Jure 13, 188P. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
479 
able that the Temple Show of the Royal Horticultural Society this year 
proved too late for southern growers, as the Turner Memorial prizes 
might have been expected to bring several exhibits. It is always very 
difficult to re-awaken a fancy for any class of plants that has been 
neglected for some years, but it is strange that while in the south 
during the past ten years it would have been difficult to find any good 
amateur collection of Tulips, in the north, especially in Lancashire, 
amateur florists have always given them a good share of attention, and 
the National Tulip Show at Manchester has occasionally presented a 
display amply sufficient to secure scores of fresh admirers.—C. M. 
-The Summek Show of the Shropshire Floral and 
Horticultural Society is announced for August 21st and 22nd. 
The prize list is of the usual liberal character. In class I (twenty 
stove and greenhouse plants) prizes of £25, £20, and £15 are offered, 
and for nine plants the prizes are £10, £6, and £4. Prizes of £10, £6, 
and £3 are offered for a collection of fruit, twelve dishes, and also for 
six bunches of black Grapes. The annual report and statement of 
accounts of this Society have come to hand, and show a very satisfactory 
condition of affairs, the profit on the operations of 1888 amounting to 
£870. The Secretaries, Messrs. H. W. Adnitt and W. W. Naunton, are 
to be congratulated. We note that the Committee have requested the 
acceptance by these gentlemen and the Treasurers of a donation of 
£200, in recognition of their valuable gratuitous services on behalf of 
the Society. 
- There is much Humour in Plant Names as they are some¬ 
times rendered. In the schedule of a provincial show we find a class 
for twelve Caladiums in which the printer has played such curious 
pranks that in one or two instances it is not without difficulty that the 
varieties referred to are recognised. Ibis Rose was apparently a con¬ 
junction that could not be tolerated, it has therefore been turned into 
Iberis Rose, which is certainly more “ flowery.” Then we have La Porte 
d’Brasil, which is perhaps meant for La Perle du Bresil, though Porte 
(door) and Perle (pearl) aie very different things, and to be shown the 
former is not so pleasant as being shown the latter. Madam Fritz 
Knocklin is a distinctly humorous variation on Madame Fritz Kfechlin. 
Most curious of all, however, is the last on the list—Rub Medalliam. 
The perpetrator of this deserves a medallion, and a well polished one to 
boot. It would perhaps puzzle many, even those to whom printers’ 
peculiarities are familiar, to discover what is meant here. One can only 
hazard a guess that it is Rubrum metallicum. 
- Iceland Poppies. —These are among the gayest of hardy 
flowers just now, and by reason of their free flowering properties, and 
their adaptabilities to so great a variety of soils and situations, merit 
extensive cultivation. Words cannot overpraise their value from a 
decorative standpoint generally, while at the same time it would be 
difficult to name a plant of more easy and simple culture. During June 
and July in each year the three most popular forms—viz., white, yellow, 
and orange, are sure to figure in many an artistically arranged epergne 
at the leading exhibitions, and provided the flowers are judiciously dis¬ 
posed they are always productive of good results. The flowers are pro¬ 
duced in almost endless profusion, and they are so chaste and beautiful 
withal that one never tires of seeing them. In height they rarely 
exceed 15 inches, and therefore they are excellent for the rockery or 
the border. Seeds are produced in great quantity and germinate freely, 
even among coal ashes or in gravel walks. All should grow them whose 
desire is to have abundance of elegant flowers.—E. 
- Summary of Meteorological Observations at Hodsock 
Priory, Worksop, Notts. —Mean temperature of month, 54'9°. Maxi¬ 
mum on 22nd, 77 - 3° ; minimum on the 3rd, 38-3°! Max. in the sun on the 
24th, 130‘1°; min. on the grass on the 3rd, 28'5°. Mean temperature of 
soil 1 foot deep, 54T°; mean temperature of the air at 9 A.M., 54-3°. 
Number of nights below 32°, in shade five, on grass two. Total duration 
of sunshine in month, 127 hours, or 20 per cent of possible duration. We 
had nine sunless days. Total rainfall, 4 - 10 inches. Rain fell on 
seventeen days. The velocity of the wind did not exceed 400 miles on 
any day, and fell short of 100 miles on ten days. Approximate averages 
for May :—Mean temperature, 50'6°. Rainfall, l - 93 inch. Sunshine, 
178 hours. Warmer than any of the last thirteen years, and wetter 
than any except 188G. Nights especially warm, a good many thunder¬ 
storms and heavy hailstorms.— Joseph Mallender. 
- Peaches Falling.—A phenomenon has occurred in my early 
Peach house this season for which I have no precedent. Both Peaches 
and Nectarines set well, and there was the promise of a good average 
crop, and not many went off in stoning. Since, however, large 
quantities have refused to swell in Peaches and Nectarines ; the former 
having attained the size of large walnuts, have gradually fallen away, 
and two-thirds of my crop have disappeared. In every case in cutting: 
the stones, which were hard and well formed, there was a blackness and 
the kernel was diseased. lOccasionally this has happened in a small way- 
in Nectarines, but I have never seen it in Peaches in that advanced state? 
in an experience of over thirty years in the same house. The trees are all 
in excellent condition, and so far as I know they have had the best- 
treatment, the soil is in the best condition, and there has been no lack: 
of water during the last few months. I can only attribute such a 
remarkable result to the exceptionally bad autumn season of last year,, 
which prevented the wood being sufficiently ripened. Can this be the 
real cause to produce such disastrous consequences ? I may mention 
that the Peaches are Early Louise, Hale’s Early, Early York, Grosse- 
Mignonne, Early Grosse Mignonne, and we are now gathering Early Louise- 
The Nectarines are Downton, Elruge, Pitmaston Orange, Lord Napier, 
and Pineapple, and they are doing better than the Peaches.— An Old 
Subscriber. 
- The Wakefield Paxton Society started a new session. 
last Saturday evening with a new essayist—Mr. Hudson, head gardener 
at Woolley Hall, and brother to Mr. Hudson, head gardener to Mr- 
W. T. Marriott of Sandal Grange. The meeting, which was well 
attended, was presided over by Mr. H. Oxley, the President, and Mr. 
J. G. Brown of Stanley, one of the Vice-Presidents, filled the vice-chair. 
Mr. Hudson has for the past quarter of a century devoted considerable- 
attention to the cultivation and hybridising of herbaceous Calceolarias,. 
and at this season of the year he always makes a very extensive and 
most beautiful and varied display of these favourite flowering plants p 
indeed, if we except the annual exhibitions made by Mr. Walker, head 
gardener at Oulton Hall, it would perhaps be difficult to find a larger 
and more attractive lot in any part of this neighbourhood. • Although 
Mr. Hudson’s essay was rather brief, it was very pointed and thoroughly 
practical, and no doubt if the very valuable advice it contained is put 
into practice by some of the professional and amateur gardeners who - 
listened very attentively to it, there will soon be many more large 
and successful growers of Calceolarias in this district. Mr. Hudson 
annually raises a large number of plants from his own seed. He 
sows it in a pan, places it in the open air under a handlight, and 
not as many persons do in a fernery, vinery, or Cucumber house,, 
and subsequently he pots off, gives repeated shifts, fumigates once 
a week, and never stops his plants. He gave minute instructions as 
to the best kind of compost and manure, and also with regard to- 
watering, &c. In order that his hearers might have an opportunity- 
of seeing what can be accomplished by his mode of culture and by¬ 
careful attention, Mr. Hudson exhibited a large collection of very- 
varied and most beautiful cut blooms from his plants, and they were- 
greatly admired. He also adorned the table by a good display of other- 
flowers, including some remarkably fine Begonia and Rhododendron 
blooms. After an interesting discussion, during which several ques¬ 
tions were put to the essayist and answered by him, a hearty vote of 
thanks was accorded to Mr. Hudson for his essay, on the motion of' 
Councillor Howden, seconded by Inspector Gordon, and supported by 
Mr. Squire Pickersgill. In compliance with a very general request by- 
the members that he would give another essay on some subsequent 
occasion, Mr. Hudson consented to do so. 
- Carnation Sandringham White. — ,! E. M.” writes—“For 
flowering in pots at this time of year there is no better variety than the? 
one named ; the flowers are of the purest white, the petals heavily fringed, 
and possess a strong clove scent, which renders it all the more valu¬ 
able. Carnations of any class are sure to be more prized when they 
possess a perfume, and in this case it is very striking. In fact, Carna¬ 
tions are expected to be scented, and the want of perfume renders many 
varieties less valuable than they would otherwise be. The blooms of 
Sandringham White are of medium size, which is perhaps a point in- 
its favour when their utility is considered for bouquets or other floral 
arrangements. This variety is not so liable to split its calyx as do some- 
others. For flowering in the borders it is valuable, the growth being 
compact, and the blooms freely produced. The best means of obtaining 
a stock of strong plants is by layering early in August. Plants that are 
flowering now may be planted out after a while with a view to their 
making growth for the future supply of plants for next season’s, 
flowering.” 
-Is Nicotina affinis hardy ?— “ J. H. E. ” writes:—“ It was- 
never prophesied, nor perhaps ever thought of, a few years ago, when so 
much was said of this plant, that it would prove a true herbaceous 
