Ftbrnnry 13, 183\ ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
131 
Wonder Marrow Peas sown in the middle of November on a south 
border, look as healthy and hardy, 2 inches high, as AVilliam I.” 
- Lettuce Veitch’s Golden Queen. —This will be found an 
excellent Lettuce for forcing. On January 9th last year we sowed seed 
of it in 6-inch pots, and placed them on a shelf in a vinery just started. 
On February 7th they were planted in a frame on a slight hotbed 6 inches 
apart, and on April 1st we began cutting capital little Lettuces. Perfect 
Gem treated in the same way, but planted 9 inches apart, was ready 
April 16th, thus forming a good succession.—J. H. W. 
-- At the ordinary meeting of the Royal Meteorological 
Society, to be held at 25, Great George Street, Westminster, on 
Wednesday, (the 19th inst., at 7 P.M., the following papers will be 
read :—“ Observations on the Motion of Dust, as Illustrative of the 
Circulation of the Atmosphere, and of the Development of certain 
Cloud Forms,” by the Hon. Ralph Abercromby, F.R.Met.Sec.; “ Cloud 
Nomenclature,” by Capt. D. Wilson-Barker, F.R.Met.Soo. ; “An 
Optical Feature of the Lightning Flash,” by Eric S. Bruce, M A., 
F.R.Met.Soc. Capt. Wilson-Barker’s and Mr. Bruce’s papers will be 
illustrated with lantern slides. 
- Blenheim Orange Tomato.—“ J. E. T.” writes from 
Cumberland :—“ I have grown this Tomato for two years, and consider 
it the most deliciously flavoured variety in cultivation. I have tried 
nearly every advertised variety, and find that there is not one can hold 
a candle to it for flavour. The plant is robust, and the fruit sets 
freely.” Blenheim Orange is, we believe, the result of a cross obtained 
between Dedham Favourite and Green Gage in Messrs. Carter & Co.’s 
experimental grounds at Forest Hill. 
Gas-heating Houses. —Gas being such a convenient means 
of heating boilers for warming greenhouses, perhaps more particularly 
for amateurs (but I am not sure even if it is so limited), it has often 
occurred to me that if an automatic arrangement could be designed by 
which the tap regulating the supply of gas was controlled by some kind 
of thermometer, it would be a great boon, as it would prevent the great 
variation of temperature which so often occurs. It is just possible such 
a system as I now suggest has been already tried, but I have never seen 
any notice of anything of the kind. Are any of your reapers aware 
whether or not it has ever been attempted with or without success 1 
—C. S. 
- Mr. G. Hilton, The Gardens, Smithills Hall, Bolton, writes : 
—“I send you the rainfall for 1889 taken here; I thought it might 
interest you. You will observe that the total fall is greater than in 
1888, although the early part of the summer was drier and warmer 
than in the previous year. Dry June was followed by a heavy fall in 
July and following months, which brings up the total. On the whole it 
was a better summer, and vegetables succeeded much better. The total 
for each month is given in inches. January 2'25, February 3‘22, March 
2'89, April 2-37, May 3’74, June 0’64, July 4’51, August 7-89, September 
5’52, October 3'64, November 2’37, December 5‘43 ; total for 1889, 44 45. 
Total for 1888, 40'32. Rain fell on 188 days in 1889. 
- Victorious Potato. —In my notes on new vegetables I men" 
tioned as the best successor to the Ashleaf Potatoes Laxton’s No. 1. 
I have grown this for two seasons and found it a great cropper, fit to 
dig about ten days after the Ashleaf, floury and of fine flavour when 
dug. I am much taken with this Potato, and wrote highly of it twelve 
months ago in the Journal, but I was under the impression that it was 
an old Potato, as 1 had not seen it in any list. Mr. Laxton now writes 
me that it is his new Potato Victorious, so being unknown to many I 
thought it well that intending purchasers should know how well pleased 
I am with it as Laxton’s No. 1. I may add that I am indebted to Mr. 
R. Gilbert for sending it and five other varieties to me two years 
ago, and out of the six Victorious and Bouncer are the only two 
survivors, for I have discarded the other four.—H. S. Easty. 
- A Cargo op Cats. —There has just arrived from Alexandria 
at Liverpool, by the steamer “ Pharos ” (says the Daily News), a con¬ 
signment of nearly 20 tons of cats,numbering 180,000 feline species, taken 
out of an ancient subterranean cats’ cemetery discovered about 100 miles 
from Cairo by an Egyptian fellah, who accidentally fell into this cats’ 
cemetery, which he found completely filled with cats, every one of 
which had been separately embalmed and dressed in cloth after the 
manner of Egyptian mummies, and all laid out in rows. Specimens of 
these have been taken by Mr. Moore, Curator of the Liverpool Museum, 
where they can be seen. In ancient times the Egyptian cat was buried 
with all honours, but those consigned to Messrs. Levington & Co. of 
Liverpool, after being purchased in Egypt at ,G3 13s. 9d. per ton, will 
be used in this country as manure. The Curator of the Liverpool 
Museum fixes the date of their interment 2000 years before Christ. 
- The Late Mr. Wildsmith. —It was with deep regret that I 
read in the columns of the Journal an account of the death of Mr. 
Wildsmith of Heckfield. My first interview with him was about 
eighteen months since, when he came for a few days to this establish¬ 
ment for the benefit of his health. He visited me several times on that 
occasion, and I shall ever remember his genial disposition, kindly 
remarks, and the sound practical advice he gave to me at that time* 
My sympathy is with all who are bereaved through his decease.— 
W. Gabbitas, Gardener, Tlydropathio JEstahlislmcnt, Harrogate. 
- Drac.ena Lindeni. —This makes a fine exhibition plant, and 
has great value for general decorative work, being especially useful for 
single specimens in vases. It is of recent introduction, and docs not 
differ in its growth;from the D. fragrans, but the broad arching leaves 
of green are beautifully ornamented with a wide margin of creamy 
yellow, which gives to the plant a very attractive appearance, and 
places it in the front rank of variegated plants. It is propagated easily 
by the usual method of layering or cutting up the canes ; but to make 
good specimens, fit for exhibition purposes, the heads alone must be 
used, and these with care will make a fine crop of roots in a few weeks 
without the loss of a single leaf. D. Massangeana makes an excellent 
companion plant for the foregoing, only differing from it in that the 
variegation runs through the centre of the leaf instead of along the 
margin. 
- The Weather in January.—J anuary was very mild, 
excepting the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, on which days the frost was mode¬ 
rately severe. Strong winds prevailed during the greater part of the 
month up to the 26th, on the afternoon of which day the wind blew 
almost a hurricane, accompanied by a heavy downpour of rain. Rain 
fell on twenty-five days, the heaviest daily fall occurring on the 26th 
and 27th, on which days 0'32 and 0'31 inch fell respectively. Snow 
fell on two days, but did not lie long. Highest shade temperature, 56“ 
on the 25th ; lowest, 20° on the 2ad ; lowest on grass, 19° on the 2nd. 
Number of days at or below 32°, in shade eleven, on grass nineteen. 
Barometer very variable ; highest reading, 30'55°, at 9 p.m on the 29th ; 
lowest 28 80° at 9 A.M. on the 23rd. Garden spring running twenty-two 
gallons per minute, January 31st. — J. Tunnington, Ketton Hall 
Gardens, Stamford. 
- It is with regret that we announce the death of Mr. James 
McIntosh, who for twenty-nine years—up to 1868—served the late 
Duke of Buccleuch as head gardener at Drumlanrig Castle. He died 
February 4th at the advanced age of ninety-four. He was born at 
Abercairny, in Perthshire, where his father was head gardener. He 
was brother to the late Mr. Charles McIntosh, author of “The Book of 
the Garden,” and James McIntosh went from Archerfield while Charles 
was at Dalkeith, and it is rather singular that David Thomson went 
from Archerfield to succeed him while William Thomson, his brother, 
was at Dalkeith. The subject of our notice has lived retired near 
Dumfries for the last twenty-two years, and until within the last year 
took great interest in his garden, and attended to his plants as a recrea¬ 
tion. He was of very retiring habits, and never took much part publicly 
in horticultural matters. During his service at Drumlanrig many 
important works were carried out, and he was very much respected by 
the noble family he so long served. 
- Flowers prom Llandudno. —Recently I received a box of 
cut flowers, all grown, without the least protection of any kind, in my 
garden, near Little Ormc, Llandudno. They comprise — Snowdrops, 
about 300 blooms. Winter Aconites, about thirty blooms, sweet-scented 
Violets, 300 blooms in twelve bunches. Tea-scented Roses, about 100, 
mostly with young foliage and healthy buds in various stages of 
development. Mignonette and Wallflowers in plenty. Anemones, five 
distinct varieties. Pear blossom, two bunches. Stocks, several trusses 
in various colours, Oxlips and Cowslips, several trusses of each. Prim¬ 
roses and Polyanthuses, sixty blooms and trusses, various colours. 
Scabious, German varieties, forty blooms in fine condition, various 
colours. These were a great surprise to me, as my plants at Stake- 
hill, from the same seed, were cut down in October. Antirrhinum 
and a few other odd flowers. I am familiar with the vagaries 
of the Primula family, such as Auriculas, Primroses, Polyanthuses, 
Oxlips, and Cowslips; but for such a collection, so plentiful in 
quantity, so fine in condition, and so widely varied in class, to be 
cut from the open part of one garden in January, is unprecedented 
