266 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 20, 1888. 
which makes a total of 590 from the two trees. This number seems 
incredible, nevertheless it is a fact. Are any other readers troubled 
with such numbers ? ” 
- The Czar Plum.—T his is a good culinary Plum, and a sure 
and heavy cropper. It ripens with us early in August, close after Early 
Kivers. We grow it as single cordons on a wall with an east aspect, 
and it never fails to bear a heavy crop of fruit. For market purposes it 
will be found as remunerative as Victoria, and would he cleared off three 
or four weeks before that variety was ready.—J. H. W. 
— Gardening Appointment. —Mr. E. Mitchell, for two years 
foreman at Gifford House Gardens, Eoehampton, has been appointed 
gardener to W. Cunard, Esq., Orleans House and Lebanon Gardens, 
Twickenham. Mr. John Thomson, for the past six years head gardener 
at Dennis Hall, near Stourbridge, Worcestershire, has been appointed 
gardener to E. W, Wilbraham, Esq., Delamere House, Northwich, 
Cheshire. 
- Mr. G. Cummins, in sending a few very fine flowers of Annual 
Chrysanthemums, writes :—“ These have proved to be valuable wet 
weather plants. They have not only grown vigorously, but have bloomed 
profusely all the season. I do not remember seeing a finer lot than I 
witnessed the other day at Putteridge Park, Luton, where these plants 
are used extensively in beds and borders. I enclose a few blooms to 
show the quality as grown there.” 
Melon The Blenheim Orange. —W. Iggulden writes: “ I 
can fully endorse all that Mr. A Young says in favour of this excellent 
Melon, and am glad to learn he succeeds so well with it. Mr. Austin 
used to grow it extensively at Ashton Court, and I have seen numerous 
very handsome fruit, both early and late in the season, there produced. 
This Melon, unlike many other varieties I could name, still retains all 
its original good qualities, and if there is any fault to be found it is its 
rather too vigorous habit of the growth at the outset. We cannot set a 
heavy crop on the first laterals, but the plants go on growing and setting 
fruit at short intervals throughout the season. If not eaten for a few 
days after the fruits are cut from the plants the quality is exceptionally 
good, and instances have come under my notice this season where 
Blenheim Orange in good condition has beaten the best green flesh 
varieties in competition with it.” 
- A Companion for Blenheim Orange.—T he same cultivator 
says : This will be found in Hero of Lockinge, another variety that 
has not lost its good reputation in any way. With us it is fairly 
vigorous, very free setting, and the fruits are of good form, very hand¬ 
somely netted, and bright golden yellow in colour. This again is not fit 
to eat when first cut from the plant, and ought to be kept till the rind 
is soft, otherwise only about half the flesh is eatable. Hero of Lockinge 
and the foregoing are equally well adapted for either house or frame 
culture, and are the two varieties most extensively grown here.” 
Cloves in Pots. —“ S.” writes :—“Anyone who has not grown 
the old crimson Clove in pots for early flowering would do well to do so, 
as well grown plants are extremely useful, affording flowers for cutting 
that from their rich perfume and colour are always welcome. A stock 
of plants is easily obtained when a few old roots are to hand. Layer at 
once the current season’s growth. When well supplied with roots pot 
them two in a 54-inch pot, using moderately rich soil. Stand them 
in a cold frame until new roots are formed, then an open position out 
of doors on a bed of coal ashes will suit them for a time ; afterwards a 
cool house will answer for them, where they will flower.” 
- An Early' Peach. —Peaches have been generally scarce and 
very late as an outdoor crop, but one variety I have noticed as being 
particularly good and early this year is the Waterloo. It is an American 
kind introduced into this country by Mr. Eivers. The tree under notice 
perfected its crop early in August, which may be considered very early 
for the dull sunless season experienced. It is planted against a south 
wall, and was fully three weeks earlier than Hale’s Early, occupying a 
position close beside the first named. Those who contemplate planting 
any Peaches this autumn for outdoor uses would do well to bear the 
earliness of the above variety in mind.—W. S., Frome. 
;- Early Frosts.— The present season has been one of the most 
variable and cold experienced for many years, and frosts of a slight 
character have been more frequent than many imagine, at least in this 
neighbourhood. Probably they have been noticed here through the 
close proximity of the river Froome and the low lying nature of the 
surroundings. But from whatever cause there was during August 
sufficient frost to affect tender vegetables, such as Vegetable Marrows 
and Eunner Beans. On the mornings of the 9th and 10th of the present 
month the mercury stood at freezing-point, and hoar frost was plainly 
visible on the ground. But so far no apparent injury is perceptible from 
the low temperature on vegetation generally.—W. S., Frome. 
- New Melons. —A correspondent writes : “It is so rare now 
that Melons are certificated, only four varieties we believe having 
received such honours during the last three years (this showing a very 
wise discretion on the part of censors), that any new aspirant so 
marked for public approval is quite worthy of special mention. 
Mr. William Palmer’s Thames Ditton Hero, honoured last week, had 
been grown in a frame, for which system of culture this variety is 
especially valuable. It is a very free bearer and setter, having fruiting 
blooms at every lateral, often a pair together. The variety is of good 
flavour and of a suitable size for table. It is the result of a cross 
between Scarlet Premier and High Cross Hybrid." 
- At the last of the monthly meetings organised by Belgian 
Horticulturists at Ghent the following awards were made 
Certificates of merit to Cypripediums niveum, Stonei, and Harrisianum 
superbum from Messrs. Vervaet & Co. ; Tricopilia species from the same 
firm ; Odontoglossum grande superbum from M. James Bray ; Dracasna 
norwoodiensis from M. Desmet-Duvivier ; Maranta inconifera from M. 
Alexis Dalli>':re ; and to the following new seedling Coleuses from 
M. Edouard Pynaert—M. Paul Dutrie, Madame C. Van Geext, Mdlle. 
Eosa Eooses, Comte de Griinne, Etoile de Gand, Souvenir de Jersey, and 
Souvenir de Guernsey. Honourable mention to Cypripedium Javanico- 
superbiens (for novelty), Lilium auratum superbum (for floriferousness) 
from M. Bernard Spae ; and Adiantum Weigandi (for cultural merit) 
from M. Lievin Spae. 
- The Irish Exhibition. —Lord Arthur Hill requests the 
insertion of this paragraph, with a view to aiding the industrious 
peasantry of Ireland. Though not a gardening subject we willingly 
comply for such a purpose :—“ Lately there has been a great increase in 
the articles, such as lace, embroidery, underclothing, painting, knitting, 
wood carving, &c., sent over to the Old Irish Market Place by poor 
peasants in Ireland. In most cases this work is the senders’ sole means 
of support, and it is most desirable that it should not be returned to 
them unsold. Visitors to the Irish Exhibition would be giving material 
help and encouragement to these peasants by going to the Old Irish 
Market Place, and making some purchases, however small. The inmates 
of many a humble cottage in Ireland will have cause to be thankful 
during the coming winter if the work they have sent to the Exhibition 
is sold.” . ' ' 
- The following is sent to us for publication :—“ In view of the 
imminent Eevival of the Florists’ Tulip, Messrs. Stuart &. Mein 
have just completed the purchase of the famous collection of Mr. David 
Barber, Stanton-le-Dale. The collection contains several thousand 
bulbs of the best varieties in existence, many of them never having 
been offered for sale to the public. Mr. Barber, who has several times 
won the champion cup and other prizes open to all England, is one of 
the last of his generation of enthusiastic Tulip growers. He is up¬ 
wards of seventy-three years of age, and for a period of upwards of 
forty-three years he has gathered together and grown his favourites. 
It is satisfactory to record that this famous collection has come to 
Scotland, and we are sure that nothing will be left unaccomplished 
that skill and enterprise can do to make the collection equally famous 
in this country.” 
- The following summary of meteorological observations 
for August, 1888, is supplied by Mr. Joseph Mallender, Hodsock 
Priory, Notts :—“ Mean temperature of the month, 57‘5°. Maximum on 
the 9th, 81'1° ; minimum on the 18th, 38’3°. Maximum in the sun on 
the 9th, 132-7° ; minimum on the grass on the 16th, 33 - 9 n . Mean tem¬ 
perature of the air at 9 A.M., 58'4°. Mean temperature of the soil 
1 foot deep, 58-4°. Total duration of sunshine, 133 hours, or 30 
per cent, of possible; we had five sunless days. Total rainfalb 
2'06 inches. Maximum fall in twenty-four hours on the 28th, 1 - 16. 
Eain fell on thirteen days. Average velocity of wind, 8 - 3 miles per 
hour ; did not exceed 400 miles on any day, and fell short of 100 miles 
on. four days. Approximate averages for August—Mean temperature, 
60'2°. Eainfall, 2 52. A cold rather dull month, but not wet until 
near the end ; in fact, if not for the heavy fall on the 28th it would 
have been a very dry one.” 
- Gros Maroc Grape. —Your correspondent “W.” asks, page 
246, “ Are there not. two forms of this Grape in cultivation ? ” The same 
