December 29, 1887. ] 
567 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
separated. One jolly farmer-looking individual, however, said he had 
done something, for he thought he had got more medals than anybody, 
and a niceish bit of money, and so the matter was settled. 
Bringing proceedings to a dose Mr. Addison proposed “ The Press ” 
saying they couldn’t get on without it; and Mr. Wright, who responded 
said neither could he very well, and didn’t want very much. He hoped 
tney would press on in their good work, as it was that which filled the 
press and made it interesting, and so forth. A few other complimentary 
toasts followed, Messrs. Barron and Head having the last words, their 
speeches being very much alike, and may be condensed into a sentence, 
,, lsn g°°d to be here ? ” That appeared to he what everybody 
thought, as the meeting broke up just in time for me to catch the last 
tram from King's Cross.— A Countryman. 
THE VEITCH MEMORIAL MEDALS. 
It is a generally expressed opinion that the West of England is not 
very 'jell treated with respect to the Yeitch Memorial medals. Twice 
since their institution one has been offered at Exeter ; but, unless I am 
much mistaken, no other society in the south-western counties has been 
favoured. Before it is too late I ask, Why is this ? and, fur¬ 
ther, v\ hy has Bath been passed over in favour of Exeter, or, indeed, in 
favour of any other provincial town ? No other society can possibly do 
more for horticulture than does the Bath Floral Committee, and all 
acquainted with the merits of the case will readily agree with me that 
the encouragement given has been far from creditable to the citizens of 
Bath, with a few noteworthy exceptions, and a recognition from other 
sources would have the best possible effect. Neither Mr. Pearson, the 
able Secretary, nor the Committee generally would, I feel certain, wish 
me to 1 go round with the hat” in their behalf ; but they would fully 
appreciate the distinction of having one or more of the much-coveted 
Veitch Memorial prizes placed at their disposal by the Trustees, and 
horticulturists of all shades hereabouts would be glad to hear that this 
has been done. 
No less than five good shows are annually held at Bath—a greater 
number, I believe, than any other town can boast of ; and, consequently 
the medal or medals would not partake somewhat of the character of a 
“ w bite elephant,” unless, indeed, an embarrassment be felt in deciding 
to what particular class or classes they ought to be devoted to. First, 
they have an excellent bulb and spring show ; next, a grand show in 
May, at which there are many fine collections of flowering and fine- 
foliaged plants staged, and to these last year were added an exception¬ 
ally grand collection of Orchids. Roses are wonderfully popular in 
Bath, and a really good show is invariably held. Early in September a 
two-days show is held, the great features in this case being Fuchsias, 
flowering and fine-foliaged plants, Ferns, Begonias, cut flowers, and, 
last but not least, a very excellent collection of Grapes, Melons, 
Peaches, and other fruit in season. The Chrysanthemum Show in 
November is, I can truthfully assert, second to none ; this, after visiting 
several other highly reputed exhibitions. It will thus be seen there is 
good room for any number of Memorial and other special prizes and 
medals ; not that exhibitors require any extra inducement to bring them 
to Bath. _ On the contrary, they turn up regularly in great numbers—a 
proof positive that the Bath Shows are most popular with this section of 
horticulturists, and ought to be recognised accordingly.— On-lookeb. 
ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The usual monthly meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday 
evening-, the 21st instant, at the Institution of Civil Engineers 25 
Great George Street, Westminster, Mr. W. Ellis, F.R.A.S., President, in 
the chair. 
The Rev. R. Barker, Mr. W. W. Day, M.D.; Mr. H. N. Dickson, Mr. 
H. Harries, Mr. P. S. Jeffrey, B.A,; Mr. H. A. Johnstone, and Mr. J. 
W olstenholme were elected Fellows of the Society. 
The following papers were read :— 
(1) , “ The Mean Temperature of the Air at Greenwich from 
September 1811 to June 1856,” by Mr. H. S. Eaton, M.A., F.R.Met.Soc. 
This is a discussion of the Meteorological Journals of the late Mr. J. H. 
Belville and those of the Royal Observatory. The general results of 
this investigation are :—1, That there was no appeciable change in the 
mean annual temperature of the air at Greenwich in the period 1812 to 
1855 inclusive. 2, That on the eminence on which the Royal Observa¬ 
tory is situated the average temperature at night, or rather the early 
morning, is in all cases higher than over the lower grounds. 3, That 
with a north-wall, or possibly a north-window exposure, higher maxi¬ 
mum temperatures are found at the lower stations. 4, That the move¬ 
ments of the thermometer are retarded with a south-wall exposure, as 
compared with an instrument on an open stand, especially where the 
situation is a confined one, the indications of the thermometer not 
following changes of-temperature so promptly owing to the modifying 
influence of the adjacent building. 
(2) , “ Report on the Phenological Observations for the year 1887,” 
by the Rev. T. A. Preston, M.A., F.R.Met.Soc. The past season was a 
most exceptional one. For flowers it was disastrous ; fruit was gene¬ 
rally a failure, though there were exceptions ; those kinds which pro¬ 
mised well turned out very small or spoilt by insects. Vegetables were 
universally poor, roots were destroyed by insects or drought, and green 
crops soon passed off. The Wheat crop, however, was better than was 
expected. Barley on light lands was poor, but that which was sown 
early was satisfactory. Meadow hay was not up to an average crop, but 
Clover and seed hay were much more nearly so. In Kent the fruit 
crops turned out lighter than usual, but the prices have ruled higher. 
(3) , “ Earth Tremors and the Wind,” by Prof. John Milne, F.R.S., 
I .G.S. The author has made a detailed examination of the tremor re¬ 
cords obtained in Tokio, and compared them with the tri-daily weather 
maps issued by the Imperial Government of Japan. From this compari¬ 
son the following conclusions have been drawn :—1, Earth tremors are 
more frequent with a low barometer than with a high barometer. 2, 
With a high barometric gradient tremors are almost always observed, 
but when the gradient is small it is seldom that tremors are visible. 3, 
The stronger the wind the more likely it is that tremors should be 
observed. 4, When there has been a strong wind and no tremors the 
wind has usually been local, of short duration, or else blowing inland 
from the ocean. 5, When there has been little or no wind in Tokio, 
and yet tremors have been observed, in most cases there has been a 
strong wind in the other parts of Central Japan. 6, from 75 to 80 per 
cent, of the tremors observed in Tokio may be accounted for on the 
supposition that they have been produced either by local or distant 
winds. 7, The only connection between earth tremors and earthquakes 
in Central Japan is that they are both more frequent about the same 
season. 
(4) , “ Pressure and Temperature in Cyclones and Anticyclones,” by 
Prof. H. A. Hazen. The author has made a comparison of the observa¬ 
tions at Burlington and on the summit of Mount Washington, U.S.A., 
and as the result of a study of about 4000 observations from two days 
before till two days after the passage of cyclone and anticylone centres, 
he has arrived at the following conclusions:—1, In both cyclones and 
anticyclones the pressure lags from ten tr eleven hours at the summit 
of Mount IV ashington. 2, The temperature change at the base precedes 
very slightly the pressure change, but at the summit the change occurs 
nearly twenty-four hours earlier. 3, The temperature appearsto be a very 
little earlier at the summit than at the base, and certainly varies much 
more rapidly at the former. 4, In a cyclone the difference in tempera¬ 
ture between base and summit is less than the mean before the storm, but 
the difference rapidly increases after the centre has passed. Just the con¬ 
trary is true in an anticyclone. 5, The total fall in pressure in a cyclone 
at the summit very nearly equals that at the base, and likewise the rise 
in an anticyclone. 6, The fluctuation of temperature, that is from the 
highest to the lowest, at the summit is double that at the base in a 
cyclone, but it is only a little greater in an anticyclone. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
USEFUL VARIETIES. 
Before the Chrysanthemum year closes perhaps a few notes from 
a “ cut and come again ” point of view may not be uninteresting or 
uninstructive. Several of the newer varieties tried have not proved so 
good as expected, though the treatment may have been at fault. Others 
have shown that they will be acquisitions of value, and many of the 
older varieties have well held their ground. Disbudding in almost every 
case has proved advantageous. We have not only disbudded, but in 
some cases thinned the shoots when they seemed too thick. In the 
notes which follow the remarks apply in all cases to disbudded plants. 
One of the brightest varieties is Val d’Andorre. It is of a dwarf 
short-growing habit, the foliage large and of a pleasing shade of green ; 
the flowers of good size, freely produced, and the brightest we have. 
This should be grown well, as it repays any extra care. Janira has 
given great satisfaction. It is very free-flowering, the blooms coming 
of a good size, and while unfolding the silvery centre is most attractive ; 
when the bloom is developed it is of a suffused shade of violet, and 
under artificial light appears a crimson. Snowstorm is a white variety 
which attracts attention from some people, while others see nothing in 
it. It is most valuable where cut flowers are in demand, as the distinct 
form of this variety gives quite a decided character to an arrangement 
of flowers and foliage. Ornement is a rosy crimson sort, very free, and 
altogether a good variety, the form of the flower being very attractive. 
We look forward to this becoming a standard kind. Perhaps the best 
of all the newer kinds for the north is W. Holmes. This is a very free- 
flowering variety, the blooms coming a good size, but not too big, and 
its colour rich. Fernand Feral makes a capital bush, the flowers coming 
large, and colour bright. 
As a good variety for the north perhaps none excels Lady Selborne. 
It is very free-flowering, and the flowers have the great merit of con¬ 
tinuing fresh and unstained by age for many weeks. They keep good 
here for at least seven weeks, and no white variety yields so many 
flowers as does this one. The trio—Mrs. Rundle, Mrs. Dixon, and Geo. 
Glenny—are in their way extra fine, but they have the fault of turning 
pinky very quickly. Cloth of Gold is a charming shade of yellow. So 
is Phoebus, but this sport requires to be well disbudded to show itself in 
good condition. Peter the Great is still one of the best yellow sorts, so 
clear and soft. I like Gluck very much, and a really fine thing appears 
in Golden Fleece, a summer-flowering sort, which I am increasing as 
rapidly as possible. La Vierge is also very good, in some respects better 
than Madame Dcsgrange. which, as a cut flower, is very apt to fall in 
pieces. Roi des Precoces has been grown for the past three years or so. 
It is very good, and the later blooms are quite distinct in shape and 
shade from the earlier ones. Margot shows the same peculiarity, the last 
blooms being much pretter than the first, this perhaps accounting for 
its name. Simon Delaux, Source d’Or, L’lle des Plaisirs, Rex Rubrorum, 
Julie Lagravere, Reverie, M, J. Laing, Elaine, Fair Maid of Guernsey, 
