June 20,1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
541 
- Gabdenino Appointment.—M r. W, J. Gilka has been 
appointed head gardener and Orchid grower to H. Smith, Eaq.,Summer- 
hill, Kingawinford, Staffordshire. 
- Ibis Madame Chebeatt.—T o those who are fond of the Iris 
family, this ought to be added. It is singularly beautiful and chaste in 
colour—white, margined with blue. The blooms individually are not 
large, but freely produced on rather tall stems.—E. M. 
- Vegetation in Feance. — The hot, moist, and clammy 
weather in France ia pushing forward vegetation by leaps and bounds. 
This is causing anxiety to Potato growers, who fear the appearance of 
the fungus ; hence the very prudent cultivators have already commenced 
graying with the Bordeaux mixture. 
- Blenheim Palace Gabdens.—B y permission of the Duke 
of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace and Gardens were opened to the 
public on the 3rd inst. They will be open every Monday, Thursday, 
and Saturday until further notice, from noon until 4 P.M. on Saturdays, 
and from noon until 6 p.m. on the other two days of the week. 
- Shieley and Disteict Gaedenebs’ and Amateurs’ 
Association. —A meeting of the above Society was held at the Parish 
Room, Shirley, Southampton, on Monday, 17th inst., Mr. B. Ladhams, 
F.R.H.S., presiding over a large attendance of the members. Mr. J. E. 
Axford, florist. Fair Oak, gave a very interesting and instructive paper 
on “ Rose Culture Under Glass,” and a long discussion ensued, which 
was joined in by a number of the members. 
- Uprooted Trees in the Temple.—O n Friday morning, 
June 7th, the Temple gardeners were engaged, says the Daily News, in 
replanting the three Plane trees in Essex Court, which had been uprooted 
and laid prostrate on the previous afternoon by a sudden gust blowing 
through the archway leading into that square of dingy brick buildings. 
The trees were young, but the force of the draught was still remarkable, 
for they had attained to a height of some 40 feet, and the stem of the 
stoutest is 13 or 14 inches in circumference. On the same day another 
Plane in Pump Court was nearly overthrown from a like cause. The 
trees have now been provided with props or wire ties. 
- European Gardeners and the United States. —The 
“Florists’ Exchange” says that it is interesting to note the number of 
arrivals of gardeners in the United States from other countries. During 
the year ending 30th June, 1894, which is the latest period for 
which the statistics have been made up, there arrived from Bohemia, 
2 gardeners ; from Hungary, 6 ; from Austria, 6 ; from Belgium, 2 ; 
from Denmark, 19; from France, 13 ; from Germany, 160 ; from 
Greece, 16 ; from Italy, 25 ; from the Netherlands, 22, one a woman ; 
from Norway, 5 ; from Russia, 3 ; from Sweden, 20 ; from Switzerland, 14 ; 
from Turkey, 2 ; from England, 146 ; from Scotland, 38 ; from 
Ireland, 54 ; from Columbia, 2 ; from China, 7 ; from Japan, 3 ; from 
Australia, 3 ; from the Hawaiian Islands, 1, making a total of 569, 
535 of whom, including one woman, were under forty, and the remainder 
over forty years of age. 
- Death of Me. R. C. Kingston. —Many of our horticultural 
friends will hear with regret of the death of their old friend 
Mr. R. C. Kingston,the well-known and highly respected head gardener 
and estate manager of Brantingham Thorpe, who, after a short illness of 
only a few hours, passed peacefully away on Thursday, June 6th. 
Mr. Kingston was born in the East Riding of Yorkshire in 1818, and after 
receiving a good education he went as under gardener at Stapleton Park 
Gardens. From Stapleton our friend went as foreman to Chiswick, where 
he served for some years with great credit, and in the year 1841 he took 
charge of the gardens at Brantingham Thorpe, then owned by the late 
R. Fleetwood Shaw, Esq. In a very few years Mr. Kingston became 
well known as a leading horticulturist and botanist, as well as a most 
successful exhibitor at the leading shows in the county. At that time 
the collection of Orchids, stove and greenhouse plants, and British and 
exotic Ferns at Brantingham Thorpe was one of the best in the north 
of England. About thirty years ago the estate passed into the hands 
of Christopher Sykes, Esq., and during that time much of the estate has 
been remodelled and improved. To one and all he was ever kind, 
courteous, and sincere, and many of his gardening friends will recall 
with pleasure the cheery and hospitable welcome they always received 
at his hands. On Monday last, in the presence of his family and his 
late master (C, Sykes, Esq,), as well as a very large number of friends, 
the remains were quietly and unostentatiously laid to rest in the 
beautifully situated churchyard at Brantingham. 
- Frost in June. —At Ridgmont 7° of frost were registered last 
Saturday night, and Potatoes were injured in various parts of the 
country. 
- Frost in Hampshire. —On the morning of Thursday, 13th, 
quite a sharp frost was experienced in the valleys around here. In 
several instances Scarlet Runner Beans, Vegetable Marrows, and in one 
instance Potatoes, exhibit decided effects of the visitation. Especially 
are the leaves of the first-named blackened, which cannot fail to give a 
check to direct growth. Here in the garden the thermometer did not 
fall below 37°, but the situation is high and comparatively dry.— 
E. Molyneux, Swanmore Park. 
- Weather in the Vale of Evesham. — A severe frost 
visited this district on Saturday morning, 15th inst., doing a considerable 
amount of damage on the low lying lands to Vegetable Marrows, 
Cucumbers, Potatoes, and other things susceptible to frost. Fruit does 
not appear to be affected by it, but would be greatly benefited by a 
good rain. The crops all seem parched with drought, and it has caused 
the Kidney and Runner Bean crops to become almost a failure. The 
early Potatoes appear to be ripening, yet are too small to commence 
digging.— Alfred G. Grove. 
- Frost in Co Durham. —On the morning of June 13th I 
registered 3° of frost about 5 A.M. The sight was such as I have never 
seen before at midsummer, the fields being covered with white frost. 
Potatoes are very much blackened ; tender annuals, such as Perillas, 
African and French Marigolds, and Dahlias are in a great many cases 
killed. The young growth on Rhododendrons is also damaged, and in 
exposed places killed outright. This is very disappointing after the fine 
spring we have had, and surely beats the record.—A. Bentley, The 
Gardens, Eshioood Hall, Durham. 
-The Cottager’s Calendar of Garden Operations.— 
This very compact calendar, which was originally compiled by the late 
Sir Joseph Paxton, has been revised and adapted to the requirements of 
cottagers and allotment holders. The operations for the different months 
of the year are described, and though the form naturally leads to some 
repetition, the work has been thoughtfully done. There has been no 
padding out; but, on the contrary, the desire for compression seems to 
have been kept well in view. Vegetables, fruit, and flowers are included 
throughout, and the selections are well adapted for cottage gardens. 
Sensible notes are given on pruning and most other operations. Chapters 
are given on manuring (too compressed), vegetable and fruit cookery, 
and insects (illustrated). The “ Calendar ” is packed with information 
from end to end, and being cheap, is well suited for distribution amongst 
cottagers who desire to have the gardens attached to their houses 
attractive and productive. It is published at the “ Gardener’s Chronicle” 
office, 41, Wellington Street, Strand. 
_ “ Ijj X Gloucestershire Garden,” by the Rev. H. N. 
Ellacombe, M.A.—This is not only an entertaining but a useful 
book. The style is clear and direct, and while the poetic aspect of 
gardening and the beauties of Nature are not lost sight of, there 
is a complete absence of that vague and dreamy spirit of rumination 
which is only too common in works of this character. Every page 
bears the stamp of a versatile and widely cultured mind, which, while 
deeply tinctured with the old classical learning, does not dwell in 
misty regions of the past, but lives and breathes in the full light of 
modern knowledge and modern science. In this book there will be 
found no musings, no humorous anecdotes of university, clerical, or 
village life, none of the loftiness of the philosopher, and, above all, 
nothing of the pulpiteer. With the exception of a very short chapter 
at the end there is little allusion to matters ecclesiastical, and through¬ 
out the tone is that of an eclectic reader with a strong partiality for 
horticulture and botany. The author seems to have thoroughly assimi¬ 
lated all that is of general interest in the received authorities on science 
and horticulture in so far as they bear upon his subject, and puts it 
forth in the most popular and intelligible form. Inasmuch as there is 
no attempt at fine writing, the style being equally pleasing and in¬ 
structive everywhere, no single extract could adequately represent the 
peculiar excellence, of the book. We refrain, therefore, from quotation, 
and say that those who follow gardening seriously and intelligently 
cannot fail to obtain satisfaction from its perusal seeing that it is written 
with a very direct purpose by an enthusiast whose enthusiasm never 
be'rays him into either dulness or obscurity. The form in which it 
appears is in the highest degree tasteful, and reflects great credit upon 
the publisher, Mr. Edward Arnold, of Bedford Street, Strand, London. 
