234 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t March 24,1887. 
Then, as to varieties, there can be no doubt that some do better in 
certain soils than in others. That is a question of locality. But, 
further, some people consider the flavour of one sort good while others 
would not. That is a question of taste. And, above all, Potatoes require 
to be cooked with intelligence. The best Potatoes are easily spoilt in 
preparing for table, and that is a matter of cookery. Champions I have 
never yet tasted of high quality. They lack the flavour which makes 
good samples of Myatt’s, Dons, Regents, and Victorias, cooked in their 
jackets, so superior to most other sorts. Magnum Bonum should not he 
eaten until May and June. It is then excellent. This requires to be 
cooked very slowly and allowed a longer time than most varieties. B. 
It has been suggested that the Royal Horticultural Society should 
hold a Chrysanthemum Conference this year, and at the meet¬ 
ing of the Floral Committee on Tuesday last the matter was brought 
under the attention- of the members. The majority were in favour of 
the idea, and it was decided to refer it to the Council for further con¬ 
sideration. The middle of October was proposed as a suitable date, but 
perhaps that would be found rather early. 
- Testimonial to M. F. Bergman. —It is proposed by a 
number of horticulturists in France to celebrate M. Ferdinand Bergman’s 
fiftieth anniversary of service at Ferrieres, by presenting him with a 
testimonial, and a Committee has been formed to carry out the project 
The President is M. Duchartre, the Secretary M. raul Leboeuf, and the 
Treasurer M. Charveroux, 84, Rue de Grenelle, Paris, to whom all sub¬ 
scriptions should be sent. The list will be closed on May 1st, and at the 
Congress and Horticultural Exhibition to be held at Paris in May 
M. Bergman will be entertained at a banquet. 
- Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons’ Amaryllises at Chelsea will 
in a few days be in grand condition. There is quite a forest of strong 
spikes, and a large number of flowers are already expanded, including 
many handsome novelties. The centre partition has been removed from 
the house devoted to these plants, and the general effect is considerably 
improved in consequence. Hyacinths, Azaleas, Cyclamens, and forced 
flowering plants also occupy several houses, while the Orchids always 
comprise numberless attractions. 
- Mr. B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper 
Holloway, has provided an extensive Exhibition of Spring Flowers 
this season, consisting chiefly of Hyacinths, Tulips, and other bulbs, 
with Amaryllises of numerous fine varieties, choice Imantophyllumsi 
Orchids, and innumerable other plants. The nurseries are now very 
attractive and well worth a visit. 
—— At the summer Exhibition of the Chiswick Horticultural 
Society, to be held on Thursday, July 14th, this year in the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s Gardens, Chiswick, prizes of the usual amount 
will be offered in most of the classes, but a special inducement is 
offered for groups of plants. In this class the first prize will consist of 
the “ Jubilee Challenge Cup,” value twenty-six guineas, presented by 
Mrs. S. A. Lee, which will become the absolute property of the exhi¬ 
bitor who is awarded the first prize in three years, not necessarily in 
succession. A money prize of £4, with second, third, and fourth prizes 
of £3, £2, and £1, will be presented in addition. The group must be 
arranged for effect in a space not exceeding 100 square feet, and is open 
to all exhibitors, non-subscribers paying an entrance fee of 10s. This 
Exhibition has become widely noted for the tasteful groups entered in 
competition, and such a substantial prize may be expected to add con. 
siderably to its interest. 
-Mr. W. Iggulden writes on the Severity of the Weather 
i n Somersetshire : — “Only the oldest inhabitants can remember 
having previously experienced such severe weather in March, and I hope 
it will never be my lot to chronicle another similar visitation. On 
Tuesday, March 15th, it was snowing nearly the whole of the day, from 
13 fo IS inches of it falling in a few hours. Early on Wednesday morn¬ 
ing the thermometer stood at lo°, and just before sunrise on the 17th it 
fell to within 3 J of zero. On the morning of the 18th it was compara¬ 
tively mild, the thermometer being at 18°, the next morning at 10° (this 
being 4° lower than it had fallen in January). On the 20th it stood at 
15°, and this morning (March 21st) at 15°. It is rather early to estimate 
the amount of damage done, but Apricots, protected and unprotected, are 
much injured, and that too, where in a hud state. I shall not be sur¬ 
prised to find Peaches, Pears and Plums also injured.” 
- The annual Exhibition of the East Gloucestershire Rose 
Society will take place on Thursday, June 30th, at Moreton-in-the- 
Marsh. 
- Mr. H. Cannell sends us eight varieties of Cinerarias, 
four of them seifs, characterised by excellence of form, substance of 
florets, and rich clearness in colour. They are very good indeed. 
-Under the title of “ L’Horticulture Internationale,” 
the Continental Horticultural Company of Ghent has been reconstructed 
for the introduction and culture of new plants and Orchids, with .head¬ 
quarters at Brussels, aud a nursery in Ghent. The Society is under the 
direction of M. Van Lansberge, Baron G. de Blerchroder, Comte Adrien 
d’Oultremont, M. J. Linden, and M. Lucien Linden. 
- The March issue of “The Essex Naturalist,” under which 
title the Journal, Transactions, and Proceedings of the Essex Field Club 
are now issued, edited by Mr. William Cole, Hon. Sec., contains the con¬ 
clusion of an article on The Deer of Epping Forest, the Past and Future 
of the Essex Field Club, a Report of the Ordinary Meeting of the Club 
on February 26th, with various notes. 
-Messrs. Wood & Son, Wood Green, London, N., send us a good 
sample of Orchid Peat, fibrous and free from coarse roots, which are 
comparatively useless in such material. 
—— Trade Prizes. —We are requested to state that Mr. William 
Colchester is offering for competition this year at the exhibitions of 
seventy-two horticultural societies in London and the provinces 100 
guineas in cash prizes for flowers, fruit, and vegetables grown with pure 
Ichthemic Guano, which, we are informed, is fast taking the place of 
Peruvian. 
-A correspondent writes: — “The death of Mr. James 
Milford at Alphington on Saturday last carries off in the fulness of 
years a notable landscape gardener. His connection with the Exeter 
Nursery of Messrs. Lucombe, Pince & Co. extends over nearly forty years, 
and many who remember the late Mr. Pince will recall this hale and 
hearty old gardener. He was Mr. Pince’s right hand in all matters 
relating to landscape gardening, and two men never better understood 
each other. A number of the parks and gardens of the western counties, 
especially along the south coast, owe their beauty in a great measure to 
their taste and judgment.” 
- Gardening Appointments. —Mr. Geo. Cliffe, for the last 
eight years head gardener to Lord Belmore, Castle Coole, Fermanagh, 
Ireland, has been appointed head gardener to H. B. Mildmay, Esq., 
Shoreham Place, Kent. Mr. William Rewbury, head gardener to 
C. T. Cavendish, Esq., Crakemarsh Hall, Uttoxeter, has been appointed 
head gardener to F. J. Myers, Esq., Charlton Lodge, Banbury. Mr. 
F. W. Russell, late foreman to Mr. J. Willard, Holly Lodge Gardens, 
Highgate, N., has been engaged as head gardener to E. T. Doxet, Esq., 
Woodgreen Park, Cheshunt, Plerts. Mr. W. Rutherford, for the last two 
and half years foreman at Carton, Maynooth,has been appointed gardener 
to Charles W. Barton, Esq., Glendalough House, Aranoe, Co. Wicklow. 
Mr. F. W. Seers, late head gardener to F. J. Myers, Esq., Charlton Lodge, 
Banbury, has been appointed head gardener to the Right Hon. the Earl 
of Aylesford, Offeliurch, Bury, Leamington. Mr. F. Lockyer, late head 
gardener to Sir W. Y. Guise, Bart., Elmore Court, Gloucester, has been 
appointed head gardener to Capel Hanbury, Esq., Pontypool Park, 
Monmouth. 
-- Mr. A. Whibley sends the following note on A good Melon 
—“For the amateur and small grower who do not possess the advan¬ 
tages of artificial heat Sutton’s Invincible Scarlet is one of the best 
Melons which can be grown. It is prolific, with a good constitution, a 
free setter, and deliciously flavoured, qualities possessed by very few of 
the so-called cool house Melons. 0,ur plants were planted in the middle 
of last May in a pit and trained up to the glass. A small quantity of 
manure was used to give them a start, but the heat was all out of the 
manure in a fortnight, so they had comparatively cool treatment from 
