498 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 10, 1891. 
dish, and I hope that by lifting them before severe weather, and storing 
the bulk of them in a pit the same as Potatoes, I shall be able to keep 
them in good condition for use through the present winter.— 
Jos. Punton, Benwell Bene Gardens, Newcastle-on-Tyne. 
- Wistabia sinensis Seeding. —At a meeting of gardeners in 
a Sussex village two or three years ago the question of special prizes 
for a local Show was being discussed, when a veteran offered to give 
a prize of 5s. to the man who could produce a pod of seeds of the 
Wistaria sinensis. This, seemingly, is rather a hard nut to crack; for 
though there are several fine specimens of this climber in the neighbour¬ 
hood the prize has never been claimed. The old gentleman told his 
hearers that he had himself produced seed pods, and that they were at 
the time laid before Dr. Lindley, and duly chronicled by the Press. 
This incident was brought to mind on reading “ E. D. S.’s ” note on 
this fine hardy climber in your pages of November 19th (page 424). 
Can any of your correspondents give instances of its having produced 
seeds in this country ? And also can any reason be assigned why it 
should not produce seeds except on rare occasions ?—R. I. 
- The following is the Wakefield Paxton Society’s pro¬ 
gramme of meetings for the fourth quarter—Session 1891-92. The 
meetings are held at the Society’s Rooms, Saw Hotel, Westgate, each 
Saturday evening, commencing at 8 o’clock prompt:—Dec. 5th, “ The 
Amateur Gardener,” Mr. J. Haigh, Sheffield. Dec. 12th, “Brusse’s 
Sprouts” (exhibition of specimens), Mr. W. Hudson. Dec. 19th, 
“ Hardy Perennial Plants, their Habits and Culture,” Mr. John Wood; 
Kirkstall. Dec. 26th, Bank Holiday. Jan. 2nd, Musical evening. Jan' 
9th, “ Agricultural—Soils, their Formation, Character, and Cultivation,” 
Mr. J. Metcalfe. Jan. 16th, “ The Evolution of Plant Life.” Mr. T. Tate, 
F.G.S., Leeds. Jan. 23rd, “ A Selection of Vegetables Suitable for this 
District,” Mr. E. Fenner. At thi8 meeting an election will be made of 
the most suitable varieties of vegetables, all growers are desired to take 
part in the same ; papers will be supplied by the Secretaries. Jan. 30th, 
“ Earthquakes and Volcanoes,” Mr. H. J. Martin, Rothwell. Feb. 6th, 
“Decorative Use of Flowers,” Mr. W. Wardman. Feb. 12th (Friday) 
“ The Florist Ranunculus,” Rev. F. D. Horner, Kirkby Lonsdale. Feb. 
20th, “The Peach,” Mr. C. Fletcher. Feb. 27th, “A Prolific Bloomer,” 
Mr. B. Whiteley. March 5th, Annual Meeting. 
- Double Mignonette. — I am unable to send you a good 
specimen of the double Mignonette about which I wrote a short note 
recently. The small pieces sent with this give quite an inadequate idea 
of the flower, both with regard to its peculiarity and its value as a 
commercial plant. I feel much indebted for Mr. Henslow’s paper, 
which I duly received. The Mignonette figured and described in it is 
almost identical with the one I wrote about. I was much struck with 
the similarity of the origin of both, in each case having been discovered 
in the seed beds of nurserymen. The only difference between these 
two Mignonettes that I can observe is that the one mentioned by me is 
more compact in the panicle than the one described by Mr. Henslow, 
which the figure represents as having a lax inflorescence and a rather 
slim peduncle. Why is the name alba given to this proliferous variety, 
seeing that the petals of the normal type of Reseda odorata are white ? 
With regard to Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ remarks anent this variety 
bearing seed, I can only say that Mr. Treseder informs me that he has 
never yet discovered a fertile flower on any of the plants, and he has 
had them under his close observation for two years.—W. W. 
Pettigrew. [The specimen sent had very full pure white and 
extremely fragrant flowers.] 
- Summary of Meteorological Observations at Hodsock 
Priory, Worksop, Notts, 56 feet above mean sea level, November. 
Mean temperature of month, 4P1 0 .. Maximum on the 18th, 55 - 5°; 
minimum on the 30th, 25 2°. Maximum in the sun on the 2nd, 97'4°; 
minimum on the grass on the 30th, 17 8°. Mean temperature of the air 
at 9 a.m., 40‘2° ; mean temperature of the soil, 1 foot deep, 43 6°. 
Nights below 32°, in shade eleven, on grass twenty-one. Total dura¬ 
tion of sunshine, thirty-one hours, or 12 per cent, of possible duration. 
Thirteen sunless days. Total rainfall, 2 48 inches. Rain fell on twenty- 
two days. Average velocity of wind, 8'1 miles per hour. Velocity 
exceeded 400 miles on one day, and fell short of 100 miles on seven days. 
Approximate averages for November:—Mean temperature, 41-7° ; rain- 
fa’l, 204 ; sunshine, fifty hours. A dull and calm month, rather wetter 
and colder than the average. The barometric depression of the 11th is 
the lowest recorded, except that of December, 1886, but the gale did no 
damage of any consequence here.—J. Mallender. 
- Weather at Ripley, Yorks, During November. —The past 
has been a dull sunless month, only one brighti.day occurring. Rain 
fell on twenty-one days, total for the month being 2 95 inches, of which 
0 - 89 fell on the 10th. The soil is in a very saturated condition, which 
sadly impedes work on the land. Frost was recorded on sixteen days, 
the most severe being 13° on 28th, and 12° on the 30th. At 9 a.m. on 
the 5th the barometer stood at 30'85 ; mean reading of barometer, 
3004 ; mean maximum temperature, 45-9° ; mean minimum temperature, 
31’9°; mean temperature, 38 9°. The total rainfall recorded herefrom 
July 1st to November 30th, inclusive, is 15 92 inches. Up to to-day, 
8th, December has only yielded us one fine day, and as I write the rain 
is falling heavily. The River Nidd gives promise in a few hours of 
overflowing, and, on the whole, things look anything but cheery.— 
J. Tunnington, Ripley Castle Gardens, Yorks. 
- Pear Marshal de Cour. —Of November Pears there are 
few to rival the above named in quality, and being of a free bearing 
disposition, intending planters ought to secure at least one tree if the 
variety is not already represented in sufficient numbers. Unlike many 
sorts it does not decay at the core immediately it is fully ripe, but 
remains in fine condition a good time after maturing. I have had this 
variety sometimes as late as Christmas, but the season has such varying 
influences on Pears that it must not be planted with the view of securing 
its fruit at that date. It forms a good pyramid, and has quite a distinct 
but somewhat spreading style of growth, and bears freely almost every 
year. Under good cultivation the fruit grows to a large size, which is 
an additional point in its favour, but the dense russety coloured skin 
does not present the same attraction on the exhibition table as the clear 
coloured varieties. This, however, is of but small moment for home 
use, quality and good size sufficing for general purposes, and on the 
exhibition dish competent judges will estimate its sterling qualities as 
being above that of many of the more handsome in appearance. Dr. 
Hogg in his “Fruit Manual” describes it as one of the finest Pears 
in cultivation, and many could, if it was found necessary, bear out the 
Doctor’s excellent testimony. It is also known by the title Conseiller 
de la Cour, but the correct name, I believe, is that which heads this note. 
—W. S. 
- The Horticultural Attractions at the World’s 
Fair, Chicago, in 1893, are increasing. The following are the latest 
announcements. The Agricultural Department of the Government 
will make an exhibit of fac-simile casts of all of the 200 varieties 
of edible Mushrooms which grow in the country. Hugh Price, one of 
the Wisconsin Commissioners, has made arrangements for securing for 
the World’s Fair a mammoth Cork Pine, a tree which is growing rare 
in his State. It is 24 feet in length, and will scale 2500 feet. One 
plank is 16 feet long, 3 inches thick, and 44 inches wide, without a knot 
or blemish. The native flora of each State and Territory will be shown 
at the Exposition, under the direction of Chief Thorpe, who has enlisted 
the Lady Managers to undertake the collection of specimens. On the 
roof of the Horticulture Building, around the central dome, an elaborate 
display of roof gardening will be made. It is expected that this will 
not only be pleasurable to visitors, but will afford valuable suggestions 
that will be utilised by persons v/ho live in large cities and are deprived 
of door-yards and lawns. In the centre of the Horticulture Building 
will be a miniature mountain, 70 feet high, upon which will grow giant 
Tree Ferns and Palms, and other vege'ation, finding there a congenial 
home. A mountain stream will dash from one declivity to another and 
play hide-and-seek with the foliage. Beneath this rock mountain will 
be a cave, 80 feet in diameter, and 60 feet high, brilliantly lighted by 
electricity, where, during the whole six months of the Exposition, the 
experiment will be tried whether plants will grow under electric light 
as well as under sunlight. Chief Thorpe, of the Floriculture Division, 
originated ihe plan. 
- Profitable Fruit Culture in America. — Mr. M. A. 
Thayer, who has demonstrated practically that small-fruit culture can 
be made profitable in Wisconsin, has just published a report from his 
fruit farms at Sparta which, from his careful method of keeping 
accounts and the generous spirit manifested, seems worthy of commen¬ 
dation. Five years ago the question of growing small fruits there 
was doubtful, and he therefore gives a full account of his outlay and 
income. The first year he planted 8 acres of Blackberries, 7 of Rasp¬ 
berries, and 2 of Strawberries, at a tolal expense of 1618 dollars with 
no income. The second year he added 8 acres, and his total expenses 
were 2462 dollars, and his income was 926 dollars. The third year he 
Sit 10 acres more to small fruits ; his expenses were 3394 dollars, and 
