484 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 12, 1890. 
- We received some time ago samples of “ The Perfect 
Weed Killer ” and “ Summer Shading ” from the manufacturers) 
the Horticultural and Agricultural Chemical Company, Glasgow, and 
after having applied them in the way directed, we can speak of both 
in the highest praise. For gravel paths especially the former is admir¬ 
ably adapted, as it removes every trace of weeds. It is well, however) 
in cases where there are strong tufty weeds to have them removed 
before the application is made. The summer shading answers its 
purpose well. 
- "Weed Killers. —Few labour-saving appliances have been of 
greater service to gardeners than these useful mixtures. What a 
nuisance it was at the busiest season of the year to have to spend time 
and labour in clearing the gravel paths from weeds, especially with the 
knowledge that it would have all to be done over again in a month or 
two. Most makers of these chemical preparations advise that they be 
applied when the gravel is damp, a suggestion well worth attending to. 
If it be dust dry a failure is likely to occur, unless a considerably larger 
quantity be used. The paths should be just damp, not wet, and the 
mixture should be put on, if possible, when no heavy rain is likely to 
follow immediately.—W. E. E. 
- The Weather Last Month.—M ay was changeable, with 
some showers, several bright days and three clear days. We had thunder 
on the 6th, 7th and 19th. Eain fell on thirteen days, the greatest 
daily fall being 0'58 inch on the 10th, and the total fall 2'53 inches. 
The barometer varied considerably ; the highest reading was 30'35 inches 
at 9 A.M. on the 22nd, the lowest 29'38 inches at 9 A.M. on the 11th. 
Thermometer—highest in shade, 75" on the 24th; lowest, 33° on the 
31st; lowest on grass, 29° on the 1st. Mean temperature of the month, 
52'44°. Frost recorded on grass nine days. Wind in an easterly 
direction seventeen days. The garden spring running 20 galls, per 
minute May 31st.—W. H. Divers, Kctton Ilall Gardens, Stamford. 
- Fuchsia Duchess of Kent.—M r. G. Bunyard sends us a 
coloured drawing of the above variety, and remarks, “ This was a chance 
seedling, and the first large flowered variety with white tube sepals. It 
created quite a sensation when sent out about 1846 at 7s. 6d. each. 
The man who saved the seed is still in our employ, and is the best label 
writer we know ; but the sort has been lost. Mrs. Marshall comes 
nearer to it than any other we know. Venus Victrix was the first 
white sepalled kind, and Mrs. Storey, we think, was the first with a 
white corolla. At the time Duchess of Kent was raised the following 
were grown as the best of their day : —Target’s ‘ Grandiflora,’ Micro- 
phylla, Globosa, Cylindrica, Chandleri (light rosy crimson), and 
Palmeri (the largest dark variety).” 
-Gloxinias at Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons’, Chelsea.—A t 
this nursery a house in two divisions 120 feet long is devoted to the 
culture of Gloxinias. The first part is full of the plants now in flower, 
which number over 1000, the lower part being occupied with the young 
named varieties and unflowered seedlings, which will flower later in 
the season. There are over 2000 plants in this division. The plants 
are noted for the rich and diversified colours of the flowers, their free 
blooming, and compact habit. We saw examples in 40 and 48-size 
pots with from eighty to a hundred flowers and buds on each, ranging 
from the deepest crimson scarlet, deep purple, pure white, and others 
of various shades of colours. The names of the most noteworthy varie¬ 
ties in flower were the following :—Mrs. J. Donaldson, a new variety, 
rich crimson scarlet, shaded with maroon at the base and upper part of 
the throat, of good habit and free flowering ; Orestes, another of the 
rich maroon crimsons, a very brilliant variety ; Sunbeam, Court, and 
Fiambeau are all rich coloured varieties of the Mrs. J. Donaldson type ; 
Clarinda, distinct, throat white, spotted with crimson, and white margin ; 
Hermia, a finely formed flower, with limb of a deep violet purple 
shaded with maroon, white throat spotted with crimson ; Cygnet, pure 
white, with segments of limb bordered with violet, a large well formed 
flower ; Virginalis, pure white, a very fine variety, and free flowering ; 
Purity, another fine white of good substance ; Octavia, light blue, 
densely spotted with violet; The Moor, a very large dark purple flower, 
and a variety much admired ; Nestor, a very large flower, open throat, 
which is white, densely spotted with carmine, and having a zone of 
maroon scarlet at the entrance of throat, a novelty. Amongst the 
“spotted” varieties, a beautiful class, very distinct, are Ariel, Lady 
Marriott, Cordelia, Jubilee, Marchioness of Abergavenny, ClytiS) 
Miranda, and Coronet. In the collection there are about seventy or 
eighty distinct varieties. 
- In my notes on herbaceous and alpine plants in last 
week’s Journal I named Messrs. Merryweather as the firm from whom 
I had my Primrose seed. It should have been Messrs. Frettingham of 
Beeston, Notts.—D., Deal. 
-National Orchid Society.—I nformation has reached us to 
the effect that the establishment of an Orchid society in London is 
being considered by admirers of those plants, but nothing definite is 
communicated to us on the subject. 
- London Parks and Gardens. —The London County Council 
have passed a resolution that a professional landscape gardener of high 
class, possessing technical knowledge, business capacity and experience, 
be appointed as superintendent of parks and open spaces, which now 
embrace an area of 3000 acres. The salary proposed is £600 a year, 
-Pansies.—A small but very useful essay on the cultivation of 
these flowers has been sent to us by an accomplised florist, who regards 
it as a reliable guide. The author is Mr. Charles Kay, Gargunnock, 
Stirling, who thoroughly understands the flower he loves and grows so 
well. The information imparted is soundly, clearly, and concisely 
recorded. 
-Pruning Newly Planted Apple Trees.— I am surprised 
at the note from a correspondent in a late number of the Journal that 
this has been found unsatisfactory. My own purchased trees have 
certainly grown the better for it, as is reasonable, and there seems a 
special advantage in the case of a new variety. I bought a standard 
of Bramley’s Seedling last November, which was new to me and to the 
locality, and now not only has the pruned tree made as long shoots as 
established ones, but I have also four grafts merrily growing in another 
part of the garden.—W. E. Eaillem. 
- Fruit Farming. —A lecture delivered on this subject by Mr. 
Cecil H. Hooper, Pains Hill, Surrey, to the agricultural class at t’ne 
Edinburgh University has been published in pamphlet form from the 
Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. It 
is handy and useful, a great deal of information relative to the cost of 
planting and the several operations connected with the subject being 
compressed in the twenty-six pages. It appears to be a plain matter of 
fact production, and Mr. Hooper must have laboured diligently in 
acquiring various details, chiefly, we presume, from Kentish growers. 
No attempt is made to magnify profits from growing fruit, but the 
object of the author appears to have been to obtain and disseminate 
exact information on the subject. 
- Eoyal Meteorological Society. —At the ordinary meet¬ 
ing of the Society, to be held on Wednesday, the 18th instant, at 7 p.m., 
the following Papers will be read :—“ On the difference produced in 
the Mean Temperature derived from daily Maximum and Minimum 
readings, as depending on the time at which the Thermometers are read,’’ 
by William Ellis, F.E.A.S. “ On the Distribution of Barometric Pres¬ 
sure at the average level of the Hill Stations in India, and its probable 
effect on the Eainfall of the cold weather,” by W. L. Dallas. “ On the 
relative prevalence of different Winds at the Eoyal Observatory, 
Greenwich, 1841-1889,” by William Ellis, F.E.A.S. “ On some recent 
variations of Wind at Greenwich,” by Alex. B. MacDowall. 
- Strawberry Noble. —So far as I have noticed Noble has not 
created a very great sensation as an early forcing Strawberry, some com¬ 
plaining that it does not set freely at the dull, sunless period, while the 
quality as a forced fruit does not with others give entire satisfaction. 
Although its reputation has thus far suffered in the hands of those who 
have relied on it for early forcing, it certainly has claims to many points 
of favour as an outdoor sort. Notwithstanding that our plants were 
secured late last summer, its early and free bearing qualities are quite 
pronounced, being a long way before other sorts in earliness. I saw in a 
large garden recently an excellent crop rapidly advancing towards 
maturity, growing on a south and highly sheltered border, and although 
only yearling plants, the crop is heavy, the fruits promising to attain an 
unusual large size. The great demand for this variety has caused dis¬ 
appointment to many purchasers, because the plants supplied, except 
perhaps in the case of those who ordered early, are very small, conse¬ 
quently no estimate of its value can be proved this year; but when 
thoroughly established it will no doubt secure for itself a general popu¬ 
larity as an early and large fruited kind. Opportunities will soon 
be available for deciding on its merits in these respects by new culti¬ 
vators, and probably favourable verdicts will find a place in the pages of 
ihQ Journal of Uorticulture. —W. S. 
