150 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f August 16, 1 ?88. 
fine. Roses in the early part of the season were poor, with many of 
the petals damaged by insects, but now (August) the blooms are very 
good, GhncSral Jacqueminot being conspicuous in its abundance of bloom. 
Bedding plants are unusually poor at this time, an! if we have not a 
good autumn it will be one of the most unsuccessfii of recent years.— 
Robt. Mackellar, The Gardens, Abney Hall, 6 ' beadle. 
HAMPSHIRE. 
The rainfall here at an altitude of 395 feet during the month of 
June was 3’31, as against I'll in June of last year. July produced 5'48 
as against 02'6 of last year. Rain fell on fourteen days in June this 
year as against eight days last year in the same month. The largest 
quantity was 0’G2 on the 27th June this year. In July there were nine¬ 
teen wet days ; the largest quantity collected was 1 inch on the 2nd of 
the present year. In July of last year the largest quantity was O'll on 
the 5th. The temperature reached 80° in the shade on six occasions 
only in June, the highest being 83° on the 24th. The lowest tempe¬ 
rature registered was 42° during the night of the 17th. On ten nights 
only was the temperature above 50° during the month. J uly did not 
produce a single instance of the temperature going above 70° ; this the 
highest on the 14th, while on fourteen occasions only did the heat reach 
over 70°, as against thirty-one times in 1887. The lowest temperature 
this year was 39° on the 9th, while on nine occasions the temperature 
was below 45°. During nineteen days the wind in a southward direction. 
It is known that in July we should have 497 hours of sunshine, but this 
year we had only 94^ hours. On sixteen occasions during June last 
year the temperature was 80° in the shade, while on three days it went 
over 90°. During July last year the temperature reached 80° twenty- 
six times. Nine nights only registered a heat below 52° during the 
month. 
The heavy rainfall of the past month and low temperature with 
absence of sun have been much against the growth of outdoor crops, 
particularly vegetables, here on our heavy retentive soil. Broad Beans 
have scarcely podded at all, while Peas sown on the 9th of February 
were not ready to be gathered until the end of July, the variety being 
Fortyfold, generally such a good cropping sort. We shall not be able 
to pick French Beans outside yet for a fortnight. Tomatoes which were 
such a heavy crop in 1887 have not yet set a single fruit out of doors. 
Antumn Onions are badly diseased, they usually do well here. Spring- 
sown Onions look remarkably gross, and if dry sunny weather prevails 
the crops will be good yet. Early Cauliflowers have done very well 
indeed, while Veitch’s Autumn Giant have not yet turned in, although 
sown in the autumn and wintered in frames. Potatoes are medium, and 
late sorts are a large crop, but except Sutton’s Seedling are of bad 
quality, and are now much diseased. Early Peas sown in pots, planted 
out carefully, succeeded admirably ; in fact without these we should 
have been without supplies for a long time. Broccoli and Winter Greens 
do not grow freely in this neighbourhood, there is much complaint of the 
plants being blind. Turnips tiave been unusually good this year, Snow¬ 
ball is the best variety. 
Small fruits have done capitally, so have Cherries, both on the walls 
and in the orchards. Apples are only a fair crop, and very small as yet. 
Pears poor; Strawberries much below the usual standard, as many as 
20 tons less being sent away from one station in a day, as a large 
quantity is grown in the neighbourhood to supply the London and other 
markets. Fruit decayed on the ground in quantities owing to the wet 
sunless weather. 
Among bedding plants Tuberous Begonias are far the best plants. 
In spite of the adverse weather they make a splendid show, while 
Pelargoniums have scarcely a single perfect truss to show. Blue 
Lobelias appear to stand the weather fairly well. Some carpet-bedding 
plants, such as Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum, make the 
best show this year. Alternantheras have made but little progress, the 
space not being yet filled. Perennials are best represented by Lobelia 
cardinalis, used as a bedding plant. This looks remarkably well. So 
do Stenactis speciosa, Bocconia cordata, Mule Pinks, Carnations, 
Erigerons, Phloxes, double and single Delphiniums, Canterbury Bells, 
Centranthus ruber, Achilleas of sorts, Lychnis viscaria fl.-pl., Aconitum 
Napellus, Chelone barbata, while Lilium candidum has failed to 
develope a single presentable bloom, the foliage died first followed by 
the flowers. Single Dahlias have grown and flowered freely for some 
time now, and so have the Cactus varieties Juarezi and Mrs. Hawkins. 
Many of the perennials have grown out of character entirely—for 
instance, Echinops Ritro has grown 6 feet high, whereas it generally 
only grows 4 feet high. Amongst annuals Zinnias are a total failure, 
so are African Marigolds, Dianthus, annual Chrysanthemums, Coreopsis, 
and Salpiglossis, while Asters promise well. Petunias are fairly good, 
the same may be said of Iceland Poppies sown this year. 
Hardy deciduous and evergreen flowering shrubs and trees bloomed 
remarkably well and have made much satisfactory growth. Particularly 
this applies to Rhododendrons, which are already forming plump flower 
buds. Conifers have grown well. The foliage of Beeches, Limes, 
Elms, &C.. I have never se<m looking better.—E. Molyneux, Swanmore 
Park Gardens, B. Waltham. 
The rainfall for June and July at this place I append ; 300 feet 
above sea, distance about six miles. June 4-23 inches, on the 26th 
1 inch fell in an hour, from 9.45 A.M. to 10.45 a.m. Rain fell on four¬ 
teen days. In July 6'29 inches. The most registered for the preceding 
twenty-four hours was on the 8th, 1 45 inch ; on the 3rd, L22 inch. 
Rain fell on seventeen days. Total rainfall for the two months 10'52 
inches. 
I append for comparison the monthly rainfall to date for this year. 
January, 1'63 inch ; February, L00 ; March, 4 - 32 ; April, 1'73 ; May, 
218; June, 4 23; July, 6 29; August to 11th, 1'03. Total, 22'41.— 
N. Fuller, Gardener, Idsworth, Horndean. 
LANCASHIRE. 
The weather during the months of June and July has been extra¬ 
ordinary. Rain has been frequent, and sunshine rare, we had but 
a few hours during some weeks. This has been most trying to late 
Grapes, and there has been a great difficulty in preventing “ scalding 
in fact, with every care, we have lost more berries by this cause than 
altogether during the past ten years. With the exception of one or two 
bunches serious injury has not been done. The kind of weather we 
have had has been most trying to Cucumbers under glass. They have 
suffered severely when the sun has come out strongly ; in fact, their 
foliage has been so void of substance, that they have quickly displayed 
signs of distress. To keep them going it has been necessary to take 
light instead of heavy crops from them. Large quantities of the young 
fruits have turned yellow when they should have swelled. Red spider 
and aphides have troubled us more on these plants than we before re¬ 
member, while Broad Beans and Lettuces outside have been smothered 
with the latter. 
Small fruits have done fairly wed, but have been sadly deficient irk 
flavour. The fruit of Vicomtesse Hericartde Thury Strawberry has stood! 
the wet weather much better than we expected, for very fewfruits decayed, 
while those of larger fruiting varieties decayed before they were ripe. 
Cherries have all cracked, but Morellos look well, and up to now we have 
not observed a cracked Gooseberry. 
The wonder is that crops outside have done as well as they have. 
During the night of July 31st the thermometer fell to 34°, on a former 
occasion to 36°, several nights it was only 40°, while the highest day 
temperature of the 30th was only 55°. French Beans on early borders 
are practically a failure, for they are only just tuning in, and the plants 
have a stunted appearance. Those in the open quarters were nearly 
blown out of the ground in June, the foliage being broken and battered 
to such an extent that they looked wretched a few days afterwards. 
They have recovered and look promising now, but one named Emerald 
Gem has stood the trying season and looks healthier an 1 more promising 
than either Osborn’s or Canadian Wonder sown at the same time. Peas 
were blown out of the stakes, and so damaged that they have not filled 
well. Potatoes are a light crop, and the haulms of nearly all the second 
earlies are fast dying ; they have the appearance of being badly diseased, 
but no trace has yet been found amongst the tubers. 
Amongst out loor flowering plants Pansies and Violas, Musk (both 
the common and Harrison's) have continued to flower well. Calceolarias 
that were not in flower when they were planted are now in excellent 
condition. Pentstemons Rave shown a tendency to grow, and have 
flowered only fairlj well. Antirrhinums seemed to have defied the 
elements, while Candytuft, Mignonette, and annual Chrysanthemums 
have never been better. Bedding Pelargoniums have surprised us by 
the way in which they have flowered, that is auturfln-rooted plants. It 
was hot and dry when they were first put out, which ripened and 
hardened them well. Spring-struck plants have done nothing but 
grow'. Bicolors during wet seasons have generally a weedy appear¬ 
ance, but Crystal Palace Gem is an exception, it has grown freely 
and coloured well. Roses have had a starved appearance, and the 
blooms have generally been deficient in size and colour, while hun¬ 
dreds decayed before they opened. They have grown well however, 
and now look promising to continue a supply of blooms over a much 
longer period than has been the case for years.— Wm. Bardney, Harris 
Green Gardens, West Derby, Liverpool. 
LEICESTERSHIRE. 
The weather during May was cold and dry, and June came in with 
rain which was much needed, as from March till June many of the 
farmers had to carry all the water to their cattle. The wind, which had 
been N.E. nearly all the spring, was southerly for two days ; but the 
temperature was only a few degrees higher, and it returned to the N.E. 
again. From that quarter we have nearly all the rain. The ther¬ 
mometer registered as low as 40° on thirteen nights during June, twice 
38°, once 36°, and once (June 30th) it was 34°. In some places it was 
quite a white frost. On eight different days the maximum temperature 
aid not exceed 55°. On the 24th the thermometer rose to 76°, while on 
the 25th, 26th, and 27th, 79°, 82°, and 88°, when another change came, 
and on the morning of the 30th the thermometer registered 34°. The 
first week in July we had a little rain nearly every day, but the second 
week we had heavy rains every day, which continued, though not quite 
as heavy, during the following week, since which time the weather has 
been more favourable, and we have now (August 10th) beautiful summer 
weather. The last four days the thermometer has been above 80°. The 
spring and summer so far have not been very changeable. With a few 
exceptions it has been cold throughout, and vegetation has advanced 
steadily. Up to this time I think this summer is quite equal to the last, 
though widely different. 
Potatoes were late coming in, but we have good crops of the earlies 
and free from disease. Peas have been and are still very good ; our soil 
being rather light, the wet weather has suited them, and we have pro¬ 
mise of good crops for at least another month. The wet has just suited 
the Celery, and at present we are quite free from the fly. Parsnips, 
Carrots, and all the Brassica tribe are now doing well. Onions have 
made an abundance of top, but no signs of bulbing at present. Broad 
Beans are good. Dwarf Beans have not done well, and are very late. 
