May S4, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
425 
- Maidenhead Horticultubal Society.—W e are requested 
to state that in consequence of the death of J. Hibbert, Esq., the Presi¬ 
dent of this Society, the annual Show on August IGth will not be at 
Braywick Lodge as announced, but in the grounds of Ray Lodge, 
Maidenhead, by kind permission of Miss Lassell. 
-Wakefield Paxton Society.—A t a recent meeting of this 
Society, Mr. T. Garnett, gardener to Miss E. G. Mackie, and one of the 
Honorary Secretaries, read a very interesting paper on “ Some Pecu¬ 
liarities of Climbing Plants,” which he read before the members of the 
Naturalists’ Society some time ago, and it was most attentively listened 
to. A short discussion ensued, in which Messrs. Waite, Cordon, and 
others took part. Mr. B. Whiteley proposed a vote of thanks to Mr* 
Garnett for his essay, and said that he did not know anyone who had 
done so much to promote the success of the Paxton Society as Mr. 
Garnett. The motion was supported in very eulogistic terms by Mr. 
Thomas Senior, solicitor, a former President of the Society, and was 
heartily carried. 
- Seeds foe Sonc Birds. —Messrs. James Carter & Co. desire 
us to state that they have made arrangements for supplying the bird- 
loving public with seeds in packets of various sizes. One of these has 
been sent to us ; it is very attractive, and we doubt not the contents 
are, as represented, excellent for the purpose in view. 
- Hooper & Co., Limited. —At the annual general meeting of 
Shareholders in this Company recently held, the Chairman, C. Adams 
Hooper, Esq., explained that, as shown by the accounts, the business of 
the Company was in a highly efficient and satisfactory condition, that 
after deducting all the salaries and expenses of management there 
remained a net profit upon the capital of the Company for the six 
months ending December 31st last of about 9 per cent., and recom¬ 
mended that a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum should 
be declared, the remainder being carried forward. After a few remarks 
from Shareholders present, approving of this proposal, a resolution was 
unanimously passed that such a dividend should be paid within four¬ 
teen dajs. The old-established business of Messrs. E. G. Henderson 
and Son, with the Pine Apple Nursery, Maida Vale, is now the pro¬ 
perty of the Company, of which Mr. Henderson is a Director ; also 
the wholesale seed business of Mr. James Farrar, formerly carried on 
at Primrose Street, Bishopsgate ; a branch establishment is to be opened 
in Paris, and another shop is secure<l in connection with the present 
one in the Central Avenue of Covent Garden Market. 
- Royal Meteorological Society.— The usual monthly 
meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday evening, the 16th inst., 
at the Institution of Civil Engineers, 25, Great George Street, West¬ 
minster ; Dr. W. Marcet, F.R.S., President, in the chair. Mr. J. W. 
Gatwood and Mr. N. Simmons were elected Fellows, and Prof. D. 
Calladon an honorary member of the Society. The following communi¬ 
cations were read :—1, “Report of the Wind Force Committee on Ex¬ 
periments with Anemometers conducted at Hersham,” by Mr. G. M. 
Whipple, B.Sc., and Mr. W. H. Dines, B.A. A whirling apparatus with 
arms 29 feet radius was rotated by means of a small steam engine. On 
the arms of the whiider four different anemometers were placed. Each 
experiment lasted fifteen minutes, the steam pressure remaining constant 
during the run. For the Kew Standard Anemometer, with arms 2 feet 
long, the experiments give a mean value for Robinson’s factor of 2’15, 
and for two smaller instruments the factor is 2-51 and 2’96. Mr. Dine’s 
Helicoid anemometer gave very satisfactory results, the mean factor 
being 0'996. 2, “ On tke Measurement of the Increase of Humidity in 
Rooms by the Emission of Steam from the So-called Bronchitis Kettle,” 
by Dr. W. Marcet, F.R.S. The author described a number of experi¬ 
ments which he had made by steaming a room with a bronchitis 
kettle, and ascertaining the rise and fall of the relative humidity from 
readings of the dry and wet bulb thermometers. He found that the air 
in the room could not be saturated, the relative humidity not exceeding 
85 per cent. 
”- JIB. W. Smith writes from Nantwich—“ Have any of the 
readers of the Journal noticed the habits of the little migratory bird 
knowm as the White Throat 2 I have been very much amused with 
a pair of them during the past week in what was to me quite a new 
feature in their habits, although I have noticed their annual migrations 
from childhood, and am now grey with age. Here, in the country, in 
Cheshire, every homestead is fringed with Damson trees seen in the land¬ 
scape at great distances by their pure white blossoms. It is on some of 
these trees that I have seen these little birds ‘ gathering honey from 
every opening flower.’ At first I could scarcely believe my eyes, I 
thought they w^erc insect-hunting; but no, they were sipping nectar. 
They put their bills carefully into the centre of each flower and held it 
there a second or so, then off they went to .another. This was to me 
amusement blended with instruction, for 1 concluded that they acted 
as fertilisers of the flowers.” 
-We are informed th.at the extensive collection of Florists’ 
Tulips grown by Messrs. E. PI. Krelage & Son at Ila.arlem, Holland, 
will be in bloom towards the end of the present month and early in 
June. The beds, which comprise an area of 7000 sqn.are feet, will be 
protected, and persons who are interested in these handsome flow’ers are 
invited to inspect the display. We are also desired to state that at the 
same time may be seen a collection of “ one-coloured breeders un¬ 
rivalled for variation and brilliancy of colours. These varieties have 
not yet been sold, but eventually some of them can be offered to the 
public. Plere are represented in colours, ranging from pale porcelain to 
the darkest violet, from soft rose to the most brilliant red, from light 
browm to glossy black. These Tulips have very large well-formed 
flow'crs borne on strong stems. Grown in quantity they would give to 
our gardens a new feature at a time wdien striking colours are so much 
wanted. The black and the darkest red shades in this collection are 
really unique, and seem to be of great horticultural value.” 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. W. Gibson, for the last three 
years foreman at Farington House, near Preston, h.as been appointed 
gardener to H. Harris, Esq., Steventon Manor, Micheldever, Hants. 
- Artificial Manures. —“ R. H.” wTites:—“ I wish to con¬ 
gratulate your correspondents on the way they have both conducted the 
discussion on the above subject, and 1 hope they will continue the con¬ 
troversy, as will be convenient to themselves. I am greatly interested 
in it, and have no doubt many more will benefit by it,” 
- The schedule of THE Hull and East Riding Chrysan¬ 
themum Society has just arrived, and .announces that this year’s 
Show is to be held in the Artillery Barracks, Park Street, Hull, on 
Thursday and Friday, November 22ad and 23rd. Liberal prizes are 
provided in forty-seven classes, including another 15-guinea challenge 
cup and £15 as first prize in the class for forty-eight blooms, twenty- 
four incurved and tw'enty-four Jap.anese, not less than eighteen varieties 
of each. With regard to this cup a change has been made in the conditions. 
It has to be won only twice now, not necessarily consecutively, to 
become the property of the exhibitor, instc.ad of twice consecutively, or 
three times altogether, as with the cup competed for last year and 
previously. 
- Professional Gardeners’ Friendly Benefit Society. 
—-A large gathering of the .above Society was held at the “ Green Dragon 
Hotel,” Guildford Street, Leeds, on Tuesday, [the 15th May, for the 
purpose of presenting a testimonial to Mr. Wm. Sunley, the Society's 
able Secretary, who for the period of twenty-one years has held that 
office. The meeting was presided over by the President, Mr. James 
Inman, the vice-chair being occupied by Mr. William Harrison, the 
Vice-President. After the Chairman had made the presentation a num¬ 
ber of the members spoke of the great services rendered by Jlr. Sunley, 
and attributed the present splendid position of the Society to be due in 
a great measure to him. One of the most ple.asing features of the even¬ 
ing was to see Mr. Sunley and the Treasurer of the Society, Mr. Thomas 
Jamieson (who has held that position for twenty-one years) shake 
hands over the table and say for the whole of that period nothing had 
arisen to cause any misunderstanding between them. The testimonial 
consisted of a beautiful timepiece and pair of ornaments supplied by 
Mr. Dj'son of Briggate, and .an illuminated address prepared by Mr. 
Massey, Printer, Upperhead Row. Amongst the gentlemen present 
were Mr. R. Featherstone, nurseryman ; Mr. B. May, Mr. Mm. Green, 
and Mr. J. R. Beckwith, seedsman. A most enjoyable evening was 
spent. 
BELVOIR CASTLE GARDENS. 
Ever since rc.ading an .account of these gardens by the “ oldest cor¬ 
respondent ” of the Journal, “ D., Ik al," 1 have had a lingering desire to 
see them, and at last have h<ad an opportunity of gr.atifying my thirtcen- 
years-old wish, for on referring to my encyclopedia of g.ardemng in the 
