August 4 , 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTaGE GARDENER. 
67 
rainfall had been 25 per cent, less than the average in the north-west of 
England, 32 per cent, less in the south, 34 per cent, less in the north¬ 
east and east, and as much as 48 per cent, less in the south-western 
districts. Over England, and especially over the midland and south¬ 
eastern counties, heavy falls of rain were experienced on the 3rd and 
4th June, after which time no material amount was recorded until the 
present week. During this long interval there were over England from 
twenty-five to thirty consecutive days on which not a drop of rain was 
.measured, and, in addition to this, it appears that in most instances the 
.showers which immediately preceded or followed the period of actual 
drought were so trifling as to be altogether valueless in their effect upon 
•vegetation. 
In order to gain a clear and definite idea as to the relatively severe 
nature of the recent spell of dry weather, a careful examination has 
been made of the London rainfall values for the whole of the past 
.twenty-three years. In dealing with this vast mass of information some 
doubt arose as to the standards which should be employed in defining 
periods of drought, but it was ultimately thought best to pursue the 
fiame_ methods as those recently employed by Mr. G. J. Symons. In a 
,paper on the dry weather of 1884, Mr. Symons suggested that droughts 
should be divided into two classes—viz., “ absolute ” droughts or periods 
of at least fouiteen days with no rain at all, and “ partial ” droughts, or 
periods of at least twenty-eight days in which the total amount of rain 
(irrespective of its distribution) is less than a quarter of an inch. On 
looking over the records for the past twenty-three years it appears that 
the long period of absolute drought recently experienced in London, 
lasting as it did for no less than twenty-five days, has not been equalled 
-since the year 1865. In that year there was a total absence of rain 
•from June 3rd to the 28th, a period of twenty-six days. Between that 
date and the present time there have been nearly forty instances of 
absolute drought, but only three occasions on which the absence of rain 
ias been felt for a period of three weeks or more. Looking at the recent 
drought from the second point of view, we find that the period of 
partial ” drought recently experienced in London lasted from June 4th 
do July 14th, or no fewer than forty-one days. This was a decidedly 
longer period than any recorded during the past twenty-three years, the 
nearest approach to it being in 1874, when there were thirty-eight days 
"with a total rainfall of less than a quarter of an inch. Since 1865 there 
have only been four periods of drought lasting over five weeks, but in 
1870 there were more than four weeks of partial drought between March 
and April, and nearly five weeks between May and June. 
Although the statistics just quoted are for the London district alone, 
they would probably apply in a general way to nearly all parts of our 
midland, eastern, and southern counties, where the recent drought has 
^been fuliy as severe as it has been in the metropolis. During June the 
aggregate rainfall in Norfolk was only two-tenths of an inch, and in 
Mid-Devon little more than one-tenth ; while in Cornwall and some 
parts of South Wales it amounted to only a few hundredths of an inch. 
'The effect of so much dry weather has of course had an additional 
Influence on the aggregates for the whole year, and from the weekly 
report just issued by the Meteorological Office we find that up to July 18th 
The deficiency of rain since the beginning of January amounted 
to 37 per cent, over our eastern and southern counties, 40 per cent, in 
“the Midlands, and 45 per cent, in the north-east of England. In the 
south-west of England, embracing the counties of Somerset, Devon, and 
'Cornwall, with South Wales, the aggregate for the year amounted to 
only 42 per cent, of the average, or considerably less than half. Under 
such circumstances the recent complaints from Swansea of a scarcity 
in the water supply are by no means surprising. The recent dry weather 
has been due in a great measure to the unusual prevalence of anti- 
cyclonic conditions, but partially to other causes of which at present 
•very little is known. There can be no doubt that at times a distinct 
•tendency is shown for the weather to be either dry or wet, and in the 
same way to be either hot or cold. This tendency asserts itself in a 
manner altogether irrespective of the conditions of barometrical pressure 
prevailing at the time ; and although there is no reason to believe for a 
moment in the exploded theory of sunspots, or in any other of the 
•quack notions which are from time to time advanced, there can be 
little doubt that our weather is affected by great cosmical influences, 
•the origin of which remains at present a profound mystery. 
pet)id3 
WILLIAMS’S ORCHID ALBUM. 
Volume vi. of this beautiful work is an admirable addition to 
Those previously issued. It is characterised by the same high 
quality in printing, paper, and binding, while the plates are most 
truthful representations of the plants pourtrayed, the colours being 
^excellently reproduced. The subjects selected for illustration are 
-varied, comprising six Cattleyas, five Laelias, four Dendrobiums, 
seven Odontoglossums, two Cypripediums, two Lycastes, two Mas- 
devallias, three Oncidiums, two Phalaenopses, two Sobralias, two 
Vandas, together with representatives of the genera Aerides, Bras- 
savola, Galeandra, Habenaria, Lissochilus, Saccolabium, Trichocen- 
trum, and Thrixspermum. In addition there are twenty-nine short 
articles upon topics of interest to orchidists, including an obituary 
of the late Mr. Thomas Moore, some of whose latest work is found 
in this volume. The technical descriptions of the plants figured, 
together with the general historical and cultural remarks, are most 
valuable, and the book altogether is a handsome addition to any 
library. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM HARRYANUM. 
This very distinct Odontoglossum was introduced a year or two 
ago by Messrs. Horsman & Co., Colchester, but as the stock sub¬ 
sequently passed into the hands of Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, 
Chelsea, it was named in honour of Mr. Harry J. Veitch. At the 
last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society Messrs. Sander 
and Co., St. Albans, showed plants of the species, exhibiting some 
differences in colouring, but the richest tinted form was selected 
for a first-class certificate, and a flower of this is shown in the 
woodcut (fig. 9). It is of the 0. luteo-purpureum type in habit 
and form of pseulo-bulbs, but the flowers are very distinct from 
any other and very handsome. The flower is shown of its natural 
size in the illustration, the sepals and peta's are broad, the former 
heavily barred with brown, and a few transverse greenish yellow 
streaks ; the lip is large, expanded, the upper portion white, the 
broader lower half has a yellow crested centre, the lateral p jrtions 
richly veined with crimson purple. The flower has a peculiarly 
bold appearance, due in a great measure to the handsome lip, and 
it will certainly become a favourite amongst cool house Orchids. 
VINE BORDERS AND UNORTHODOX PRUNING. 
“ Experientia docet ” favours me (page 4) with a remarkable, 
singular, and suggestive defence ; remarkable for raising questions of 
matter not in dispute ; singular in parading experience without 
advancing any in support of his “ advocacy of long pruning Vines under 
certain specified conditions and suggestive as to on whom rests the 
futility of “ labouring to prove that something that actually is could 
not be.” 
I have examined the article referred to. Is it genuine ? That is 
matter of opinion ; all that need be stated of it at present is I at least 
take it as “ unorthodox.” 
“ Inspecting Vines, studying Vines, working amongst Vines, trying 
to understand them, not only generally but the individual peculiarities 
of peculiar Vines,” “ for no one knows how many years,” is enough to 
impress anyone, not excepting the experienced, with the importance of 
your correspondent’s knowledge not so much of Vines as of a “ won¬ 
derful display, possibly unequalled, of medals won for Grapes.” No 
one, of course, if your correspondent’s logic is sound, knows anything 
of “ long pruning ” except those that have “ swept the boards ” on many 
occasions, won “ gold medals until tired of winning, and prizes of the 
value of £300." It does not appear that “Experientia docet” has 
been successful in doing more than meet the requirements of the 
“owner of the Vines that wanted Grapes.” Perhaps your corre¬ 
spondent is not aware that the most crucial test to which Grapes are 
