192 
t Maroh 10,1887. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
exhaustive report received from Mr. Horne, and which has been forwarded 
to the Colonial Office. 
- Mr. Joseph Mallender sends the following Summary of 
Meteorological Observations at Hodsock Priory, Worksop, 
Notts, for February, 1887 :—Mean temperature of month, 38-5° ; 
maximum on the 27th, 55 - (i° minimum on the 9th, 206°. Maximum in 
the sun on the 28th, 103 - 8° ; minimum on the grass on the 9th, 13-3°. 
Mean temperature of air at 9 A.M., 36’8°. Mean temperature of soil 
1 foot deep, 37-5°. Nights below 32°—in shade nineteen, on grass twenty- 
three. Sunshine—total duration in month, 103 hours, or 38 per cent, of 
possible duration. The brightest day was the 27th, and we had five sunless 
days. Total rainfall, 62 inches. Rain fell on eight days. Wind— 
average velocity, 10-5 miles per hour. Velocity exceeded 400 miles on 
six days, and fell short of 100 miles on three days. Approximate 
averages for February.—Mean temperature, 40’2°. Rainfall, l'G3 inch. 
Sunshine (six years) 50-7 hours. A very fine dry month, frosty morn¬ 
ings, and fine bright days ; very small rainfall, and a considerable excess 
of sunshine. 
- The last monthly meeting of the Royal Meteorological 
Society’ was held as usual on Wednesday evening, at the Institution of 
Civil Engineers, 25, Great George St., Mr. W. Ellis, F.R.A.S., President, in 
the chair. Mr. E. T. Edwards, Mr. D. Fitzgerald, C.E., Mr. T. B. Groves> 
F.C.S., and Mr. W. W. Midgley were elected Fellows of the Society ) 
The adjourned discussion on the Hon. R. Abercromby’s paper “ On the 
Identity of Cloud Forms all over the World, and on the General Prin¬ 
ciples by which their Indications must be Read,” was resumed, and the 
following papers were read :—1, “ Remarks Concerning the Nomencla¬ 
ture of Clouds for Ordinary Use,” by Professor H. H. HUdebrandson, 
Hon.Mem.R.Met.Soe. 2, “ Suggestions for an International Nomencla¬ 
ture of Clouds,” by the Hon. R. Abercromby, F.R.Met.Soc. Both Prof- 
Hildebrandson and Mr. Abercromby have paid great attention to the 
question of the forms of clouds, and having recently conferred togethe 1 
they have agreed to recommend for international use the following ten 
principal varieties—viz., high-level clouds: Cirrus, cirro-stratus, cirro- 
cumulus. Middle-level : Strato-cirrus, cumulus-cirrus ; and low-level : 
Cumulus, stratus, strato-cumulus, nimbus, cumulo-nimbus. 3, “ The 
Influence of Weather on the Proportion of Carbonic Acid in the Air of 
Plains and Mountains,” by Dr. W. Marcet, F.R.S., and Mons. A- 
Landriset. The authors give an account of some experiments wli ch 
they have made on the proportion of carbonic acid in the air at Geneva, 
and on the summit of the “ Dole,” the highest point of the Jura chain, 
the difference in altitude being 4193 feet. The results of these ex¬ 
periments show—1, That in fine clear weather oh a mountain chain of 
moderate Alpine altitude, and in the adjoining valley or plain, the 
atmosphere holds the same mean proportion of carbonic acid at both 
places ; and (2) that when the summit of a mountain chain is in a fog- 
a circumstance which frequently happens in an Alpine district, the air 
in the fog contains a smaller proportion of carbonic acid than it would 
hold in fine clear weather. The Secretary, Dr. Tripe, read a letter 
received from Sir F. Abel, organising Secretary to the proposed Imperial 
Institute, inviting the Society to draw the attention of the Fellows to 
the undertaking, with the view of their- contributing towards it. The 
President stated that copies of the letter and of the accompanying 
paper explanatory of the scheme would be forwarded to each Fellow. 
- We have received the first number of a new French Horti¬ 
cultural Journal called “ Le Jardin.” It is the same size as the 
Journal of Horticulture, but consists of only sixteen pages, and is illus¬ 
trated with woodcuts, which we recognise as having done duty on more 
than one occasion. We should have preferred to have seen our new con¬ 
temporary start with more novelty and youthful vigour ; but periodical 
gardening literature has not been very successful in France hitherto, 
and we must therefore commend the caution displayed by the proprietor 
till he has been satisfied as to the success of his undertaking. The list 
of contributors is a very rich one and ought to contribute to the success 
of the new paper. It contains many of the greatest cnltivators and 
best horticultural writers in France, and is under the direction of the 
well known M. Godefroy-Lebeuf of Argenteuil, near Paris. We wish it 
eveiy success, and hope that the amateur French horticulturists, of 
whom there must be an immense number, will awaken to a conscious¬ 
ness of the pleasure that can be derived from a perusal of such a publi¬ 
cation as this promises to be, for the articles arc well written and 
practical. 
- At the ordinary meeting of the Royal Meteorological 
Society, to be "held at 25, Great George Street, Westminster, on Wed¬ 
nesday, the 16th instant, at 7 P.M., the following papers will be read :— 
“Noteson Taking Meteorological Observations on Board Ship,” by Capt. 
D. Wilson Barker, F.R.Met.Soc. ; “ Marine Temperature Observations,” 
by Hugh Robert Mill, D.Se., F.R.S.E. After the reading of these papers 
the meeting will be adjourned, in order to afford the Fellows and their 
friends an opportunity of inspecting the Exhibition of Marine Meteoro¬ 
logical Instruments and Apparatus, and of such new instruments as have 
been invented and first constructed since the last Exhibition. 
- The monthly parcel of Messrs. Cassell & Co.’s Publica¬ 
tions contains Part 38 of “ The Encyclopaedic Dictionary,” pp. 65 
to 128, having advanced to the word “ Harp,” in the same excellent 
style as the earlier parts. Part 97 of “ Familiar Garden Flowers ” deals 
with the Japanese‘iAnemonej[and"single Dahlias, both illustrated with 
coloured plates ; and Part 20 of Familiar Trees ” is occupied with the 
Sycamore, from which, we extract i the following note:— “ The Syca¬ 
more. —This tree is essentially a native of central Europe, occurring 
most abundantly in wooded, mountainous situations in Germany, 
Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, in which last-mentioned country it 
ascends on dry soils to an altitude ofi'nearly 3000 feet above sea level, 
suffering but little from frost or snow. It will grow in any soil, hut 
prefers dry and well drained ground to stiff clay or loam. It will grow 
in exposed situations even on the seacoast, and owing to the stiff 
angular mode of growth of its branches giving it an exceptionally 
strong ‘ spray,’ as it is technically termed, few trees are better adapted 
to act as a shelter from the winds in spots. Even when the winds blow 
strongly in one direction for nine months out of the twelve the Syca¬ 
more will retain its symmetrical outline, its head not leaning more to 
one side than another. It propagates itself 'rapidly by seed, which is» 
as pointed out _by Professor Thomas Martyn, an -argument against its 
being indigenous in this country, since in that case it would have been 
more widely disseminated^ than it is. All our early writers, indeed 
speak of the Sycamore as a cultivated species, from Turner in 1551, and 
Gerard in 1597, to Parkinson and Ray, several] of these authors alluding 
to its value in avenues and walks on account of its shade. It is a tree 
of rapid growth, reaching a good height in a short time. Trees ten years 
old are recorded as reaching 25 or 28 feet in height, whilst the species 
reaches its full growth of from 50 to 60 feet at an age of as many 
years. The tree requires, however, to be eighty or a hundred years old 
before its timber arrives at perfection, and .the ordinary longevity of the 
species is stated at from 140 to 200 years, though several cases of greater 
age are on record. 
P2EONIES. 
Great improvement has been effected during the past few years 
with these plants, until they now rival the Rose in beauty and 
delicacy of colour, while their fragrance is delicious. By some the 
large beautiful flowers of the Paeony are preferred to the Rose, but 
I think the Rose amongst hardy plants stands first in the estimation 
of the public, and I unhesitatingly place the Pseony second. 
The display of Paeonies at the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
great show, held in Wavertree Park, Liverpool, were indeed worth 
seeing. No other feature of the great show was more beautiful, or 
attracted greater attention. Pfconies are not so popular as they 
ought to be, simply because they have not been generally exhibited 
in good condition and in sufficient numbers to bring them before 
the public. They are certain to become one of the most highly 
esteemed class of plants in cultivation for their easy culture and 
lasting properties. Managers of exhibitions would do well to bear 
Pieonies in mind when arranging schedules for the year. Provision 
is often made for Dahlias when the exhibitions are held too early 
to have them in good condition. Why not devote these classes to 
the charming flowers that Pseonies produce, and allow the Dahlias 
to be shown in their season later in the year ? No flowers could 
add greater attraction to an exhibition than these, if arranged in 
sixes, twelves, eighteens or twenty-fours ; in fact the same course 
might be followed as with Roses, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, and 
other similar flowers. In the open classes there would not be any 
great difficulty in getting collections of seventy-two distinct varieties, 
for there are at least one hundred or more now in cultivation ; but, 
however, this question must be left to those who are appointed by 
the committees of the various societies. 
Apart from their adaptability for exhibition purposes, they are 
invaluable where a large supply of choice flowers is required for 
cutting, for they last a considerable time in water, especially if cut 
before they are fully developed, for they will then expand their 
