather men have 
been engaged in catting out huge blocks of ice by the aid of cross-cut 
saws for storing away in suitable places for future use. 
- The Siphon in Gardening.—I n many cases cisterns and 
other bodies containing water could be very easily emptied or the water 
conveyed from place to place by siphons, where it is now conveyed by 
hand utensils. A common garden hose will do this as well as anything 
else. All that is necessary, says “ Meehan’s Monthly,” is to fill the hose 
entirely with water first before placing it in the cistern, and then to be 
certain that the outlet is lower than the source of supply. 
- Root-pruning in Summer. —Having read with considerable 
interest on page 43 an article entitled, “ Roots in Winter, Do They Work,” 
and finding your correspondent has been very successful in summer root- 
pruning old fruit trees, and as he writes that it would be a gain to root- 
prune in the summer instead of winter, I should like him to know that 
at our local meeting of gardeners and amateurs the question was dis¬ 
cussed, and the unanimous answer was “ Root-prune in the summer if 
you wish to kill your trees.” Not having any personal experience of 
summer root-pruning, I shall be glad of any more information I can 
gain on the subject.—H. C. 
- Saintpaulia ionantha. — In his interesting article on 
“ Timely Suggestions ” (page 158) your correspondent, “ E. K., Duhlin," 
incidentally mentions this as a novelty likely to be in considerable 
demand owing to its attractive name. Although offered as a novelty 
of this year in some seed lists, it was in fact one of last year’s 
introductions. I had the pleasure of seeing it in flower, and consider 
it well worth growing for its beauty. One can only hope that it may 
prove amenable to greenhouse cultivation, as it would thus find its 
way into the favour of many amateurs who do not possess a stove. 
Of attractive habit of growth, and with flowers of the most charming 
colour, it is very desirable indeed.—S. Arnott. 
- Orchids at the Washington Botanical Gardens.— 
This splendid collection of Orchids had a narrow escape from freezing 
on January 13th and 14th. Late on the night of the 13 ih the boiler 
burst. The Superintendent called his men together, and before the 
house had time to cool, rude charcoal stoves were improvised, and fires 
started throughout the building. Tbe workmen were up all the 
Saturday and Monday nights watching the thermometer, and small 
gasoline stoves were brought into requisition until a new boiler was 
secured and placed in position. The old boiler had been in use fourteen 
years. Superintendent Smith states not an Orchid has been injured, 
although it was hard work with the makeshift apparatus to keep up the 
necessary temperature. 
_ National Carnation and Picotee Society (Southern 
Section).—The Committee, in issuing the eighteenth annual report of 
the Society, record the gratifying fact of a substantial increase in 
memoership ; it is also pleasing to observe that the finances are in a 
satisfactory state, the balance of £118 5 j. 41. in 1893 having increased 
to £159 133. 7il. in 1894. Embodied in the report are selections of the 
best varieties of Carnations and Picotees, a record of new varieties 
certificated during the past year, also a return of prizewinners and their 
varieties during the past season. The Society has a distinguished list of 
patrons, with the accomplished amateur, Martin R. Smith, Esq., Presi¬ 
dent, Mr. T. G. Hen ward, Hon. Treasurer, and Mr. James Douglas, 
Barking Side, Ilford, Hon. Secretary. 
