~ September 13, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
247 
- The subject selected by Mr. W. T. Thiselton-D 3 r er, President of 
the Biological Section of the British Association at Bath, was the Study 
OF Botany as puesued in this Countey. As the head of one of 
the great national establishments of the country for the cultivation of 
systematic botany, Mr. Thiselton-Dyer devoted a considerable portion 
of his time to that branch of the science. He thinks that the present 
outlook of systematic botany is somewhat discouraging ; but congratu¬ 
lates us that no country affords such admirable facilities for work as are 
now to be found in London—with the Herbarium of Linnrcus at the 
Linnean Society, the rich collections of the older botanists in the British 
Museum, and the constantly increasing material at Kew. On the other 
hand he complains that in physiological literature the importance of 
precise nomenclature is overlooked, and urges that the central problem 
of systematic botany is to perfect a natural classification. In his closing 
sentences he reminded his hearers that, whether they took the problems 
of geographical distribution, the most obscure points in the theory of 
organic evolution, or the innermost secrets of vital phenomena, not to 
consider plants is still, in the words of Darwin, a gigantic oversight. 
- It will probably be conceded by most gardeners that the want 
of sun has been a greater obstacle to contend with this season than an 
excess of rain. The weather reviewer of the Daily Macs reports as 
follows on the Sunless Summee :—“ The publication of the last 
weekly report of the Meteorological Office enables us to review the 
weather of the season with regard to the prevalence of bright sunshine- 
Taking the past thirteen weeks as a whole, it would appear that the 
total amount of this most essential element has been very deficient in 
all parts of the country with the exception of Ireland and the north of 
Scotland. In the former of these regions, the aggregate duration of 
sunshine has not been more than from 2 to 4 per cent, less than th e 
average of the previous eight years ; while in the north of Scotland it 
has actually been 11 per cent, in excess of the normal. Over England’ 
however, matters have been very different, the deficiency varying from 
20 per cent, in the north-western district, including North Wales, to 
28 per cent, in the north-eastern and midland counties, and to as much 
as 34 per cent, over the southern and eastern counties. Over all the 
more central eastern and southern parts of England, in fact, the sun 
has not shone on an average for more than from four to four and 
a half hours per day, instead of a possible fourteen or fifteen hours. In 
Scotland the daily average has been about five hours, and in the 
Channel Islands about six. A comparison with the brilliant weather of 
last year gives some very striking results. Over England generally the 
quantity of sunshine registered during the season which has just elapsed 
has been little more than half the amount recorded a year ago. In 
the eastern counties the average daily amount this year was 4-3 hours, 
against 8'5 hours last year, and in the southern district 4'3 hours; 
against 8’4. Owing to the marked absence of sunshine the deficiency 
of heat noticed during the past summer has been relatively much 
greater during the daytime than at night. In London the mean of 
the midday readings for the entire period has been more than 4° below 
the average, while the deficit in the night values has not amounted to 
as much as 1°. Notwithstanding the general coolness of the season 
the absolute minimum temperature, or, in other words, the lowest 
reading observed in London on the coldest night, has been higher than 
any similar value recorded during any summer since the year 1873, 
During the past three months the thermometer has not descended below 
43°. Last year the summer, although so fine and warm, gave us a 
minimum temperature of 39°, while in the summer of 1880 the sheltered 
thermometer on one occasion fell as low as 35°.” 
PEACHES ON OPEN WALLS. 
Notwithstanding an adverse season like the present Peaches have 
again proved that they may be grown successfully on open walls, in the 
south or west of England at the least. In the gardens here we have a 
wall 100 yards in length covered with healthy trees from end to end, and 
all, with one exception, are bearing full crops of fruit. Of course, we 
had the usual impediments to combat, but with perseverance all insect 
pests were overcome, thanks to liberal applications of tobacco water. 
I believe many crops of Peaches have been lost this season through 
insufficient protection during the flowering season. At that time we 
had two or three very cold days with an east wind blowing. During 
that time the trees were covered night and day, and that saved the crop. 
To be successful with Peaches in the open air the trees must have the 
same attention as if growing under glass, both in respect to branches 
and roots. Partial root-lifting or pruning must be practised every other 
season or so, and the border kept firm, mulched, and watered when 
necessary. The width of the border is about 6 feet, and this is not dug 
nor cropped in the least. Alexander and Hale’s Early are good early 
Peaches, but it is not advisable to plant too many of this class, as the 
quality is not equal to the good standard varieties. The following are the 
varieties grown on the open walls in these gardens. Peaches—Hale’s 
Early, Alexandra Noblesse, Barrington, Dr. Hogg, G-rosse Mignonne, 
Noblesse, Prince of Wales, Stirling Castle, Royal George, Sea Eagle, 
Walburton Admirable. Nectarines—Yiolette Hative, Lord Napier, and 
Pitmaston Orange.—A. Young, Abberley Mall Gardens, Stourport. 
CRYSTAL PALACE. 
FRUIT SHOW.— Septembee 7th and 8th. 
Possibly' larger shows may have been seen at the Palace, but not 
many better, except of Apples and Pears, which are necessarily smaller 
this year than usual. The collections were good, Grapes represented by 
many fine, but a few unripe examples, while Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Plums were generally creditable to the producers. 
Collections. —These, as usual, formed an important part of the 
Exhibition. Three classes were provided for not less than twenty, 
twelve, and eight dishes. Mr. J. H. Goodacre, gardener to the Earl of 
Harrington, Elvaston Castle, gained the premier award in the first- 
mentioned class, showing well-finished and very fine bunches of Alnwick 
Seedling, Muscat of Alexandria, Foster’s Seedling, and Black Hamburgh 
Grapes, Bellegarde and Downshire Peaches, Yiolette Hative and Pit¬ 
maston Orange Nectarines, two handsome Melons, an even brace of 
Pines, and a dish each of good Negro Largo Figs, Jargonelle Pears, 
Mr. Gladstone Apple, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury Strawberry, Cherries, 
Currants, Gooseberries, Oranges, and two lots of Plums. Mr. H. W. 
Ward, gardener to the Earl of Radnor, Longford Castle, Salisbury, was 
second with good bunches and well coloured berries of Madresfield 
Court and Gros Maroc Grapes; Muscat of Alexandria and Foster’s Seed¬ 
ling were rather smaller ; Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, large and richly 
coloured ; large Pines, Melons, Figs, Plums, Cherries, also Strawberries 
of the same variety as shown in the first prize collection, but smaller 
fruit. Mr. A. Evans, gardener to S. Hodgson, Esq., Lythe Hill, Hasle- 
mere, was third. Excepting Grapes, Melons, Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Pears, the specimens were rather small. 
In the class of twelve dishes, Mr. A. Miller, gardener to W. H. Long, 
Esq., M.P., Rood Ashton Park, Trowbridge, won the chief prize with 
fine even bunches of Muscat of Alexandria and Black Alicante Grapes, 
Blenheim Orange and Rood Ashton Melons, the latter a handsome look¬ 
ing fruit having a clear yellow skin ; a capital Smooth Cayenne Pine, 
Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, Figs, Apples, Pears, Cherries and Plums. 
Mr. W. Pratt, gardener to the Marquis of Bath, Longleat, Warminster, 
was an excellent second, showing splendid Grapes, large and well 
coloured ; Apricots were small, but the remainder all good. Mr. H. W. 
Ward was third. In the class for eight dishes, Mr. R. Parker, gardener to 
J. Corbett, Esq., M.P., Impney Hall, Droitwich, secured the foremost 
place against six other competitors, staging superb bunches of Muscat of 
Alexandria and Alicante Grapes, fine examples of Princess of Wales 
Peach, Humboldt Nectarine, Best of All Melon, Apricots, Figs, and Green 
Gage Plums. Mr. A. Waterman, gardener to H. A. Brassey, Esq., Preston 
Hall, Aylesford, was awarded second with excellent Gros Maroc Grapes, 
Bananas, and Lord Napier Nectarine. Mr. C. J. Goldsmith, Kelsey 
Manor Gardens, Beckenham, was a good third. The collection shown 
by Mr. J. Crawford, Coddington Hall, Newark-on-Trent, contained some 
good dishes, and was commended by the Judges. 
Grapes. —These were shown in large numbers, as many as 400 
bunches being staged throughout the Exhibition, collections included. 
The average good quality was surprising considering the recent bad 
weather for “finishing ” them off. With f e w exceptions there are no really 
bad Grapes, but many possessing points of great excellence. Taken 
altogether they made a splendid feature. The competition in nearly all 
the classes was keen with the exception of that for Madresfield Court; 
this brought only three competitors and was certainly the worst class 
in the Show. 
For a collection of ten varieties, two bunches of each, there were only 
two competitors —Mr. W. Pratt, gardener to the Marquis of Bath, Long¬ 
leat, Wilts, and Mr. H. W. Ward, gardener to the Earl of Radnor, Longford 
Castle, Salisbury, the former being placed first by the superior weight 
of his bunches and the excellence of some varieties. They comprised 
Black Hamburgh, fair bunches and berries, but short of colour; Aln¬ 
wick Seedling, shapely bunches, uneven in berry, good colour, but 
slightly rubbed ; Alicante, good bunches, berries rather uneven, and for 
this variety only fair in colour ; Gros Maroc, small bunches ; Madres¬ 
field Court, good bunches and berries, but showing the effects of the 
season in the colour ; Gros Guillaume, compact bunches with good berries 
and colour fair; and Lady Downe’s, medium sized bunches of good 
colour amongst the black varieties ; the whites being as follow : Muscat 
of Alexandria, beautifully shaped bunches, very fine berries, almost 
perfect in colour; Trebbiano, good bunches, small berries, of good 
colour ; and Foster’s Seedling, compact bunches of good quality. The 
second prize collection contained smaller examples, but the quality was 
very good, the best being Madresfield Court, long tapering bunches 
with good berries fairly well coloured ; Alicante, short chubby bunches, 
good berries and colour ; Black Hamburgh, neat bunches, good colour; 
Lady Downe’s, bunches of good form and colour ; Gros Maroc, bunches 
and colour good ; Muscat of Alexandria, small bunches and berries, but 
