868 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ OctoDer 29, 1891. 
- AURICULA Houses.—I would like to ask through your 
columns if your Auricula correspondents who have houses expressly 
built for their plants will kindly say what is the proper aspect for 
such, and whether it is possible to grow the Auricula to perfection 
for show purposes in any one house throughout the year, or is it 
necessary to remove the plants into the shade in the summer months ? 
I have diligently read everything I can gather on the subject, and 
find that the old growers placed their frames in different positions 
according to the season; and coming to modern times, I see that the 
Eev. F. D. Horner, in a lecture which appeared in the Journal a few 
years ago, implies that he moves his plants during the summer into a 
more shaded house. Now have not many of the leading growers had 
their houses specially adapted, either by position or artificial shading, 
as to enable them to grow the flower without its being necessary to 
move the plants at any season of the year ? Of course I know all about 
shading the blooms, but what about the plants in the growing and 
summer season ? If anyone who has experience of an Auricula house 
will kindly reply I shall feel grateful.—M. 
- Birmingham Gardeners’ Association. — The opening 
ecture of the winter session was delivered by Mr. Harry J. Yeitch of 
the Eoyal Exotic Nurseries, Chelsea, on the 21st inst., and had consented 
to open the session after much pressure from Mr. W. B. Latham and 
other friends. His subject, “ A Visit to Greece, with views illustrated 
by limelight by the aid of a lantern.” Sir Thomas Martineau, the 
President of the Association, presided, and there was a large attendance 
of members. Admirable pictures were given of Corfu, modern and 
ancient Athens, various buildings, sculptures, and a host of objects 
associated with ancient and modern Greece; and the lecture was brimful 
of interesting and instructive information, interspersed with quaint 
humorous remarks. The lecture altogether giving intense pleasure to 
the audience. Starting with maps to illustrate the journey, which 
extended to about three months, Mr. Veitch revelled in the delight of 
seeing the innumerable art treasures there, and examples of the 
marvellous skill of the ancients. A report of the lecture was impossible 
in a darkened room, and with a long subject before him in a given time, 
Mr. Veitch had to hurry his remarks ; but he is an admirable lecturer, 
and the “ Night with Greece ” will long dwell in the memories of those 
present. The island of Corfu, he said, was a beautiful garden in April, 
and three millions of Olive trees are growing there for the production of 
Olive oil, and some of these trees are 500 years old. The horticul¬ 
ture of Greece is of a very limited character, and the cultivation 
of the Olive is the chief occupation of the people. The Euonymus, 
Laurustinus, Photinia serrulata, Pinus halepensis, and a few other 
trees and shrubs thrive in Greece ; and standard Peaches, Apricots, 
and Figs grow there. The want of a good supply of water is, however, 
severely felt. 
- The Chief Signal Officer of the U.S. Army has, just before the 
transfer of the Meteorological Service to the Agricultural Department, 
issued three atlases, bearing upon the Meteorology of the United 
States, showing—(1) The isobars, isotherms, and winds for each month 
from January to December for the years 1871-73, a period prior to the 
regular publication of the monthly charts. The data used include all the 
materials possessed by the Smithsonian Institution. (2) The probability 
of rainy days, prepared from observations for eighteen years (1871-88). 
The average number of such days for all months and for each station 
has been calculated, and the percentages thus obtained are graphically 
shown on the charts. The data show great differences of distribution 
of rainfall in localities not far distant from each other ; the influence 
of the prevailing direction of the wind in increasing the number of 
rainy days is particularly noticeable in the Lake region. (3) The 
average monthly cloudiness for the period 1871-88. Cloud observations 
show indirectly the relative amount of sunshine, as it may be assumed, 
within reasonable limits, that the complement of cloudiness will be 
sunshine. The investigation of this element is useful in determining 
the suitableness of certain localities for health resorts, or for the 
ripmiDg of crops, and the charts may be considered as standard cloud 
maps of the United States. 
- Dr. King, Director of the Botanical Survey of India, 
has issued a report on the working of the Botanical Survey in Assam 
and Burmah, for which 2000 rupees are annually allowed, with a view 
to arranging a plan for working by native collector?-. Dr. King visited 
Assam in the latter half of last year, and found the local authorities 
ready to afford every assistance. Two native collectors were secured, 
and set to work near Golaghat, and in the Khasia Hills. The Conser¬ 
vator of Forests also sent a large number of specimens to the Herbarium 
at Calcutta, and a Eurasian collector was employed for a time in- 
Cachar. Some interesting plants were also obtained from the base of 
the Eastern Himalayas. Fairly good work was done in Upper Burmah 
by a native collector, and his specimens are now in course of being 
arranged at the Calcutta Herbarium. The collecting agencies continue 
working during the present year. 
- Dr. Prain, the Curator of the Herbarium of the Calcutta 
Botanical Gardens, accompanied the surveying ship “Investigator” 
during part of her operations in the Bay of Bengal last year. By a 
special arrangement, Dr. Prain was put down on the Great Coco Island 
for a few days, and was also enabled to pay short visits to the Little 
Coco and to Eutland Islands. Except for the visit made by Dr. Prain 
under similar circumstances the previous year, the Great Coco had not 
before been explored by a botanist, and the Little Coco and Eutland 
Islands were this year visited for the first time. Accounts of these 
visits are to be officially published in due_course.— (Nature.') 
- The Ealing Middlesex County Times (October 17th) print3 
the following account of an incident which occurred at “ The Grange,” 
the residence of Mr. Yates Neill, Ealing, on Wednesday, October 14th :— 
“ It appears that during Tuesday night a large branch of one of the 
magnificent Chestnut trees standing in the ground was broken off by the 
force of the wind, and fell on two stripling Chestnut trees near the 
wall. On Wednesday morning, the gardener, a man named Parker, was 
engaged in sawing the detached bough, Mr. Delancey Neill and Mr. 
Vertie Neill watching the operation. Just before noon, the first-named 
gentleman saw what appeared to him to be a ball of fire fall, and 
striking the tree in an oblique direction, alight on the ground within 
2 or 3 yards of where the three were standing, whence it rebounded and 
exploded with a sound like dynamite. Although neither of them was 
struck, the shock was so great that for a time all three were dazed, Mr. 
Vertie Neill, indeed, being thrown down, and rolling over two or three 
times. His brother was the first to recover from the shock, and promptly 
went to his help, and he was removed to the house, where the feeling of 
dizziness speedily wore off; and beyond somewhat severe headaches, 
which lasted for some hours, neither of the gentlemen nor the gardener 
appeared to have suffered any ill effects. The trunk of the tree struck 
by the meteor presents the appearance of having been burned in a zigzag 
direction for a distance of some 20 or 30 feet.” 
NEW KIDNEY BEANS. 
Kidney Beans are amoDg the most useful crops that can be grown 
in the kitchen garden. The varieties, Canadian Wonder, Ne Plus Ultra, 
Negro, and Osborn’s Prolific, are well known as useful varieties. It has 
been my good fortune this year to have had sent me for trial by Mr. 
Smythe of Basing Park some of his new dwarf Bean, the result of a 
cross between Ne Plus Ultra and Canadian Wonder, and which this year 
has obtained three marks in the E.H.S. Gardens at Chiswick. This 
Bean stands the highest in my estimation of any. It is ready for the 
table at least a fortnight before any other. It has a fine flavour, is a 
good cropper, and equally good for forcing. It is being sent out this 
year by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Mr. Smythe’s new Scarlet Eunner is still, in my estimation, one of 
the best yet raised. The great advantage of this Bean is that it can be 
grown without stakes, and its yield is almost equal to the loDg Eunner 
Bean. Its quality is superior to its parents. The reason I mention this 
dwarf Eunner is because in my article on the culture of Beans, two 
years since, I spoke very highly of it. I have now changed my locality, 
and find it does equally well on different soils, and I recommend Mr. 
Smythe to send it out. While on a recent visit there I saw several new 
Beans, of which, perhaps, more will be heard in future.—G. A. Bishop, 
Wiglitwicli Manor Gardens, Wolverhampton. 
ARISTOLOCHIA GIG AS. 
Some of the most remarkable flowers in the vegetable kingdom are 
produced by members of the genus Aristolochia, and several have been 
from time to time figured or described in this Journal, one of the most 
remarkable that has hitherto appeared in these pages being A. Goldieana- 
Attention is now directed to one which, in some respects, even surpasses 
that in interest, and certainly in size of the flower. The plant, which- 
is known both as Aristolochia grandiflora and A. gigas, has for some 
weeks been flowering in the Victoria Lily house at Kew, and is there 
trained to the rafters extending over the large central tank. It is cf 
vigorous growth, with heart-shaped, dark green leaves about G inches 
