122 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r August 9, 1888. 
Writing to the Standard, Mr. J. Kelway, Langport, Somerset, says :— 
“ The amount of July rain at Eltham, ‘ usually a remarkably dry dis¬ 
trict,’ has exceeded the rainfall at Langport, which is an unusually wet 
one, by 0T2 inch. The rainfall here amounted to 6'62 inches in twenty- 
four days on which rain fell. Two of these days of rain amounted to 
over an inch each—1 inch on July 30th, and 1 TG on July 8th. Three 
waterspouts are reported to have hurst in the vicinity on July 30th.” 
Mr. Warwick Stunt, Rochester, also remarks :—“ It may be interest¬ 
ing to some of your readers to know the amount of rainfall we have 
had here the last thirty-six hours, and which has amounted to 
2’GG inches. The greatest fall took place on Wednesday, August 1st, 
from 9 A.M. up to 3 P.M., when I registered T32 inch. This was pro¬ 
bably the end of a waterspout which I am told hurst in the Medway 
river about three miles from here.” 
Mr. R. Gray observes :—“The rainfall for July at Chevening, Seven- 
oaks, elevation 3G0 feet, with a southern aspect, is 6'58 inches. It would 
he interesting to know the rainfall at other places for the same month.” 
Mr. J. B. Dimbleby, Memorial Hall, London Street, Bethnal 
Green, London, E., sends the following on “ Weather Causes and 
Effects” to an evening paper:—Respecting the weather cycle of nine 
years, will you allow me to say that what led me to its discovery was 
the observance of certain astronomical causes, and when I looked for 
the effects I found them in excessive rainfalls. The causes are—1, the 
moon on the same level with the earth ; 2, her nodes in a direct line 
with Great Britain ; 3, her position in perigee, or when nearest to the 
earth. The effects are—1852, a rainfall of 38 per cent, above the 
average, the wettest year on record ; 1861, floods, drowning people in 
their houses and sweeping agricultural produce away in the north, 
associated with cold and a rainfall of 18 per cent, above average ; 1871, 
21 per cent, in excess; 1879, cold, and 16 per cent, above average; 
1888, probable 40 per cent. The present year is similar to 1816, a 
remarkable ninth, which for cold and wet produced a famine in Paris. 
If this ninth-year cycle be extended, it will pick up all the wet and 
cold years and severe winters with much snow. 
Events of the Week. —On Friday, the 10th inst., the Royal 
Botanic Society will hold their anniversary meeting in the Regent’s 
Park Gardens. A meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Com¬ 
mittees is announced for Tuesday, the 14th inst., a show at Claycross 
also being fixed for the same date. On Wednesday, August 15th, shows 
will he held at Reading and St. Albans, while on the 16th, Maidenhead, 
Ludlow, Aberdare, and Abingdon Societies have their annual shows. 
- As will be seen from the Weather Notes on the preced¬ 
ing page an extraordinary rainfall has been recorded in some parts of 
England, and we shall be pleased to receive further particulars of the 
effects on garden crops and flowering plants. 
- The Rev. F. D. Horner desires us to announce that the 
Northern Section Show of the National Carnation and 
Picotee Society is postponed to Saturday, August 18th, and will be 
held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Manchester, under the auspices of 
the Royal Botanical Council. 
- A Wrexham correspondent sends us a straDge example of a 
Fasciated Asparagus Stem. It appears to have been formed by the 
combination of a number of small stems, the peculiar flattened pro¬ 
duction resulting being 3 to 4 inches broad, about half an inch thick, 
and a length of about 2| feet is twisted into a series of close short 
coils. 
- The Potato Disease.—” C. 0.” writes : “ The Potatoes in 
the Isle of Wight are sadly smitten with the disease, which will be a 
great loss to the allotment holders, who reckon to pay their rents and 
labour, and keep some in store for their -winter consumption of the pro¬ 
duce. It spread rapidly from the early and midseason varieties on to 
the Magnum Bonurns, Imperators, and other late varieties. I have 
advised pulling the haulm to partly save the crop, as the writer of the 
excellent leader on the subject advised in last week’s Journal. It is a 
question of time with some, whose labour depends on their own hands, 
hut to employers of labour it is the most profitable that men could he 
put to, and not a day should be lost.” It was only advised in the 
article mentioned that the haulm of early varieties nearly ready for 
lifting should he pulled. 
- Annual Outing. —We are informed that Messrs. John Laing 
and Sons’ (Forest Hill Nurseries) employes, to the number of eighty, 
spent a most enjoyable day on Friday last (August 3rd) at Brighton. 
- From Mr. W. Dean, Solihull, near Birmingham, came specimens 
of his Auricula-eyed Sweet Williams, which are very distinct from 
the ordinary types, the ground colour being rich magenta, a large clearly 
defined pure white centre, and a wire margin of white. 
- Gardening Appointment.— Mr. G. Waller, for nearly three 
years general foreman at Billingbear Park, Wokingham, has been 
appointed head gardener to J. Godman, Esq., Park Hatch, Godaiming, 
S urrev. 
-- The exhibition of Tuberous Begonias out of doors at 
Messrs. J. Laing & Sons’ Forest Hill Nursery will be a little later 
than usual this year ; but the plants will be in their best condition in 
the course of another week, especially if the weather continue fine and 
dry. 
- The Brookfield Horticultural Society" recently held 
their fourth annual Cottagers’ Show at Higligate, when no less than 300 
exhibits were staged as against 250 in the preceding year, ample 
evidence that the Society’s efforts are appreciated in the district. 
Special encouragement is given to the cottagers cultivating allotments 
in the neighbourhood, and a considerable improvement has already.been 
afforded by stimulating a little healthy rivalry. The President is the 
Rev. C. T. Aclcland, and the Hon. Sec. Mr. F. Marshall, 7, Woodsome 
Road, IJighgate Road. 
- Peaches in America. —It is said that 8,000,000 baskets of 
Peaches are expected from Delaware and Maryland this season. It will 
be the largest Peach crop ever gathered. Last season the same territory 
furnished only 1,500,000 baskets, and the whole crop, including that of 
New Jersey and the Hudson Valley, amounted to only 4,500,000 baskets. 
They are packed in neat crates holding twelve dozen Peaches, and each 
Peach is kept separate by pasteboard partitions. In England the outdoor 
Peach crop is very irregular ; in some districts the Peaches on outside 
walls are very satisfactory, and in others the crop is practically lost. 
-- In the grounds of Easton Lodge, Dunmow, the residence 
of Lord and Lady Brooke, a successful Cottagers’ Exhibition was held 
on Wednesday, August 1st, in which over 200 competitors took part. 
Plants, flowers, fruit, and vegetables were largely represented by ex¬ 
hibits of capital quality in such a season as this. Prizes were also 
provided for the best cottage or allotment gardens in the seven neigh¬ 
bouring parishes, sixty-two being entered for competition, all of con¬ 
siderable merit, and in one of the parishes the gardens have the reputa¬ 
tion of being not only the best in the county hut amongst the best of 
their kind in England. 
.- Referring to Chrysanthemum multicaule “ D. S.” 
writes :—“ Unlike most of the other annual Chrysanthemums this is a 
very dwarf and exceedingly pretty one, growing only a few inches high 
with small foliage close to the ground, slender footstalks, and small 
rich yellow flowers, resembling a Buttercup. I sowed the seeds in a 
cold frame early in April and planted ouc the end of May, and I am 
much pleased with it. As a miniature Chrysanthemum this will be wel¬ 
comed, and it is useful for small beds or in various other ways. Most 
of the taller growing kinds are beautiful, but somewhat unwieldy 
in windy weather, but stormy weather seems in no way to affect 
C. multicaule.” 
- “ M. C. A.” writes “I noticed in last week’s Journal some 
notes in reference to large Melons that one of your correspon¬ 
dents was producing, and it occurred to me that this new departure 
on his part was hardly in accordance with the general tenour of his 
writings, in which, as far as I gather, he generally depreciates monstrous 
productions, and in that respect I quite agree with him. Large Melons 
above most fruits are', to my mind, great mistakes. I was once foolish 
enough to grow a few of these unwieldly things, and one, a particularly 
fine fruit of about 14 lbs., was carefully packed in a specially made box 
and consigned to the family then in town. A few days after, amongst 
other notes from head-quarters, was one to the effect that ‘ the Melon of 
magnificent proportions duly arrived in excellent condition, and was 
