494 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 21,1894. 
cultivation, and their plants would naturally be both invidioui and 
unfair, nor should I dream of making it; but I came to the conclusion 
that if the Rose plants of each continue in the same satisfactory, I 
may say magnificent, condition that they were in on the 13th inst., the 
contest at the Crystal Palace between them on the 7ch July will be a 
sight fit for the gods. That it will be a close one we can fairly judge 
of by the preliminary set to at the Colchester Show, when the running 
and results were of an in and out character ; but that your readers 
will certainly see flowers of the highest excellence, and equal to 
anything hitherto exhibited at the meetings of the N.R.S., they may 
confidently expect. It the weather be only fairly propitious, the promise 
is unequalled, and the results unlikely to have been hitherto surpassed. 
—Chaeles J. Geahame. 
Events of the Week. —Horticulturists will be busy during the 
ensuing week. As mentioned in another paragraph the Committees of 
the Royal Horticultural Society will meet at the Drill Hall, James 
Street, S.W., on the 26th inst., on which occasion there will be a special 
exhibition of Roses. The Southern Pink Society also again offer prizes 
for laced and other Pinks. On Wednesday, 27th inst., the National 
Rose Society’s southern Show will take place at Windsor; Richmond 
Exhibition being held on the same day. Canterbury, Eltham, and 
Sutton Rose Shows are to be held on Thursday, June 28th. 
- The Weathee in London.—C hangeable weather has been 
-experienced in the metropolis since publishing our last issue. Towards 
the end of the week the temperature was high, but local showers were 
•experienced. On Monday the atmosphere was much cooler, and it 
rained most of the afternoon. Tuesday opened bright, but the sky 
became cloudy, and rain threatened as the day advanced. Wednesday 
morning was dull, and rain fell during the afternoon. 
- Royal Hoeticdltueal Society.— The next meeting of the 
■Society will be held in the Drill Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, 
Westminster, on Tuesday, June 26th. Besides the usual display of 
Orchids, hardy flowers, and vegetables, there will be a great show of 
Roses, for which the Society is offering about £50 in prizes, in addition 
to the Mantell silver challenge cup, value 25 guineas. At three o’clock 
Mr. J. D. Stuart of Belfast will read a paper on the “ Fertilisation of 
'Pansies.” 
Messes. A. F. Baeeon & Son. —This is not a new firm, but 
a natural connection which suggests that reference may be made to a 
complimentary dinner, given on the occasion of Mr. Leonard Barron’s 
early departure from England to seek his fortune in a wider field. The 
son of the respected superintendent at Chiswick received on the occa¬ 
sion hearty wishes for his prosperity from the thirty persons assembled 
under the chairmanship of Mr. A. W. G. Weeks, including nurserymen, 
gardeners, pressmen, and other friends, and his father met with an 
'.ovation, Mr. Leonard Barron has been creditably engaged in connection 
with the “ Gardener’s Chronicle,” and leaves with the best wishes of its 
Editor and a host of friends. 
- Death of Me. Feed Hoesman.—W ith regret we record 
the death, on the 2nd inst., of Mr. Frederick James Serle Horsman, 
of the firm of Messrs. Fred. Horsman & Co., the well-known Orchid 
growers and importers of Mark’s Tey. Mr. Horsman, who was in his 
62nd year, suffered acutely from Bright’s disease. When at the Temple 
Show he was ill, but was able to attend to his business until a few 
days before his death. The funeral, which took place on the 7th inst,, 
was attended by a great number of his fellow townsmen of Colchester. 
Eclipse Melon. —This new variety, which received an award 
of merit from the Fruit Committee at the last meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, seems to have in a high degree constancy of 
character. Out of the thrb^ fruits placed before the Committee one 
only was cut and tasted, I might indeed say eaten. I had the pleasure 
a day or two afterwards of tasting both the other fruits, and each one 
was as rich in flavour as the first one. I was much amused with what 
was remarked by one gentleman who tasted the Eclipse. He said 
“I had thought the shop Melons very nice, but I find now, until I 
tasted this one, that I had never known what a good Melon was,”—A. D. 
- Hoeticultdeal Club. —The usual monthly dinner and con¬ 
versazione took place on Tuesday evening in last week. The chair was 
occupied by Mr. John Lee, and there were present—Messrs. Selfe 
Leonard, Bunyard, Monro, Walker, Assbee, Crowley, Adams, with 
others. A most interesting address was given by Mr, John Assbee on 
“ The Flower Supply of Covent Garden,” the facts of which were 
a revelation to those present. The lecture was illustrated by several 
boxes of beautiful flowers and plants as they reach the market. A very 
interesting discussion took place afterwards, in which most of the 
members present joined. Mr. Lee, who thought the price at which 
the boxes of small plants were produced almost incredible, proposed 
a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Assbee for his most interesting paper, 
which we hope to have the pleasure of publishing shortly. 
- The Exteaoedinaey Weathee.—T he singularly chilly 
weather stands out in strong contrast to that of last year. Comparing 
the meteorological records of the week commencing on the 11th of 
June and ending on June 17th this year, and those taken between 
the 12th and 19th of June last year, the “Echo” says some curious 
facts are revealed. The early months of 1893 were abnormally hot, 
while the similar period of 1894 has been marked by unusual cold 
and frequent changes of temperature. Take, for instance, the 15th, 
16th, 17th, and 18th of June last, and the register in Hyde Park 
shows that the thermometer rose on the respective days to 94°, 94°, 
101°, and 98°. On the same dates of the current year the highest 
records were 70°, 68°, 68°, and 66°. 
-A Rhodological Society. —The difiScult genera Rosa and 
Rubus are the subject of careful study by French botanists. We 
learn from “ Nature ” that a Rhodo logical Society has been founded for 
the purpose of publishing a herbarium of the Roses of France, named 
by the Belgian rhodologist M. Cr4pin. Those intending to subscribe 
are invited to correspond with Dr. Pons, Ille-sur-Tet, PyrAn^es 
Orient ales. A publication is also announced with the title “ Rubi 
praesertim Gallici exsiccati,” under the editorship of Prof. Bourlay, 
Rue de Toul, Lille, and M. Bouly de Lesdain, 16, Rue Emmery, 
Dunkerque. 
- Good Keeping Onions.—W ill you permit me to say that the 
single Onion bulb so wonderfully well preserved, which I exhibited 
before the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society on the 
12th, was originally shown by Mr. J.,Ciook of Forde Abbey, Chard? It 
did indeed seem to be a matter for surprise that an Onion ripened last 
autumn, in fact in September, should have kept without the least 
evidence of growth for fully eight months. It was on April 10th that 
Mr. Crook placed the sample of his Long Keeper before the Fruit Com¬ 
mittee, but that was not so very late in the season. The one bulb he 
gave me to see how long it would keep was left on the shelf of a larder 
having a south-east aspect, and opens from the kitchen, where the 
temperature is uniformly high, so that its condition of rest was all the 
more remarkable. It is possible that Onion bulbs were specially well 
matured last autumn, but still wo all know that some have special 
keeping faculties, and if the latest keepers of any such kind be con¬ 
stantly selected for seed, the keeping properties in time become more 
permanent. That seems to be the case with Crook’s Long Keeper.— 
A. Dean. 
- The R.H.S. Show at the Ceystal Palace. —I have had 
frequent requests made to me for information when the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society Autumn Fruit Show schedules will be issued. I am, how¬ 
ever, as ignorant as others, and await their issue with much interest. 
These requests serve to show how much of interest there is in the country 
respecting this exhibition, which will doubtless prove to be a great 
attraction to gardeners from all parts of the kingdom. The opportunity 
is for the Society a great one, but everything depends on the liberality 
and spirit in which the occasion is met. I hope the holding over of 
the schedule means that some additions are being made to it for vege¬ 
table and flower classes. Fruit alone makes a fine show, but to attract 
the public it is important that the schedule should be as varied and 
representative as is possible. What a chance would it be to have for 
once a really fine vegetable exhibition, as the Show will fall midway 
between the late summer and the early winter exhibitions, and when 
gardeners would be at liberty to stage their finest vegetable products. 
I am, of course, assuming that the date of the Show will be towards 
the end of September, as it is useless to hold an exhibition earlier that 
is to include our best hardy fruits. However, I hope some oflicial 
information as to the date and the schedule will soon be forthcoming, 
as it is high time everybody knew all there is to tell concerning a 
matter of so much horticultural interest.—D. 
