November 26, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
471 
22,000 lb?, of Violets, 8,800 lbs. of Tuberose?, and a relatively large 
amount of Spanish Lilacs, Rosemary, Mint, Lime and Lemon blossoms 
every year, 
HOW TO MAKE POTASH. 
Baron Ferd. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., of Victoria, writes as 
follows how to make potash. The wood, bark, branches, and foliage are 
burnt in pits sunk 3 feet or 4 feet in the ground ; the incineretion is con¬ 
tinu'd until the pit is almost filled with ashes. Young branches and 
leaves are usually much richer in potash than the stem-wood, hence they 
should not be rejected. The ashes thus obtained are placed in tubs or 
casks on straw over a false bottom. Cold water, in moderate quantities, 
is poured over the ashes, aDd the first strong potash liquid removed for 
evaporation in flat iron vessels, while the weaker fluid is used for the 
lixiviation of fresh ashes. While the evaporation proceeds, fresh portions 
of strong liquid are added until the concentrated boiling fluid assumes a 
rather thick consistence. At last, with mild heat and final constant 
stirring, the whole is evaporated to dryness. This dried mass represents 
crude potash, more or less impure, according to the nature of the wood 
employed. A final heating in rough furnaces is needed to expel sulphur 
combinations, water, and empyreumatic substances ; also to decompose 
colouring principles. Thus pearlash is obtained. Pure carbona'e of 
potassa in crude potash varies from 40 to 80 percent. Experiments, so 
far as they were instituted in the laboratory, have given the following 
approximate result with respect to the contents of potash in some of our 
most common trees;—The woods of the Casuarina?, or She-Oaks, as well as 
that of the black or s lver Wattle, are somewhat richer than the wood of 
the British Oak, but far richer than the ordinary Pine woods. The stems 
of the Victorian Blue Gum and the so-called Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca 
ericifolia) yield about as much potash as European Beech. The foliage of 
the Blue Gum proved particularly rich in this alkali, and as it is heavy 
and easily collected at the sawmills, it might be turned there to auxiliary 
profitable accoun 1 . and, indeed, in many other spots of the ranges. In 
the Queensland coast country the Mangrove could be ma le to yield 
potash in immense quantities, as it is richer in this alkali than almost any 
other native tree or shrub ; and even if the Mangrove were not used for 
the manufacture of potash, the Aril being rich in this valuable fertiliser, 
could be easily and economically applied for manurial purposes. Of 
course Briti h woo imen are aware that it is hopeless to compete with the 
extensive mineral deposits io Germany, whence most of the potash of 
commerce is now made.— (Forestry.) 
CHRYSANTHEMUM LA PURETE AND MDLLE. LACROIX. 
The above appear to me similar in every respect, with the ex¬ 
ception that La Puretd has much broader florets, and does not twist so 
much as Mdlle. Lr 'roix. A good bloom of La Puretd resembles a fully 
expanded fl >wer of Elaine. The habit, height, and time of flowering are 
the same in both. I am inclined to believe La Purete superior to Mdlle. 
Lacroix, as the latter becomes fluted with age According to Mr. Lewis 
Castle they were both sent out or raised in 1880. I have grown and 
flowered Mdlle. Lacroix four years, but La Purete only made its debut in 
England in 1884. 
There are two more Japanese Chrysanthemums that appear to me 
identical so far as my experience goes—namely. Val d’Andorre and 
Gaillardia, Sotiveuir d’Haarlem and Roseum superbum. The two latter 
were raised and sent out by J. Delaux, the latter in 1884, and the 
former in 1885 . So far as I am able to discern, it is a distinction without 
a difference.— Robt. Owen, The Floral Nurseries, Maidenhead. 
THE CELERY CROP IN YORKSHIRE. 
In page 404, November 5th, of your Journal, your correspondent, 
*' B., Hants," wi-hes to know how the Celery crops are in other gardens. 
I send you two r o s "f a variety grown and raised in this neighbourhood 
called Clayworth Pink. They are not pieke 1 roots, merely taken from a 
dray-load at the station. We have been growing 400 acres of the same 
variety within a radius of ten miles of Bawtry, It is quite a harvest with 
the farmers and cottagers; they are sendiog about 200 tons per week 
away to different markets from the following stations—Bawtry, Ranskdl, 
Retford, Buckingham, and Misterton. It is grown in patches of from 
one rood to forty acres. It is quite a s’ght to see the growers commence 
taking up the roots in September. The land is chiefly peat or bog, very 
little use for other purpose?, and five years ago we hal not thirty acres in 
the same district. 
Th“ crops are very good, the prices for late crops £35 to £40 per 
acre ; early cron? £45 to £60 per acre. In the parish of Evertou alone 
there are 120 a res this season. No Celery fly this season. — 
C. M Brewin. 
[The specimens are solid, heavy, and remarkably well-grown samples. 
What is the cost of production ?] 
CHRYSA.NTHEMUM NOTES. 
Chrysanthemums at Messrs. Laing & Co.’s.— The show of 
Chrysanthemums tu the large show bouse in Messrs. J. Laing & Co.’s, 
Stansteai Nur'-eries, Forest Hill, is a very attractive one just now. It 
is n t, however, quite as good as last year, owing to the greater part of 
the plants having had their buds injured by the frosts. Of the new 
Japanese varieties in flower, Mons. Ghys is a very fine flower, of a gold 
and silvery white colour ; La France, rich carmine with white centre, 
very fine ; Jupiter, dark crimson and red, especially fine, and Mons. Ivon, 
a beautiful creamy white tipped with gold. In addition to these novelties 
all the best and latest sterling varieties are grows in quantity, and not a 
few of their own seedlings are of a very promising character. 
Chrysanthemums at Parkfield, Lee. — So popular has the 
queen of autumn flowers become that it is scarcely possible to find a 
garden where its beautiful merits are not recognised and a prominent 
place assigned to its culture. It is certain that no other class of plants 
have yet been brought forward by our enterprising horticulturists to take 
their place in doing the lion’s share of decorating the conservatories aud 
greenhouses, and supplying cut flowers for personal and house decoration, 
and last, but not least, filling hundreds of exhibition tables throughout 
the country at a time when other flowers are scarce. The more the merits 
of this beautiful autumn flower are known the greater aoes its popularity 
deservedly become, with the natural re ult—an increase in the number of 
growers and the greater the excellence of culture attained. Every grower, 
be he amateur or professional, who excels in the culture of this charming 
flower deserves to have his success recorded in the pages of the horti¬ 
cultural press, to serve as a stimulus to others to attain to similar 
excellence of culture. Well worthy of such recognition is the well-grown 
collection of varieties in the garden of F. Hatchett, Esq., Parkfield, Grove 
Park, Lee, whose able and enthusiastic gardener, Mr. J. Sharpe, is quite 
an expert in their culture, and a very successful exhibitor at many of the 
leading shows. The collection grown here numbers over 400 varieties 
and owing to the limited amount of gla?s at the disposal of the gardener 
it is a wonder how so many plants find house room. The plants are 
packed as close together as possible, and from the giant, 9 and 10 feet 
high plants, of Madame Clemence Audiguier to the dwarf Pompons, there 
are banka of colour of dazzling and varied brightnes?. The foliage was 
of unusually thick texture, and of a dark, healthy, vivid green, whilst the 
flowers of such capital varieties as Queen oE England, Pitre Delaux, aud 
Criterion were very fine, being large and well formed, with good broad 
petals. 
Amongst the general collection of Japanese ani incurved varieties 
those most conspicuous for size, richness of colour, and good culture 
were Madame C. Audiguier, La Nympbe, Comte de Germiny, Criterion, 
Elaine, Fair Maid of Guernsey, Boule d’Or, L’lncomparable, Sc?.., among 
Japanese; and Queen of England, Empress of India, Lord Wolseley, 
Mabel Ward, Mrs. W. Shipman, Refulgence, N1 Desperandum, 
among the incurved section. No useful purpose will be served iu occupy¬ 
ing space with a list of names, as the best varieties arc being constantly 
brought under the notice of readers ia the reports of shows now being 
held iu various parts of the country. Mr. Hatchett is greatly intereste t 
in the Chrysanthemum, and gives every encouragement to his gardener 
to attain success in its culture, and the well-grown and flowered plants 
reflect great credit on both employer and gardener.—T. W. S. 
ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The opening meeting of the session was held on Wednesday evening, 
the 18th inst., at the Institution of Civil Engineers, 25, Great George Street. 
Mr. R. H. Scott, F.R.S., President, in the chair. 
Messrs. T. K. H. Clunn, R. S. Davies, B A., H. C. Fox, M.R.C.S., W. E. 
Jackson, J. Richardson, M.Inst.C.E.. F.G.S., A. L. Hotch, and C. Todd, 
C.M.G., were elected Fellows of the Society. 
The following papers were read :— 
1. “ The Helm Wind of August 19th, 1885,” by William Marriot 1 ’, 
F.R.Met.Soc. This wind is peculiar to the Cross Fell range, Cumberland, 
and is quite local, but very destructive. The chief features of the pheno¬ 
menon are the following :—On certain occasions when the wind is from 
some easterly point the helm suddenly forms. At first a heavy bank of 
cloud rests along the Cross Fell range at times reaching some distance down 
the western slopes, and at others hovering about the summit;; then at a 
distance of one or two miles from the foot of tae Fell there appears a roll 
of cloud suspended in mid-air and parallel with the helm cloud—this is the 
helm bar. A cold wind rushes down the sides of the Fell and blow? 
violently till it reaches a spot nearly underneath the helm bar, where it 
suddenly ceases. The space b j tween the helm cloud aud the bar is usually 
quite clear, blue sky being visible ; at times, however, small portions of thin 
vaporous clouds are seen travelling from the helm c’oud to the bar. The 
bar does not appear to extend further west than the river Eden. The author 
visited the district in August la9t, and was fortunate enough to witness a 
slight helm. He gives a detailed account of what he experienced, aud also 
bis observations on the temperature of the air at the summit and base of 
Cross Fell, the direction and force of the wind, the movement of the 
clouds, ic. 
2. “ The Typhoon Origin of the Weather over the British Isles during the 
second half of October, 1882,” by Henry Harries. The author shows, by 
means of daily charts, that a typhoon which originated near the Phillipine 
Islands on September 27th passed over Japan and the Aleutian Archipelago, 
entering the United States on October 10th. Crossing the Rocky Mountain 
range it proceeded through the Northern States and Canada to Labrador and 
Davis Strait. In the Atlantic it was joined on the 18th by another disturb¬ 
ance which had come up from the Atlantic trop’cs, the junction of the two 
being followed, by a cessation of pr gresrive movement from the 19th to the 
25th. During til’s period the severe gale which passed along -ur southern 
counties on the morning of the 24th was formed, its sudden arrival upsetting 
tbe Meteorological Office forecasts of the previous night. Observations are 
quoted, showing that it would have been impossible for tb - department to 
have been aware of its existence before about 3 a m. of the 24th. Following 
in the wake of this storm, the parent cycl -ne reached tbe French coast on 
the 27tb, its advt nt being marked, as in Japan and America, by violent gales 
and extensive floods over the whole of Western and'Cehtral Europv and 
