206 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 7,1896. 
- The Chislehuest Gaedenees’ Associatiok.— The members 
of the above Association spent a most enjoyable and instructive evening 
on Tuesday last, when Mr. J. Martin, from Messrs. Sutton & Sons, gave a 
lecture on “ Cyclamens as Grown at Reading.” There was a full 
attendance, and great interest was manifested by the members, some 
of whom are Cyclamen growers, but after Tuesday’s lecture it will be 
safe to predict that a greater impetus will be given to the culture of 
Cyclamens in the Chislehurst district. A number of Cyclamens in 
pots were exhibited, and also cut blooms of Cyclamens and Primulas 
from the Reading collection.—R. F. 
- Sutton’s Baeliest of All Radish. — This small Olive¬ 
shaped variety would seem to be correctly named, judging from our 
experience during the past severe weather. In a slightly heated pit we 
were able to commence pulling in a month from the time of sowing, and 
doubtless should have been even sooner than this had the weather been 
more genial. Being very quick in growth, it is of necessity mild in 
flavour, and particularly suited on account of its small size for the 
salad bowl. Its leaf growth is so short that it is not easy to tie them 
in bunches—that is, when freely exposed to light, and not too thickly 
sown. For small frames or pits it is particularly adapted, because so 
many can be had from a small space on account of its compact growth, 
allowing thicker sowing than is possible with larger varieties.—S. 
- Appeal Judges. —I had no intention of referring to this 
subject again, but I see that “ C. K.” (page 169) impeaches a Society, of 
which I presume he is a member, with dishonourable practices. This 
Society selects for judges gentlemen of such admitted competency, 
probity, and standing in the horticultural world as Mr. Temple of 
Carron House, Mr. Murray of Parkhall, Mr. Brown of Abercairney, or 
Mr. McConnachie of Cameron House. If the Society referred to by 
your correspondent had been guilty of the malpractices stated by him, 
it would have ceased to exist long ago, whereas it is in its eighty-third 
year, and was never more flourishing than it is at the present time.— 
G. McDougall, Stirling. [Our correspondent sends us the regulations 
of the Society to which he refers, and we consider them very good ; we 
also regard the judges named as beyond reproach. No useful purpose 
can be served by prolonging this discussion.] 
- Botanic Station at Abuei on the Gold Coast.—A few 
interesting facts referring to the establishment and present condition of 
this station are given in the “ Kew Bulletin ” for January, from which 
the following information has been gathered. The site is in the hills, 
at an elevation of about 1400 feet, overlooking the sea-board, near Accra 
and Pram Pram. In addition to its suitability for the growth of 
economic plants, Aburi is a valuable resort for European invalids. The 
locality has been greatly improved of late years, and it promises to 
become the centre of activity for many cultural industries started by 
the botanic station. During the winter of 1893-94 Mr. William 
Crowther, the Curator (appointed in 1890), was deputed to visit the 
West Indies ” to observe the system pursued there in the cultivation of 
economic plants, and to bring back such useful seeds and plants as 
might with advantage be introduced to the Gold Coast.” Mr. Crowther 
very successfully carried out the object of his mission, and published a 
detailed report. Since then the work of the Aburi station has made 
excellent progress. The inception, as well as the actual work, so far 
accomplished in botanical enterprise at the Gold Coast is entirely due 
to the Governor, Sir W. B. Griffith. He has given warm and consistent 
support to the station, and personally encouraged in every way the 
efforts of the Curator. 
- Veitch’s Supeeb Eaely Dwaep Bean.— For forcing under 
glass this is a decidedly superior variety, and one that as it becomes 
better known will take a foremost position. It is unusually dwarf in 
habit of growth, free bearing, and very quick in arriving at a matured 
stage. In a good forcing temperature pods are ready for gathering in 
slightly less than five weeks from the time of sowing, which is a gain 
over most varieties of dwarf Beans, and in cases where glass space is 
limited it has an additional recommendation in its dwarf sturdy growth. 
With such a general scarcity of vegetables outdoors some effort will be 
necessary to forward summer crops by sowing in boxes or pots for 
planting as soon as it is safe to do so on sheltered borders, and a variety 
possessing the quality of maturing only a few days in advance of older 
standard sorts must be a welcome addition, French Beans can be eon- 
siderably hastened forward in pod-bearing by sowing in small pots and 
allowing them to advance steadily under glass until it is safe to plant 
them out in April ; but some means of shelter must be devised as a 
safeguard against frost, which last year did such irreparable damage 
among these as well as other tender crops. If hand-lights are not 
available Yew boughs form a capital protection from the dense nature 
of the foliage. Spruce is also valuable for the same purpose ; both 
inserted around and among the plants at night and removed during 
bright, warm days will be a valuable help in getting a forward crop.— 
S., Rood Ashton. 
- Plants foe the Back Walls of Vinehies. —The best 
plants for this purpose is an interesting query. I have tried several in 
my vinery, among the rest Plumbago capensis for cutting purposes, and 
Heliotrope for its scent. The latter remains, but the former, owing to 
its tendency to nurse mealy bug, I had to remove. On the whole I have 
had greatest value from three Tea Roses planted out—viz., Ethel 
Erownlow, Lady Castlereagh, and Mrs. James Wilson (Diekson’s), 
pedigree Roses, all different, I had Roses on these at Christmas, and I 
have Roses now, and except a little pruning and liquid manure they 
give no trouble. Mardchal Niel on another wall first eankered and then 
died. The shade of the Vine foliage only brings out more perfectly the 
glorious tint of these perennial blooming Roses. I commend them 
to your correspondent, page 178.—W. J, Muephy, Clonmel. 
- Exteaoedinaey Feost. —Abstract of climatological observa¬ 
tions at Driffield, February, 1895 (authorised station of the Royal 
Meteorological Society). Lat., 54° 0' 30" N. ; long., 0°27' 15" W.; alt,, 
76 feet. Mean barometric pressure at 9 a.m. (at 32° and sea level), 
30 067 inches. Highest, 30 53 on 16th ; lowest, 29 70 on 11th and 27th. 
Mean temperature at 9 A.M. (corrected), 30‘00. Wet bulb, 29'00. Mean 
maximum, 35-3 ; mean minimum, 23'0. Highest, 43-8 on 28th ; lowest^ 
— 1-O°on8th(= 33° of frost). Mean of maxima and minima, 29‘1°. Mean 
range, 12T°. Mean radiation temperature on grass, 17'0°; lowest, — lO’O® 
on 8th (= 42° of frost). Rainfall, 0 64 inch. Number of rainy days^ 
thirteen. Greatest amount in one day, 0T2 on 27th. Instruments by 
Negretti & Zambra. Barometer, Kew Standard, No. 1860 (verified 
November, 1890).—W. E. Lovel, Ohserver, Yorh Road, Driffield. 
- Making Good Losses. —One of our leading vegetable growers 
wrote me the other day that practically everything in vegetables out¬ 
doors was killed, and he was now engaged in doing his best to push on 
Cabbage and Cauliflower seedlings for early cutting, also raising dwarf 
early Peas in pots for planting out later, sowing more French Beans 
than usual for inside fruiting, getting up early Potatoes in frames and 
in pots, pushing on Lettuces and sowing for succession, and taking other 
means to secure as good a supply of vegetables as possible at the earliest 
moment. Then happily there is at disposal a good supply of Asparagus 
and Seakale for forcing, and Mushrooms are plentiful. Thus it is that 
the gardener, who must never be discouraged by adversities, does his best 
to rise above or to surmount them. Probably only British gardeners 
would be at once so energetic and thoughtful. Their work is practically 
one long battle with difficulties, which Nature seems just as freely to 
furnish as she does encouragement.—D. 
- Weights and Measuees. — The Select Committee of the 
House of Commons appointed to inquire into the existing systems of 
weights and measures in this country had a meeting on Tuesday, 
February 26th, under the presidency of Sir Henry Roscoe. Evidence 
was given by Mr. H. J. Chaney, Superintendent of the Standards 
Department of the Board of Trade, who described the system under 
which the verification of legal standards is carried on at the Board of 
Trade by experts appointed for the purpose, and also gave an account 
of the different systems of weights and measures now in use in the 
United Kingdom. He stated that the Imperial and the metric systems 
were the only ones with which the Department had to do in England, 
but there were other local customary weights and measures in use. 
There were many weights and measures in use which were not legally 
recognised. Among these he mentioned the carat, the boll (used in 
Scotland), the ell, the coomb (used for measuring eorn), the Winchester 
bushel, the butchers’ stone of 8 lbs., the miners’ dish (used for weighing 
ore in Derbyshire), and the gauge (used in measuring plates) as examples 
of weights and measures which were not recognised by law. A number 
of anomalies which formerly existed—e.y., a ton of stone being different 
from a ton of other materials, &c.—had disappeared to a great extent 
under the operation of the Weights and Measures Acts of 1878 and 1889. 
The Scotch and Irish mile were still locally recognised, but for all 
statutory purposes a mile was 1760 yards. Practically the only two 
countries of any importance in Europe in which the metric system was 
not adopted were Great Britain and Russia. In Germany, Austria, 
France, Italy, Spain and Portugal the metric system was the only 
system in use.—(” Nature.”) 
