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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September ”, 1891, 
Ragley is a fine example of the home of an English nobleman, and 
the Marquis and Marchioness of Hertford are fortunate in securing the 
services of so good a gardener as Mr. A. D. Christie, who is doing ex¬ 
cellent work there, and who fully appreciates the encouragement given 
him by h:s noble employers.—H. D. 
Events of tiie Week —The following Shows are fixed for the 
ensuing week :—September 2nd and 3rd (Thursday), Bath ; 3rd, Dundee 
and Thame ; 4th and 5th, Hardy Fruit Show and Exhibition of the 
National Dahlia Society at the Crystal Palace ; 8th, Royal Horticultural 
Society, Drill Hall, Westminster, with lecture on hardy water and bog 
plants by Mr. Geo. Paul ; 9th and 10th, show of early Chrysanthemums 
at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster ; 9th, 10th, and 11th, Fruit Show 
of the Royal Caledonian Society at Edinburgh. Auction sales take 
place at Protheroe & Morris’ Rooms, Cheapside, London; also at 
Bloomfield House, Fareham, Hants, and Beechfield, Doncaster. For 
particulars see advertisements. 
The Weather.— Showers more or less heavy have fallen almost 
every day since our last issue in the Metropolitan district, but the 
passing storms have been much less violent than are reported from 
various parts of the country. 
-The New Head Gardener at Chatsworth.—M r. Wm. 
Chester, for upwards of thirty years foreman of the la’-ge conservatory 
at Chatsworth, has been appointed successor to Mr. Owen Thomas, who, 
as already announced, takes charge of the Royal Gardens at Windsor. 
Mr. Chester is to be warmly congratulated on a promotion which gives 
him one of the most important gardening posts in the kingdom, and he 
has well proved his capacity by a long term of service. 
- Another Show Calamity.—T he thirty-sixth autumn Show 
of the Gateshead Horticultural Society, which was to have been opened 
on Tuesday, 1st inst., could not be held in its entirety in consequence 
of a violent gale which blew down the ten*s. The cut flowers, fruit, 
and vegetables were conveyed to the Pavilion, and what might have 
been a good Show was entirely spoilt. Great sympathy was expressed 
by everyone for the Secretary and Committee who have laboured so 
hard to make the Show a success. The gale lasted the whole of the day. 
- Death of Mrs. Knight.—W e regret to learn that Mrs. 
Knight, wife of the accomplished British gardener to His Majesty the 
King of the Belgians, died last week at Laeken in the fifty-fourth year 
of her age. Those who had the pleasure of knowing the late Mrs. 
Knight, her goodness of heart, her genuine unaffected hospitality, will 
be able to realise the loss to Mr. Knight and his family, and will accord 
him and them their heartfelt sympathy. 
- A Young Gardener’s Difficulty and Requirements.— 
I shall be grateful if any of your readers can advise me through the 
medium of the Journal in the following circumstances. I am a young 
gardener twenty-seven years of age, working under gla=s. The changes 
of temperature to which I am subjected, especially in winter, cause me 
to have severe colds which have a continued weakening effect on my 
chest. I have a strong desire to go abroad to one of the colonies, and 
being active and energetic with a life experience in gardening, I might 
be able, in a more genial climate, to follow my occupation with health 
and profit. I am anxious to know what place would be likely to suit 
me. Any information will be thankfully received.—J. H. 
- Yiola Ardwell Gem.— This variety has, in spite of the 
adverse weather, flowered abundantly. In the colour of this Yiola, soft 
yellow, there is a very pleasing shade, admired by all who see it, in a 
mass especially. To succeed well with Violas in summer they should be 
planted much earlier than is customary. Where the beds are filled with 
spring flowers the best thing to do is to see that the Violas are put out 
of the cutting frame at the end of March into a compost largely made 
up of leaf soil, so that when the beds are ready the plants can be trans¬ 
ferred in such a manner that no check to growth is received. Plants 
prepared in this way give much better results than those which are 
allowed to remain thickly together in the cutting frame until finally 
planted in their flowering quarters.— Southerner. 
- Eckford’s Sweet Peas.— I can corroborate what “ R. P. R.” 
says about Eckford’s Sweet Peas. There are, I think, much better sorts 
on the way than those he names, but the whole of them must in a year 
or two be indispensable.—B. 
- Gardening Appointments.— Mr. T. Patterson, late foreman, 
East Thorpe, Reading, informs us that he is now gardener to IT. M. 
Pollett, Esq., Fernside, Bickley, Kent. Mr. George Reason has suc¬ 
ceeded Mr. J. Dale as gardener at Brancepeth Castle, Durham. 
- Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society.—O n 
Saturday evening next, September 5th, the thirty-ninth monthly 
meeting of the above Society, Mr. Alfred Waters, The Gardens, 
Hopwood Hall, Middleton, will read a paper on “ The Use and 
Abuse of Watering and Syringing.” 
- Thomson’s Blushing Bride Carnation. — Mr. William 
Dean sends us blooms of this new self Carnation. He says, “ The 
plant is a good grower with stout footstalks, has a capital pod, and 
when known will be a popular market variety.” We have only to add 
that the petals are broad and smooth, and the blush-white blooms Clove- 
scented. 
- Mr. David T. Fish.— We hear that Mr. Fish, Hardwicke, 
Bury St. Edmunds, whose approaching retirement from private 
gardening we announced about a fortnight since, is about to engage 
in the jury work of flower shows, landscape gardening, literature, and 
probably popular lecturing on horticultural and other subjects, and all 
his friends will wish him success in his new and wider sphere. 
- Campanula pulla.— On the rockery at the present time 
there is no more interesting or showy plant than Campanula pulla. 
The violaceous blue of the small bell-like flowers, which are terminal, 
give a shade most difficult to compare. The plants grow in neat tufts 
about 4 to 6 inches high. In soil of a light character it succeeds the 
best, a heavy retentive one not being favourable to its growth.—E. 
- Eryngium amethystinum. — Almost all plants, especially 
hardy ones which bear blue flowers, are sought after no matter at what 
period of the year they may blossom, and there is little wonder, 
therefore, that the amethyst blue of this plant is appreciated during 
July and August. The growth is of a compact character, easily 
supported, in fact almost self-supporting. For cutting it is valuable, 
the flowers lasting fresh a long time in water. A large number of 
plants can soon be raised by seed or division of the roots.—S. 
- Weather at Liverpool. —The weather here still keeps of 
the most unsatisfactory character, the damage done by the storm of the 
25tli ult. being in many places considerable. Bushels of Apples were blown 
down, as well as Pears and other fruit, and Chrysanthemums met with 
a large number of mishaps. Such a severe storm as this is a rarity in 
the month of August. To day is the last day of the month and the rains 
has been incessant. Potatoes are badly diseased and harvest prospects 
look extremely gloomy. With what pleasure we should hail a warm 
and sunny September.—R. P. R. 
- The Weather During August, 1891. — During the past 
month we have experienced very dull stormy weather, and on the- 
whole have had very little sunshine. Strong winds from the S.W. 
have been very prevalent, and blown a quantity of fruit off standard 
trees, whilst the bush, pyramid, and espalier form of trees are unhurt. 
Rain fell on twenty-four days. Maximum in any twenty-four hours, 
1-13 inch, on the 21st ; minimum 0 01, on the 16th ; total for the 
month 3-70, against 2 - 64 in 1890. In spite of the dull season I 
gathered good fruits of Early Louise Peach outdoor on a south wall on 
the 4th inst. They were very useful, as they took the place in the 
dessert dishes of the late Strawberries. This Peach comes in with me 
about the same time as Early Beatrice, and produces much larger fruit. 
—E. Wallis, The Gardens , Hamels Park, Buntingford , Herts. 
- The Weather in Hampshire.— The weather has been very 
showery of late, and bad for harvest operations. On the 21st inst. we 
registered 1 - 8S. As showing the equality of the downfall in two places 
two miles distant, 1-85 was registered at Bishop’s Waltham, which is 
considerably lower than the situation of Swanmore Park. On the 23rd, 
from a thunderstorm, half an inch fell in twenty minutes, bringing the 
total rainfall for the present month up to 3 98, which is considerable for 
the first three weeks in August. It is a curious coincidence that last 
y6ar on the 17th of the month we registered 1*85. In the low lying 
gardens, especially in stiff soil, Potatoes are very badly diseased. 
