626 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I Jane 26. IMO. 
from Mr. Bashford's in growing his Tomatoes. They are planted in 
rows through the houses. He has a framework of wood and wire, and 
he lays in plenty of wood, stopping the laterals after showing one bunch 
of fruit. They appeared to me crowded, hut he had plenty of splendid 
fruit, which paid him well, and he knows what he is about. He had 
only been in this place about six months (at the time of my visit). He 
has planted three or four houses with young Vines, the same houses 
being filled with Tomatoes. 
Apples. 
The climate and soil of Jersey are most suitable for the finer sorts of 
Apples ; if anyone has a doubt on this point, a visit to the fruit show 
held each year in October would set all doubts at rest. I question very 
much if any country can produce finer Apples either for flavour, size, 
or colour, but still there are not nearly so many grown as there ought to 
be ; they form a crop that pays if well done. Where the Apple is grown 
for exhibition the trees are not allowed to carry too many fruits, and 
the same may be said with respect to those who grow them for market. 
A medium crop of fine fruits pays better than a heavy crop of small 
fru'ts. Most of the fine;t fruit are grown on dwarf trees, and except 
in the most sheltered places they are the best for Jersey. Bibston 
Pippin grown on south walls produces grand fruit. The following may 
be said to be the best for bush trees—Blenheim Pippin, Flower of Kent, 
Beauty of Kent, Hawthornden, and Devonshire Quarrenden. 
Pears. 
The Pear may be said to be the fruit that Jersey is most noted for, 
and more trees ought to be grown. I believe it would be a good 
investment to build walls with a south aspect and plant nothing but 
Pears. Fine fruits make very high prices, and by proper thinning very 
large fruit can be and is grown. The largest Pear grown is Belle de 
Jersey. This Pear when grown on bush trees often weighs 2 lbs., but 
when grown on walls is often to lbs., and realise os. to 10s. each. 
Small fruits of this sort are worthless for market, but to: fine fruit there 
is alw'ays a good demand. Another fine looking Pear that often grows 
to a great size is Catillac ; this must be well thinned to show its true 
character. The last season was not one of the best for fine fruit, but 
the first prize twelve fruits of this variety weighed 21 lbs. These 
twelve fruits I saw growing on two young trees four years planted, and 
they realised far more than a heavy crop of smaller fruit from six 
larger trees. The above tw'o Pears may be taken as the finest looking 
and heaviest that are grown, but not many of them are grown, as they 
are only culinary sorts. The most popular Pear grown in Jersey is 
Chaumontel, and it pays best to grow it really well, and to get size and 
flavour it must have a south wall. When well grow’n it wid weigh 
18 to 20 ozs., but it is often seen in quantity about 14 to 15 ozs. each. 
Good samples often sell in Jersey at £4 to £5 per 100 fruits. Small 
fruit, 4 to G ozs , is not worth more than Is. per dozen. Another 
popular Pear is Doyennd du Comice. I think this is better than Chau¬ 
montel, it is a fine Pear and grows about the same size and realises 
the same price as the Chaumontel ; I have known one tree of this 
variety with a spread of branches 12 feet by 7 produce 100 fruit that 
weighed 75 lbs. Another good old sort is Duchesse d’Angouleme, I have 
had it myself nearly 2 lbs. weight. Peaches are not much grown for 
market, and the same may be said about flowers. 
All the Grapes in the unheated houses finished well and sold at from 
Is. 3J. to 23. per lb. in August and September. That is a good price at 
that time, and if we can get Is. per lb. clear for Grapes from unheated 
houses they pay very well. 
ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY’. 
The usual monthly meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday 
evening, the 18th inst., at the Institution of Civil Engineers, 25, Great 
George Street, Westminster, Mr. Baldwin Latham, F.G.S., President, in 
the chair. Mr. C. C. Farr, B.Sc., Mr. J. Hall, A.M. Inot. C.E., Mr. C. E. 
Eivington, and Dr. J. L. Whitehead were elected Fellows of the S.ciety. 
The following papers were read :— 
1. “ 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 Mr. W. Ellis, F.R.A.S. In the 
publications issued by the Greenwich Observatory authorities, the 
maximum and minimum temperatures are those referring to the civil 
day from midnight to midnight. At many stations the observers only 
read their instruments once a day—viz., at 9 A.M., when the reading of 
the maximum thermometer is entered to the preceding civil day, and 
the reading of the minimum thermometer to the same civil day. Such 
stations are called “ Climatological stations.” The author has tabulated 
the Greenwich maximum and minimum temperatures according to both 
methods for the years 188G-89, and finds that the climatological 
maximum and minimum means are in excess of the civil day means. 
2. “ On the distribution of barometric pressure at the average level 
of the hill stations in India, and its probable effect on the rainfall of 
the cold weather,” by Mr. W. L. Dallas. The weather over India during 
January, 1890, was very dry, and in marked contrast to that which pre¬ 
vailed during January, 1889. The distribution of barometric pressure was, 
however, much the same in both months. The author has investigated 
the records at the hill stations, and has prepared charts showing the 
distribution of barometric pressure from both high and low level 
stations. From the high level charts it appears that the mean 
barometric gradient in 1889 was rather more than twice that in 1890, 
and considering what is known of air movements, even at moderate 
elevations above the earth’s surface, it may be assumed that these 
differences in pressure were accompanied with large differences of air 
motion; and if it is also assumed that the evaporation over the 
Southern Ocean is in all years fairly comparable in amount, the 
deficiency of rainfall over India in the winter of 1889-90 can be attri¬ 
buted to diminished lateral translation of vapour, owing to sluggisK 
movements in the upper atmosphere 
3. “ On the relative prevalence of different winds at the Royal 
Observatory, Greenwich, 1841-1889,” by Mr. W. Ellis, F.R.A.S. The- 
author gives the following as the average number of days of prevalence- 
of different winds for the forty-nine years, 1841-89, as derived from tha 
records of the self-registering Osier anemometer :— 
N. N.B. E. S.E. S, S.W. W. N.W. CALM. 
40 45 27 22 35 106 46 22 22 
4. “ On some recent variations of wind at Greenwich,” by Mr. A. B. 
MacDowall. 
6. “On the action of Fghtning during the thunderstorms of June- 
6th and 7th, 1889, at Cranleigh,” by Capt. J. P. Maclear, R.N. The- 
author examined a number of trees which had been struck by light¬ 
ning during these thunderstorms, and found that those which were 
struck before the rain fell were shattered, while those which were 
struck after the rain commenced were simply scored, with the hart 
blown off. It seems that during rain every tree is conducting electricity,, 
and a disruptive discharge takes place where the conductor becomes- 
insufficient. This depends on the position of the cloud, the amount of 
foliage on the tree, its condition of moisture, and its connection with> 
running water. 
THE DEATH’S HEAD HAWK MOTH. 
Prominent amongsc our British insects is the death’s head motbi 
(Acherontia atropos). Few species have been more frequently figured and 
described, though it is not what we should call an abundant insect any¬ 
where, but in some seasons it has occurred numerously within localities 
of moderate extent. It is not only our largest native moth, it is also>- 
the largest insect we have, and I might add the heaviest, not, however,, 
by any means the strongest, for many beetles of less size can display 
more muscular power. Still, it is energetic enough to make vigorous- 
efforts to get free if, in the moth condition, one be held in the hand,, 
and, like others of the hawk moths, it can probably fly a considerable 
distance, and mount to some height. Those who have seen it on ther 
wing describe its movements as not particularly rapid ; this is accounted 
for by the weight of the body. It has frequently been referred to in¬ 
books and journals as an injurious insect while in the caterpillar state- 
to some cultivated plants, specially to the Potato, but though from its 
size it is a considerable eater, the death’s head has seldom been common 
enough here to be really mischievous. But the fact is, that though the- 
insect has been much written about, we are very ignorant concerning- 
its history even now, and there are other instances of a similar kind 
with the death’s head moth, this is partly exp'ainable by its nocturnal,, 
somewhat peculiar habits. Amongst the host of gardeners who are 
readers of this Journal there are many thoughtful, observant men, and 
it may come in the way of some of them during this summer and 
autumn to throw light upon the career of this notable insect, thereby 
conferring a boon on science, also adding to the amount of popular- 
knowledge. Even yet, in spite of educational progress, the moth is- 
regarded in some rural districts with superstitious alarm on account of 
its size, sombre colouring, and the singular mark upon the thorax, which 
has a fanciful resemblance to a skull and cross-benes. (Several allied 
species occurring in warmer countries have a mark of the same kind, 
and our death’s head is much more common in Asia and Africa than 
with us, though its habits have not been reported upon fully by resident 
naturalists there). Another circumstance imparting a weird character 
to the insect is its power of producing a sound, compared by some who 
have heard it to the squeak of a mouse. It is thought to be caused by 
the vibration of small drum-like membranes one upon each side of the 
body, and concealed by downy hairs. The late Mr. Wood, in his viva¬ 
cious way, has depicted the scene of consternation in a village church¬ 
yard when the retiring congregation stood awe-stricken round one of 
these moths which was at rest on the path till a farmer of heroic soul 
strode forward and crushed the terrible object beneath his iron-shod 
heel. 
It is with the caterpillar that gardeners are most likely to make 
acquaintance. This varies in appearance somewhat; there are two 
distinct varieties, and a third has been described by some naturalists. 
When full grown it is larger than any other British species, being nearly 
