300 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
AprU 19, 1894. 
- Rhododendron Ne Plus Ultra.—A plant of this charming 
variety is now blooming profusely in the rockery of Messrs. Veitch and 
Sons, Chelsea Nursery, and forms one of the brightest ornaments in this 
structure. The colour of the flowers, which are of large size, is a 
singularly intense crimson scarlet, and borne with great freedom. It is 
a variety which should be more often seen in gardens.—H. 
- Epiphyllum Russellianum Gaetneri. —This, continues 
cur correspondent, is also flowering in the same house, and forming a 
beautiful sight. The number of brilliantly hued blooms borne by a 
medium-sized plant is extraordinary. 
- Colchester Show. —We find by a schedule before ns that at 
the Show to be opened in Lexden Park, Colchester, on June 13th, ten- 
guinea silver cups are offered for twelve stove or greenhouse plants, 
twelve Orchids, and eight dishes of fruit; a five-guinea cup for table 
decorations, and Colchester Rose medals in two classes for amateurs. 
The schedule is comprehensive, and the Show Committee influential. 
Messrs. F. W. Friend and J. W. Potter are the Honorary Secretaries. 
- Rainfall AT Sw.4NMORE, —Until Saturday last there appeared 
every promise of another exceptionally dry spring, as we had not had a 
drop of rain for thirty-two days, the last, O’lO inch, having fallen 
March 13th. Most welcome, therefore, were the showers that fell during 
Saturday the 14th, and early on the morning of the 15th, amounting to 
0 34 inch. The rainfall here for the year up to the present amounts to 
8‘13 inches, which is 2 05 more than fell last year up to the same date. 
- The Cuckoo, Nightingale and Asparagus.—A lthough the 
Isle of Wight is more favourably placed than even this part of Hamp¬ 
shire, the cuckoo was heard here March 31st, fifteen days earlier than 
last year. The nightingale I heard on the morning of the 10th inst., 
nine days earlier than usual. The first dish of Asparagus was cut from 
the open March 28th, which is unusually early. The weather has been 
very warm. During the night of 11th inst. the minimum reading was 
50°, The hottest day was Sunday (8th inst.), when the thermometer in 
the shade registered 75°.—E. Molyneux, Swanmore Park, 
- Wages op the Labourers in Kew Gardens.—W e learn 
from the “Kew Bulletin” that the Lords of the Treasury, on the 
recommendation of the First Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Works and 
Public Buildings, have been pleased to raise the minimum wage for 
labourers in the Royal Gardens to 19.«. per week. It may be noted that 
before 1847 the minimum appears to have been only 12s. ; in that year 
it was raised to 14s., in 1865 to ISs., in 1873 to 178., in 1889 to 18s, The 
total rise of the minimum wage in the preceding half century has been 
about 37 per cent. 
- Glass Houses and Footpaths at Kew Gardens.—A fresh 
survey of the Royal Gardens having been made by the Ordnance 
Surveys, the opportunity has been taken, says the “ Kew Bulletin,” to 
obtain, through the courtesy of the Director-General of the Ordnance 
Surveys, an authoritative statement on several points which n d been 
long in doubt. Two of these may be placed on record. The area in 
which cultivation is carried on under glass is 2" 604 acres, and the linear 
extent of footpaths is about fourteen miles 48 chains. 
- The Lake in the Arboretum at Kew. —This fine piece 
of water, which is filled from the Thames, is the source of the water 
supply of the whole establishment. It had gradually become filled more 
or less with mud, in some places not less than 5 feet deep. The task of 
removing this has occupied the past three winters. We learn from the 
" Kew Bulletin ” that a gang of reserve soldiers, supplied by the 
“ National Association for the Employment of Reserve Soldiers,” has 
been employed for the purpose, the cost being defrayed by a special vote 
in the estimates. The total cost has been about £300. The mud which 
had been all deposited from Thames water proved to have considerable 
mannrial value, and is being employed as a top-dressing for the poor 
soil of the Arboretum. 
-- LeguMInosae Collection. —From the same source we gather 
that the collection of hardy ligneous Leguminosse near the Pagoda in 
the Royal Gardens, Kew, has, during the past winter, been entirely 
re-arranged. The long canal beds have been replaced by smaller beds in 
which the plants have been grouped, some beds being filled by a single 
species. The original soil, chiefly sand, has been removed to a depth of 
2 feet, and good loam substituted. The collection ii a large one, and we 
have every reason to believe that it will shortly prove of considerable 
interest to botanists and horticulturists, and a great attraction to 
visiters generally. 
- Slugs and Snails. —Those persons who are greatly annoyed 
with these pests should be on the outlook for them. They appear to be 
numerous this spring, lurking in thousands beneath Hellebores, Sweet 
Williams, Aubrietias, and other dwarf growing plants. In the autumn 
I thought my garden was tolerably clear of them, but I observed many 
eggs lying about exposed on the surface. I destroyed several hundred 
eggs and snails beneath a plant 8 inches in diameter.—W. T. 
- Horticultural Club. — The usual monthly dinner and 
conversazione took place on Tuesday evening in last week. There was 
a large attendance of members, and the chair was occupied by Sir 
John Llewelyn, Bart., Chairman of the Club. Amongst those present 
were Sir Alex. Arbuthnot, Messrs. Johu Lee, W. Marshall, Harry Turner, 
W. J. Jefferies, H. J. Pearson, C. E. Pearson, George Paul, W. F. Cooling, 
Geo. Bunyard, Philip Crowley, C. E. Shea, H. J. Seebohm, and others. 
A very interesting address was given by Mr. Geo. Paul on flowering 
trees and shrubs, and a profitable discussion followed, which was entered 
into by the Chairman and other members present. The table was 
profusely decorated with specimens of Himalayan Rhododendrons, 
furnished by the Chairman, and also with the blooms of some of the 
plants mentioned in the address. A cordial vote of thanks to Mr. 
George Paul was proposed by the Chairman, and carried with accla¬ 
mation ; to this a rider was added by Sir Alex. Arbuthnot, expressing 
the hope that the lecturer would send an abstract of it to the gardening 
papers, so that they might have the opportunity of studying it at 
leisure. 
- Royal Meteorological Society, —The fourteenth Exhibi¬ 
tion of Meteorological Instruments, organised by the Royal Meteorological 
Society, was opened on Tuesday evening in last week in the rooms of 
the Institution of Civil Engineers, 25, Great George Street, Westminster. 
Each year's exhibition has been devoted to some special subject. 
“Clouds: Their Representation and Measurement,” is the subject 
chosen for the present year, and a most interesting and instructive 
exhibition has been arranged, not only of instruments for ascertaining 
the direction and^height of clouds, but also of sketches and photographs 
showing the various forms assumed by clouds. Most people are only 
familiar with the rounded or woolly-looking cloud called “ Cumulus,” 
but by looking at the pictures in this Exhibition it is readily seen that 
there is a large variety of the forms of clouds, which have all been 
classified and named. The first person to systematically classify the 
forms of clouds was Luke Howard, F.R S., in 1802, and the portrait of 
this meteorologist naturally occupies a prominent place in the Exhi¬ 
bition. Some original water-colour sketches of clouds by Luke Howard 
are shown, as well as a large number of most beautiful photographs of 
clouds by the principal authorities in various parts of the world. A 
very interesting part of the Exhibition is the valuable collection of 
lantern slides and transparencies of clouds and other meteorological 
phenomena. In addition to the instruments, photographs, and drawings 
relating to clouds, the Exhibition Iso includes a number of other 
instruments, many of which are quite new in principle, such as 
barometers, thermometers, hygrometers, evaporators, anemometers, and 
marine and surveying instruments. The Exhibition will remain open 
till the 20th inst. 
- Climbers and Buildings (page 261). — That there are 
architectural features in many buildings that it would be vandalistic to 
hide with climbers, whether evergreen or otherwise, there can be no 
doubt. Who would, for instance, think of covering with Ivy some of 
our grand cathedrals or other public buildings 2 But then, how many 
buildings are there quite devoid of any architectural beauty, and 
which it is a mercy to clothe with some kind of greenery 2 This is, 
indeed, the case with the greater portion of modern houses, the crude 
or bald features of which, always most pleasing when bidden from sight 
by a clothing of Ivy or other climbers. Probably some houses are built 
purposely bald or unsightly, that they may be converted into objects of 
beauty by the gardener. A fevy climbers can convert the unsightly 
structure into objects of vegetable beauty; even a wood pile* 
which in its native ugliness we would gladly hide, becomes a pleasing 
feature w’^en dressed with Ivy, Virginian Creeper, Tropasolum, or 
anything else suitable. In erecting a building of any description, it 
should always be considered whether to be covered with climbers or 
otherwise. To highly finish off externally any erection, and then plant 
climbers to later cover all this expensive work is as wasteful as it is 
absurd. Still, there can be no doubt, able as may be thje architect, that 
we have greater innate love for the work of the gardener, when houses 
are effectively dressed with climbers, than we have for that of any 
architect. It may be that on the external wall or tower of some church 
