XovenVber I, 1SS8. } 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
395 
I F, as is often said, and not without some truth, the autumn is 
the commencement of the gardening year (the season of 
planting), it will perhaps be conceded that the beginning has not on 
the whole been a very bad one. The change from more or less con¬ 
tinuous showers that prevailed during what ought to have been 
summer to settled fine weather at the close has been most welcome, 
and the generally dry October, with acceptable rain at the end (for 
the ground is very dry) will leave its mark for good on fields 
and gardens. The fluctuations of temperature during the month 
have been extreme—one period representing 14° or 15° below the 
^average, and the term succeeding an equal range above it. The 
sharp frost of the first few days will long be remembered, for the 
summer vegetable supply was till then maintained, Peas and Beans 
being as fresh and plentiful as is often the case in July ; but these 
■and other crops of a tender nature were destroyed in a night, with 
practically all flowers that were rendering gardens as gay as they 
"had been at any period of the year. Unquestionably great injury 
was done, and in not a few cases individual losses were serious. 
Some growers of Chrysanthemums were taken by surprise, and 
many plants rendered worthless except for producing cuttings. 
The late varieties appear to have suffered the most, as might be 
expected from their being in active growth; the earlier, which had 
set their buds, were firmer and essentially more frost-resisting. 
One grower of late blooms for sale estimates his loss at £100 at 
least, and there must have been others who had not their plants 
housed that have suffered in proportion in localities where the 
frost was severe. The bitterly cold days preceding the destruc¬ 
tive frost, however, were not lost on men who were on the alert 
and had structures ready for the reception of their plants, and 
many of these that could not be placed under glass were saved by 
laying them down and covering with mats at night, placing them 
in position in the daytime. It does not follow" that the plants 
which apparently recovered from the nipping have not been 
checked to an extent that will injuriously affect the blooms, and 
those cultivators who had their plants safely arranged under glass 
during the last days of September will have the advantage over 
others who could not, or did not, make them secure at the same 
time. There can scarcely fail to be many unsymmetrical blooms 
this year through the effects of frost on the buds, many of which 
we have seen are not opening kindly, though there are plenty that 
are for ensuring effective displays during the Chrysanthemum 
month—November. 
But though the frost referred to cut down vegetable crops, 
killed flowers, and injured certain plants, it is a question if the 
fine weather succeeding did not afford ample compensation in 
the beneficial effects it must have had in other important respects. 
Work in gardens and fields was seriously in arrear at the close of 
September. Ground was infested with weeds in spite of all efforts 
to subdue them. The harvest was far from completed, and there 
were infinitely more Potatoes in the ground than out of it, and 
the disease spreading. The dry weather gave an enormous impetus 
to work, and land was cleaned and valuable crops secured. Taking 
a broad view of the case, most persons will admit that the benefits 
resulting from the fine term that succeeded the frost greatly over¬ 
balanced the harm that was done by it. The dry October has, 
moreover, been of marked advantage to fruit trees. A month ago 
No. 43G.—Von. XVII., Third Seeies. 
they were growing rampantly, and there seemed few signs of the 
wood ripening, while a late planting season was generally expected, 
and that is of advantage to no one. The frost gave a decided 
check to growth, and the wood, owing to the dry weather, is in 
better condition now than at one time could have been anticipated. 
The favourable circumstances for land-cleaning and preparation 
have given a great stimulus to planting. Orders for fruit trees and 
Roses have flowed in freely, and execution has been brisk and plant¬ 
ing active. Early defoliation through the effect of the frost has 
enabled a good early start being made in this work, and it is not 
improbable that much more of it will be done during the season 
than has been accomplished in any previous year. That trees will 
grow when well planted under favourable conditions in spring does 
not admit of doubt, but it is not the less wise to sieze promptly and 
turn to the best account autumn advantages. 
A wave of activity appears to be passing over the horticultural 
world. Fruit growers are very much on the alert—those that are 
established extending their plantations, while “ beginners ” are 
more numerous than ever. The information obtained by and 
through the British Fruit Growers’ Association at the Crystal Palacej 
and at the important National Conference subsequently held at 
Chiswick, has, by its wide distribution, done much to encourage 
fruit culture on safe lines, as have good provincial agencies 
The papers read by practical men who do not dream golden dreams 
and narrate them to dazzle the multitude and lead the ignorant and 
confiding astray, will, it is hoped, in some degree counteract the 
wild rhapsodies that occasionally find their way into newspapers, 
and which, though not intended to mislead, are calculated to do so. 
Only men who have won reputations by their work—men of high 
character and of wide experience in horticulture, can be regarded 
as safe guides in this matter. It is most important that seekers 
for information examine closely into the credentials of those who 
constitute themselves, as scores do in various parts of the country, 
guides for the inexperienced. It is easy to err in planting fruit 
trees, and years may elapse before the initial mistakes are apparent. 
Tt is also easy to lead persons to expect much more than can be 
accomplished. The plain record of facts included in Mr. William 
Paul’s valuable Conference paper (see page 359), is worth infinitely 
more than all the ear-ticklmg orations of optimistic doctrinaires. 
Information on fruit culture for profit to be entirely trustworthy 
must be founded on accomplished facts, not on fanciful theories. 
The building up of fortunes from figures is easily done, and as in 
the past so in the future, the expected El Dorado may only be 
found on paper. Fruit culture conducted on sound lines is suffi¬ 
ciently profitable to justify a great extension, but it is well not to 
commence with extravagant anticipations that cannot be fulfilled. 
As fruit-tree planting to a greater extent than formerly is a 
feature of the autumn, so also is the planting of Roses. The 
favourable weather, we are informed, has induced an unusually 
brisk demand for plants that are generally very fine and in con¬ 
dition for early removal. If they can be inserted while the earth 
heat is sufficient for inciting root action before winter the gain is 
considerable ; but the temperature of the soil is lower than usual 
for the season, and will quickly fall to a point at which roots 
remain dormant, therefore early action in planting is desirable. 
But fruit trees and Roses have only a share of public interest 
now. The queen of autumn, the Chrysanthemum, will soon be 
enthroned and thousands will do her homage. At no previous time 
were growers of plants and blooms so enthusiastic and admirers of 
them so numerous. This is the outcome mainly of the formation of 
societies and the encouragement they have afforded in stimulating 
high cultivation. The National Chrysanthemum Society, by the 
enlightened policy it has adopted and the enterprise it has ex¬ 
hibited on sound business lines, has won for itself a high position 
and the confidence of the community of which it is the recognised 
head. While more than ordinary interest attaches to all the 
coming shows, the Sheffield Tournament is the great centre of 
No. 2092 .—Yol. LXXIX., Old Sebt.es. 
