February 15,1834. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
127 
- Death op Mr. F. G. Tautz.—W e repiet to learn of the 
death of Mr. Frelerick George Tautz, in his forty-ninth year, which 
took place at Dibdin House, Ealing, on the Ist inst. 
- The Royal Agricultural Society.—A t the meeting of 
Weather in London. —For several days and nights recently 
windy weather prevailed in London as in other parts of the country, 
but comparatively little rain has fallen during the past week. Sunday 
was fine and gusty, similar weather occurring on Monday and Tue^ay. 
Wednesday opened with a slight frost, and at the time of going to press 
it is bright and calm. 
- Weather in the North. —Up to Monday morning there 
was an unbroken record of violent gales with pelting sleet or rain for 
the previous eight days. Some of the nights were very wild, especially 
those of Friday and Sunday, when south-westerly winds frequently rose 
to furious gales. Serious flooding has continued over the country. 
Monday was calm, the evening very pleasant, and on Tuesday morning 
there were 4® frost.—B. D., S, Perthshire. 
- The De Candolle Prize.—W e understand La Soci6t6 de 
Physique et d’Histoire Naturelle of Geneva offers a prize, instituted by 
Mons. A. Pyramus de Candolle, for the best monograph on any genus or 
family of plants. The essays may be written in Latin, French^ 
German, English, or Italian, and should be forwarded to the Secretary 
of the Society before January 15th, 1895. 
- The Royal National Tulip Society.—T he members .of 
this Society held a meeting at the Bull’s Head Hotel, Manchester, on 
the 3rd inst., Mr. C. W. Needham in the chair. The Rev. F. D. Horner’ 
Burton-in-Lonsdale, was elected President of the Society, and the Earl 
of Derby, J. J. Coleman, Esq., M.P., Norwich; R. Cathcart, Esq , 
Pitcairlie, N.B. ; and J. H. Beckett, Esq., Buxton, were elected Vice- 
Presidents. Mr. J. W. Bentley was elected Hon. Secretary, and Mr. C. W 
Needham Hon. Treasurer. A resolution was adopted empowering the 
Secretary and Treasurer to make arrangements, subject to the approval 
of a meeting of the Society to be called in March, and a motion was 
also carried sanctioning the use of the name of the Society to a pro¬ 
posed Tulip Society to be formed in the South. The Royal Horticultural 
Society having invited Tulips at the Temple Show on May 23rd, 
the earnest desire of the members was expressed that this might igive 
an impetus encouraging the culture of the Tulip. 
- Fine Lilies of the Valley. —We send you herewith blooms 
of Convallaria majalis alba grandiflora “ Fortin var.” The spikes are not 
«o large as in previous years owing to the dry summer, still you will see 
the variety is distinct both in size of bloom and strength of spike. 
Under good cultivation it averages eighteen bells on a spike. It has 
received an award of merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, and a 
first-class certificate from National Horticultural Society of France, 
A coloured plate appeared in the “ Revue Horticole,” Feb. 16th, 1886” 
At present it does not appear to be as much known as its merits 
deserve.— Laxton Bros., Bedford. [The spikes of bloom were wery 
fine, the bells being large and sweetly scented.] 
—^ Birmingham Amateur Gardeners’ Association. -i-The 
meeting of the above Association, held on Wednesday evening in last 
week was very well attended, and was presided over by Mr. W. W, 
Sanderson. The paper read on this occasion was given by a well known 
horticulturist, Mr. W. Dean, the subject chosen being “ Hardy Fruiis for 
Suburban Gardens and their Culture.” The fruits he more strongly 
recommended were Apples, Pears, Plums, Gooseberries, Raspberries and 
Strawberries. The essayist gave practical suggestions on preparing the 
ground, planting, pruning, and training, and enumerated those hiuds 
best suited for the district. The various insects which affected 'fruit 
trees were fully dealt with, and the best means of destroying and prevent¬ 
ing them were mentioned. Messrs. T. P. Cope, Daniell, T. Gosling and 
W. B. Griffin exhibited plants and flowers (chiefly Hyacinths), and the 
usual awards were made. The next meeting will be held on' the 
2l8t inst., and will take the form of a discussion on seasonable subjects. 
Copies of the new programme and rules will be gladly supplied by the 
Honorary Secretary, Mr. W. B. Griffin, Derwent House, Moseley Road, and 
as the time is drawing near for greater activity in outdoor gardening, 
the Committee are looking forward to a large increase in the member¬ 
ship. 
this Society held on Wednesday in last week it was unanimously decided 
to hold the Exhibition in 1895 at Darlington. 
- Mons. Charles Baltet. —We are informed that this gentle¬ 
man has been elected President of the Society Horticole Vigneronne et 
Foresti^re de I’Aube, one of the most influential societies of the kind in 
France. 
- Petroleum as an Insecticide for Cucumbers and 
Melons. —In reply to “A Single-handed Gardener,” page 110, the 
following recipe may be of some service :—The white of two eggs, 
three tablespoonfuls of sugar, 1^ pint of water (cold), 2i pints of 
petroleum ; thoroughly mix for ten minutes, and use a wineglassful 
to 2 gallons of water. This emulsion will thoroughly mix with the 
water, and if put in a jar, well corked, will keep for any length of 
.time. I have used it for all kinds of plants with good results.— 
H. Warren. 
- Relative to the use of petroleum for Melons and Cucumbers 
“ Tenby ” writes :—“ These plants are, as a rule, so free from any 
insects requiring such strong insecticides as petroleum to eradicate, that 
I do not suppose many gardeners have had a very extensive experience 
with it for such subjects. I well remember, however, a case in which a 
young man in charge of a house of Cucumbers syringed them with 
petroleum at the usual strength of a wineglassful to three gallons of 
water. The result, as may be expected, on such foliage was ruinous ; the 
plants presented a spotted appearance wherever the petroleum settled on 
them. I have the greatest faith in pstroleum as an insecticide in careful 
hands, and believe it to be almost unequalled as a cheap and effective 
cleanser; but I certainly should be very cautious in using it on such 
delicate foliage as either Cucumbers or Melons. I do not favour its use 
for Palms.” 
- Hardy Foliage for Winter Decoration. — Mr. Herrin 
recently informed me that he proposed to bring up from Dropmore and 
exhibit at the Drill Hall on the 13th a collection of sprays or branches 
of various hardy evergreens that he is in the habit of employing 
to decorate the mansion during the winter. Dropmore is very rich in 
material of this sort, and includes a very beautiful variety. Branches 
or sprigs of these things endure very long, fully a month, in cool rooms ; 
indeed, I think if the vvater be occasionally changed, and the bases of 
the stems cut, even much longer. Several of the more refined of the 
Conifera, Mahonia aquifolia, Andromeda Catesbeei, Gaultheria Shallon, 
Pernettyas, Vaccinium ovatum, and various other pretty things are all 
most useful.—A. D. 
- Golden and Silver Variegated Pelargoniums. —Anyone 
imagining that many of these once popular bedding and decorative 
plants had gone out of cultivation would soon be undeceived could they 
see the remarkable stock at Swanley, where the constant demand 
necessitates their perpetuation. Of golden tricolors Mr. Cox, A. Bass, 
Mrs. Pollock, Mr. Bassett, Mrs. Walters; of bronzes Jubilee (very fine), 
Zulu, Black Douglas, MacMahon ; and of silver tricolors Dolly Vardon, 
Prince Silverwings, Lady Dorothy Nevill, and Mrs. Miller, with numerous 
silver bicolors help to make up a large collection, and shows that plants 
lacking popularity in some directions find great favour elsewhere. It is 
really the case that yellow flowers are becoming again largely employed 
for bedding purposes, and the assumption that we may yet see all the 
old favourites employed for that purpose over again seems most 
probable.—D. 
- Bournemouth and District Gardeners’ Mutual Im¬ 
provement Association. — Mr. Stephen Castle, Manager Ashford 
Vineries, Fordingbridge, read a paper on “The Tomato” before the 
members of the above Society on Tuesday evening, February 6th. Mr. 
H. Elliott, Stourvale Nursery, Christchurch, occupied the chair. Mr. 
Castle detailed the mode of culture he has followed with much success 
for many years, and in the course of his remarks stated that he grew 
his plants in somewhat heavy loam with occasional waterings of clear 
1 quid manure, adding as top-dressings burnt refuse and “ silicate ” 
manure. He also condemned the practice of taking off too much foliage 
in order to ripen the fiuit, and concluded with a selection of some of 
the best varieties, and remarks on diseases and insect pests. A good 
discussion followed, and numerous questions were asked. At the close 
Mr. Castle received a vote of thanks for his instructive paper. 
