152 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Febma-y 24, 1887. 
Esses, Hon. Sec. of the National Auricula and Primula Society (southern 
section), and National Carnation and Picotee Society (southern section), 
have issued the following appeal :—“ The subscribers to these Societies 
have so generously sustained the joint Committees by providing funds for 
the exhibit ions and other operations that it is with pleasurable confidence 
the Treasurer and Secretary now appeal for aid to meet the extra 
expenses that must be incurred in this Jubilee year. The Committees 
are endeavouring to effect a comprehensive and brilliant vindication of 
the flowers the Societies represent in the season now opening, and 
respectfully request that the subscribers will afford the necessary means. 
In several instances subscribers have intimated their intention of 
doubling the amount of their usual subscriptions, and it is hoped that 
this rule will be generally observed.” The next Exhibitions are 
announced to be held in the conservatory of the Royal Horticultural 
Society at South Kensington. Auriculas and Primulas, April 2(ith ; 
Carnations and Picotecs, July 26th. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. James Chalmers, late fore¬ 
man at Callander Park, Falkirk, N.B., has been appointed head gardener 
to the Right Hon. the Earl of Zetland, Kerse, Falkirk, N.B. 
- The annual report of the Royal Southampton Horticul¬ 
tural Society is of a more satisfactory nature than usual, a cash 
balance of £90 5s. 2d. remaining to the Society’s credit, the result of 
last year’s exhibitions. The summer Show was a great success, which 
was insured in a great measure by the presence of Princess Beatrice and 
Prince Henry of Battenberg, the receipts being—first day, £174 5s. Cd. ; 
second day, £436 16s. 9d. ; the total, with tickets sold previous to the 
Show, being £623 4s. 9d. An experiment on the first day of this Show 
by admitting the public after 6 p.m. at 0d., providing music and other 
amusements up to 9 p.m. was most successful, nearly £60 being taken at 
the gates, more than sufficient to pay for the extra amusements on both 
days. The Shows this year will be held on July 30th and August 1st, 
the autumn Show on November 1st and 2nd, this early date being 
selected to avoid clashing with other large shows. 
- A Committee meeting of the Wilts Horticultural 
Society, which includes the Mayor (Mr. Fred. Griffin), several ex- 
Mayors, and two Councillors, was held in the Council Chamber, Salis¬ 
bury, on the afternoon of the 17th inst., under the presidency of the 
Mayor, when the Earl of Radnor (Lord Lieutenant of the county) and 
the Earl of Pembroke were re-elected as President and Vice-President 
of the Society, as also were the Committee and Hon. Secretary (Mr. 
W. H. Williams), to whom a vote of thanks, proposed by the Mayor 
and seconded by Mr. H. W. Ward, was accorded for the time, energy, 
and ability which he had so ungrudgingly devoted to the interest of 
the Society since its resuscitation. It was decided to hold a summer 
show about the middle of August, and a Chrysanthemum and fruit 
show early in November, the dates to be arranged later on. The same 
evening a dinner in connection with the Society was held in the ban¬ 
queting room of the Council Chamber, at which about 150 of the most 
influential citizens and gardeners of the neighbourhood were present. 
The Mayor presided, and the ex-Mayor (W. M. Hammick, Esq.) occupied 
the vice chair, being supported by the Rev. T. J. Woodall, the Rev. 
Canon Cholmeley, &e. After the toasts of “ The Queen and Royal 
Family,” “ The Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese,” l; The President of 
the Society,” “ Mayor and Corporation,” had been separately given and 
duly responded to, followed the toast of the evening, “ The Wilts Hor¬ 
ticultural Society,” proposed by the Mayor, and ably responded to by 
the Hon. Secretary, whose name was coupled with the toast. C. W. 
Gater, Esq., and Mr. Garland responded to the toast of “ The Exhibitors.” 
and Mr. H. W. Ward to that of “ Judges,” and Messrs. Curry, Tub) 
Smith (Palace Gardens), and Thomson (Norman Court) replied to the 
toast of “ The Gardeners.” 
- In reply to a question in the House of Commons recently 
respecting the Cost of the London Parks, Mr. Plunket gave the 
following particulars The site of Kennington Park was transferred 
by the Duchy of Cornwall to the Commissioners of Public Works 
without payment. The cost to the Treasury in laying it out was about 
£5000. The cost of the purchase and laying out of Victoria Park 
(about £133,000) was met out of funds provided from the land revenue 
of the Crown. The site of Bethnal Green Gardens was presented by the 
inhabitants; the cost of laying out (about £1500) was borne by the 
Treasury. The total cost of Battersea Park and estate has amounted to 
£350,000, of which about £105,000 was voted by Parliament, £200,000 
was borrowed, and £45,000 was applied from proceeds of sales and rents. 
Of the £200,000 borrowed, £100,000 has been repaid from the last men¬ 
tioned source. The Westminster Bridge Estate was not purchased, but 
was transferred to the Commissioners of Works to meet the cost of 
erecting a new bridge. That work involved a total outlay of £552,000, 
including the expenditure on approaches, £133,000. Of the £552,000, 
£407,000 was provided from votes of Parliament, and the remainder 
from the proceeds of sales of part of the estate. The Brompton 
Cemetery cost the Treasury £77,000. The annual income is derived 
from the sale of grants of rights of interment and from fees. The 
capital expenditure from votes of Parliaments on Orange Street Water¬ 
works had amounted to nearly £36,000. As to Trafalgar Square, he was 
not aware that it had ever been proposed to transfer it to the Com¬ 
missioners, and he would like to consider the subject further. The 
charge for its maintenance was about £250 a year, besides the cost of 
providing water for the fountains. 
- AVith the view of furthering the experiments in the Culti¬ 
vation of Tobacco in this Country, the Government have 
resolved to extend the permission given last year to this year also. 
Messrs. Veitch & Son of Exeter have, we are informed, had an official 
communication authorising their planting a plot of ground with 
Tobacco for experimental purposes in their nurseries in the New 
North Road, they complying with the usual regulations and giving 
the necessary guarantee to the Inland Revenue Department. Several 
of the leading seed firms also intend continuing their experiments, 
- High Temperatures in Australia.— The north-easters, 
which, as Kingsley told us, the flesh of Britons is heir to, have un¬ 
doubtedly their prosaic side ; but they are really preferable, says the 
British Australasian, to the heat which Southern and Central Australia 
enjoyed early in January. The “ Liguria ” brings word that in Melbourne 
on the 8th the thermometer stood at 104° in the shade, while at Sandhurst 
it was 115°. At Adelaide, on the same day, it was over 111°, and on the 
Teetulpa goldfield 116° in the shade was registered. At Port Pirie it was 
110°, at Strathalbyn 115°; while in Western New South Wales it was 
110° at Euston and 115° at Balranald. Sydney, on the east coast, 
though further north, was comparatively cool, at not much above 90° in 
the shade, while in Queensland the weather alternated between heat and 
storm, as it so often does in January. But even under the best circum¬ 
stances, and in the driest of atmospheres, when the heat exceeds 100° 
there is a feeling about a man that the less he has to do with clothes the 
better ; and there is no doubt that in January the climates of Tasmania 
and New Zealand are preferable to that of Australia. 
- The Americans are evidently great admirers of flowers, and 
not very particular what they pay to procure them judging from 
the following list of retail prices in New York—February 1st. Roses, 
per dozen, Papa Gontier, 8s. ; Niphetos and Souvenir d’un Ami, 7s. ; 
and Catherine Mermet, 12s. ; AV. F. Bennett, Is. each ; La France, Is. to 
2s. each ; and General Jacqueminot, 2s. to 4s. each ; Carnations, 2s. to 4s. 
per dozen ; Lilac, 6s. to 8s. a spray ; and Violets 6s. per bunch. 
These prices seem almost fabulous, and if they appeared in a less 
authority than the “American Florist” we should have been inclined 
to doubt their accuracy. British florists occasionally command sub¬ 
stantial prices, but those named will make them envy their transatlantic 
cousins. 
HARDY FRUIT CULTURE. 
I AM pleased to see the question of hardy fruit culture brought so 
prominently before your readers, and hope it will receive the attention 
it so well deserves. Although Kent is, without doubt, the most famous 
county for hardy fruit culture, there are many sheltered places scattered 
over the country capable of producing good crops of serviceable fruit, 
especially Apples, many of which were turned to good account by our 
forefathers before fruit was so easily transferred from one end of the 
country to the other as is done nowadays. 
But the present occupiers of land seem to lack the energy of our 
forefathers in the art of planting and grafting. Why this should be 
requires explaining, but it is a deplorable fact that should not be 
tolerated. Go where we will we see grand old orchards rapidly going 
to decay without any attempt to renovate them, and unless something 
is speedily done in the way of grubbing and planting, Apple orchards 
will be a thing of the past in this country. I saw what appeared to be 
an excellent arrangement at Madresfield Court a few years ago. Mr. 
Crump had some hundreds of Apple trees growing on, as I understood, 
for the use of the tenantry, but perhaps Mr. Crump will give us par¬ 
ticulars of his arrangements. 
It is not only a question of varieties, but also of the style of tree. 
