108 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 8, 1894. 
very much surprised if the Lords of the Treasury create a precedent 
by granting public money to an institution of this nature that is ostensibly 
maintained for the gratification of the rich—plus a few students—while 
the general community cannot even visit the gardens on the payment 
of a fee. Why do not the authorities apply to the London County Council 
for aid? If a grant cannot be had from this representative body, how 
can it be expected from the Government ? If State aid is merited by 
any chartered organisation, having for its objects the promotion of 
horticulture in its broadest sense and most varied aspects, it is the 
Royal Horticultural Society. This is, at least, a “ live ” Society, and is 
always at work, while the R.B.S. is mainly a Society of shows culmi¬ 
nating in a continental burlesque of dressing donkey carts with flowers 
and other gew-gaws for the gratification of the haut ton. Public money 
would be misapplied if devoted to the bolstering up of any societies of 
this nature. 
- Market Gardening in Cornwall. — Referring to the 
extension of a railway, the “ Cornishman ” newspaper observes :— 
“ Broccoli covers about 1000 acres in West Cornwall, averaging ninety- 
five crates per acre, thirteen to the ton, 7 tons per acre—a total of about 
7000 tons. There are forwarded to midland and northern markets, 
including both routes, 4743 tons ; to London, 1400 tons ; to Wales and 
local, 857 tons = 7000 tons. The flowers from Scilly to London and 
all other districts are estimated at 389 tons, at an average value of 
78. 6d. per cwt., while 75 tons of flowers and other perishable goods are 
sent from West Cornwall by passenger trains. On Thursday in last 
week local growers of Wallflowers were glad to hear that theG.W.R. Co- 
had reduced the carriage to 4s. per cwt., and are making arrangements 
with other companies with a view to reducing the rate to other markets- 
This is very satisfactory to the market gardeners of the west.” 
- A Rector’s Flowers. —The same paper says:—“Rev. Nigel 
Neville, rector of St. Ewe, St. Austell, sent four dozen and a half 
Chrysanthemums, 4 inches across, twelve dozen Maidenhair Ferns, two 
dozen and a half Roman Hyacinths, twelve dozen Violets in bunches, 
two dozen Narcissus, Polyanthus, and various other things to a sales¬ 
man. All were said to have been sold for 3s, ; carriage and commission 
2s, 4d. ; cost in the gardens, for growth, picking, packing, and taking 
to railway station, 8d. I No wonder London shoeblacks and Birming¬ 
ham sweeps can wear buttonholes, and commission agents live on the 
fat of the land and make their thousands.” 
•- JusTiCIA PLAVICOMA.—1 have frequently drawn attention to 
this old plant for conservatory decoration during the winter. It can 
be brought into bloom after Chrysanthemums and Celosias are practi¬ 
cally over, and is very effective. I am surprised it is not more 
extensively grown. Everyone who sees the plant in bloom notices its 
beauty. The first blooms over, it flowers a second and even a 
third time if the plume is not removed. It is best to root cuttings 
annually ; the plants make finer foliage, have greater vigour, and keep 
perfectly clean from insects. Old plants, or those that once become 
stunted, are a source of trouble, being certain to be attacked by scale. 
—Wm. Bardney. 
- — The Queen and the Fruit Growing Industry.— It is 
reported that Mr. Richard H. Bath, of Wisbech, recently forwarded to 
the Queen some particulars of the fruit growing industry in the 
Wisbech district, together with a water-colour painting by Marie Low 
of some Empress Pansies grown in the neighbourhood. In acknow¬ 
ledgement, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur Bigge, Assistant Private Secretary to 
Her Majesty, writes:—“lam commanded to convey to you the Queen’s 
thanks for the interesting details relating to the fruit and vegetable 
farms in Wisbech, and also for the painting of the group of Empress 
Pansies which you were kind enough to offer for Her Majesty’s 
acceptance.” 
—— A Memorial to the Late Mr. Charles Darwin. —At a 
public meeting held at Shrewsbury on Tuesday in last week, it was 
resolved to raise a memorial to Mr. Charles Darwin, who was a native of 
that town. Another public meeting will be held to consider the best 
method of carrying out the proposal. The Mayor of Shrewsbury, in 
commenting upon the proposal, rightly remarked that in doing honour 
to one who had shed an imperishable lustre on his native town they 
were doing honour to themselves. In addition to the suggestion that a 
bronze statue of Darwin should be erected in front of the old Grammar 
School, now the Public Library and Museum, it was proposed to found 
a scholarship to his memory in connection with Shrewsbury School. 
Another suggestion, we learn from “ Nature,” was that the memorial 
should take the form of a hall of science to he erected in Shrewsbury 
for the purposes of scientific and technical instruction. 
- Polyanthus Narcissus Snowflake.— This variety is a 
decidedly great improvement upon the old Paper White, and when 
well known will entirely take the place of that old and useful kind. 
There is certainly a difference in the price, but the new form is more than 
worth the extra amount that is charged. In future Snowflake will be 
grown on a larger scale. Arranged in glasses with its own foliage, and 
a frond or two of Adiantum cuneatum, from Christmas onwards it is 
both sweet, effective, and choice.—B, 
- A Technical Instruction Legacy. — It is reported in 
“ Nature ” that a sum approaching £50,000 has been bequeathed by the 
late Mr. T. H. Adam of Newport for the purposes of technical instruction. 
The money is to be devoted to teaching practical and theoretical 
agriculture to men and youths, and a knowledge of dairying, house¬ 
keeping, and other subjects to women and girls, either by means of 
lectures or the establishment of a school or schools of agriculture at 
Edgmond or Woodseaves, in Shropshire, or Chadwell, in Staffordshire, 
or elsewhere; or by such ether means as the trustees shall think fit. 
- Tree Planting. —Your correspondents Mr. E. Luckhurst and 
Mr. Molyneux (page 70) seem to differ a little on the subject of autumn 
and winter root action as applied to newly planted trees. About three 
years since I had occasion to transplant from our kitchen garden to an 
orchard some Apple trees that had been planted ten years. They had 
good large heads, and I wished to get all the trees together before I got 
horse labour. In the meantime a hard frost set in, which lasted six 
weeks, with snow, and I had the trees laid in some materials from spent 
hotbeds. When the ground was fit for planting I found that the trees 
had made a number of fresh wig-like rootlets at the ends of all the 
strong roots.—R. M., ]\ewhury. 
- The York Gala.—A ccording to the schedule, a copy of 
which has come to hand, the thirty-sixth year of the grand York 
Gala, to be held on June 13th, 14th, and 15th next, will in no way 
be inferior to previous exhibitions. Upwards of a hundred classes for 
plants, flowers, fruit, and vegetables have been arranged, and liberal 
prizes are offered. In one class for a group of miscellaneous plants 
arranged for effect and occupying a space of not less than 300, £52 will 
be given in prizes as follows :—£20 first, £15 second, £10 third, £8 
fourth, and £5 fifth. For a group of ten stove and greenhouse plants in 
bloom (Orchids excluded) and six ornamental foliage or variegated 
plants £42 are offered in prizes, as £20 first, £14 second, and £8 third. 
Correspondingly high awards are also noticeable throughout the 
schedule. Mr. C. W. Simmons, 13, New Street, York, is the Secretary. 
-Runner Beans at Christmas.—I t may not be generally 
known that Runner Beans can be had all the year round with very little 
trouble and expense. The Beans should be gathered when dry and 
placed in jars alternately with layers of salt. The jars should be 
examined daily for a few days, as the Beans will be found to shrink and 
require filling up as before. Select young pods for the purpose; when 
full tie down, and all is completed. When required for use the pods 
should be laid in water to soak at least twelve hours previous to cooking. 
A small piece of common soda used in boiling gives them a better colour. If 
the above particulars are carried out the Beans will be found almost equal 
to those recently gathered. As forced Beans at this season of the year 
entail a considerable amount of labour and expense, and are only a 
luxury for the few, I venture to bring my simple experiment before the 
readers of the Journal. I sent a dish of Beans to my employer’s table, 
and they were much appreciated.—G. E. G. 
-The Internal Temperature of Trees.—T his has formed 
the subject of some investigations by M. W. Prinz (“ La Nature ”). The 
results show that the mean annual internal temperature of a tree is 
practically the same as that of the surrounding air, but the monthly 
means differ by two or three degrees. In general it takes a day for a 
thermal variation to be transmitted to the heart of a tree. On some 
days the internal temperature differs by as much as 10° C. from the air 
outside, but generally the difference is only a few degrees. When the 
air temperature falls below the freezing point the internal temperature 
of a tree descends to a point near that at which the sap freezes, and 
appears to remain there. The maximum temperature of the interior of 
the trunk of a tree may occur some time before the maximum is reached 
by the surrounding air, owing to the action of the spring sun upon the 
tree while devoid of foliage. During the high temperatures of summer 
the interna,! temperature was proved by investigation to be about 15° C. 
with a variation of 2° C. at the most. Speaking generally, a large tree 
is warmer than the air in cold months, and a little colder than the air 
during the summer months. 
