April 14, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2S9 
“ The Culture of Flowers from Seed,” “ The Culture of Flowering: 
Bulbs,” “ Flowers all the Year Round,” “ The Formation of Lawns 
from Seed,” “ The Pests of Garden Plants” (illustrated), “ Eradication 
of Garden Vermin,” “ The Fungus Pests of Garden Plants" (illustrated)i 
and “ The Fungus Pests of Certain Flowers ” (illustrated). 
- Mr. Joseph Mallender sends the following Summary of 
Meteorological Observations at Hodsock Priory, Worksop, 
Notts, for March, 1887 :—Mean temperature of mouth, 38‘3° ; maximum 
on the 29th, 57-4° ; minimum on the 21st, 18'8°. Maximum in the sun 
•on the 12tli, 121 - 2 3 ; minimum on the grass on the 18th, 11 *3°. Mean 
temperature of air at 9 A.M., 37'8°. Mean temperature of soil 1 foot 
deep, 38-5°. Nights below 32°— in shade sixteen, on grass twenty- 
one. Sunshine —total duration in month, 105 hours, or 29 per cent, of 
possible duration. Rainfall in month, L29 inches. Rain fell on fifteen 
days. Wind— average velocity, 9-0 miles per hour. Velocity exceeded 
400 miles on four days, and fell short of 100 miles on seven days. 
Approximate averages for March.—Mean temperature, 41'3°. Rainfall, 
i”6I inch. Sunshine (six years) 104 hours. A cold dry month of 
average sunshine ; mean temperature rather lower than in February. 
Vegetation very late. 
The April number of the “ Kew Bulletin ” deals with Fibre- 
ti elding Plants, special mention being made of the Manila Hemp, Musa 
textilis. It is said that the imports of this material to Great Britain from 
the Phillipinc Islands amount to 170,000 bales, to the United States about 
180,000 bales, equal to 50,000 tons per annum. The fruit is useless, 
being hard and green, so that the plant can only be cultivated for the 
fibre, and this does not seem to have been found sufficiently profitable 
where it has been introduced from Kew, for while the return from a 
fruiting stem of the common Banana or Plantain would be from fid. to 
2s., depending upon the size of the bunch, the return from the Manila 
Hemp plant would, according to experience in the Phillipines, be about 
5 lb. of fibre, the local value of which would be only 2d. or 3d.” The 
Banana fibre and Pine Apple fibre are also noted at some length. 
- There has been an abundant supply of Flowers in 
Covent Garden Market during the past week, those most in demand 
apparently being Richardias, White Lilies, Eucharis, and Roses. Lilies 
of the Valley, Gardenias, Narcissi, and Violets have also been supplied 
flu large quantities, while for choicer work—wreaths, buttonholes, Sec. — 
Orchids have been freely employed. Dendrobium nobile is a particular 
favourite, and a few well-coloured flowers arranged with Fern fronds 
for a lady’s shoulder wreath have a charming appearance. Odonto- 
glossums crispum and Ros?i, with Coelogyne cristata, are favourites for 
«imilar purposes. The plants in pots chiefly comprised Pelargoniums, 
-Heaths, Cytisuses, Spiraeas, Hyacinths, Tulips, and Richardias. The 
Tulips, associated with Lilies of the Valley and small Ferns in the same 
pots, had a more agreeable appearance than when seen crowded together, 
as they are usually. 
- Mr. G. Russell, The Gardens, Redlands, Glasgow, sends 
flowers of Rhododendron Veitchianum with seedlings for com¬ 
parison. The flowers of the seedlings are slightly tinted with rose, the 
lobes less crisped, and very fragrant. The large pure white flowers of 
the original type are very beautiful, and it is not surprising that this 
fine Rhododendron is so great a favourite. In the description which 
appeared in the “ Botanical Magazine” in July, 1857, two months after 
it was first shown by Messrs. Veitch & Sons at South Kensington, 
strangely enough no mention is made of its fragrance, yet this is one of 
its most pleasing qualities. Mr. Russell also sends flowers of Azalea 
General Gordon, an excellent seedling of the Amoena type with large 
bright crimson flowers. 
- “ T. S.” would be glad to have “ the opinion of any reader of 
the Journal on Strawberry King of the Earlies as a variety for 
early forcing. When started at the beginning of the year it lias proved 
with me a very hard setter ; in fact, I may say, it would not set at all, 
ns there were but three or four perfectly formed fruits on t vo dozen 
plants. A similar number of Black Prince started at the same time and 
on the same shelf set a full crop. A later batch of King of the Earlies 
appears to be setting fairly well. There is a variety known in this 
neighbourhood as Princess of Prussia ; it is very free, a capital setter, 
and will, I believe, bear more heat in the early stage of growth than any 
(OSher kind, but it has no flavour. I think, however, it would be worthy 
the attention of raisers of new varieties to endeavour to blend its good 
early-forcing qualities with the better flavour of other varieties.” 
- The beautiful Violet Wellsiana was recently exhibited at 
South Kensington in capital condition, and referring to this excellent 
variety ‘‘J. H. E.” writes, “This is certainly the best of the single- 
flowered varieties. In general habit it resembles the better known kind, 
Victoria Regina, the latter also being an approach to it in point of 
colour. For freedom of flowering, length of stalk, colour, fragrance, 
and large handsome flowers it is far superior to all the rest under pre¬ 
cisely the same conditions. To mention its complete hardiness as com¬ 
pared with Victoria Regina, Neapolitan, Marie Louise, and some others 
which have suffered from the effects of the severe weather more or less, 
is only to add another point in favour of its more general use. It is in 
full flower now in the open, and puts Russian, Czar, and several others 
of the same type quite in the shade. It takes no more room than 
ordinary varieties ; it produces a greater number of flowers, which are 
considerably larger, and consequently so many are not required to form 
a good bunch, and then the great length of stalk will make it a ($>n- 
sideration to growers in quantity. If any other Journal reader can 
furnish further points in favour of Wellsiana he should do so, for now is 
a good time to make fresh plantations.” 
- Nature says that “ British Field Botanists will be glad 
to learn that the Scottish Rights of Way Society has been successful in 
its action brought in the Court of Session ajainst the proprietor of Glen 
Doll in Clova. Lord Kinnear has found that “ the pursuers had esta¬ 
blished a sufficient use and possession of the road for more than forty 
years to entitle them to a judgment.” There is probably no portion of 
the Highlands of Scotland from which botanists would feel it a greater 
hardship to be excluded. For years it has been so well watched by keepers 
that access to it has been impossible, except to such botanists as are 
swift and sure of foot. The present owner is the first who has denied a 
right of way through it, and, if we are not mistaken, the action only 
concerns this right to use the road. It is to be feared that efforts will 
not be wanting to confine the public to the road, and to deny all access 
to those parts so interesting to the field botanist.” 
-The Birmingham Gardeners’ Society. —The closing meeting 
of the winter session was on the 6th inst., when Mr. Walter Jones, 
gardener to C. E. Matthews, Esq., and a very successful plant exhibitor, 
read a comprehensive excellent paper on the Erica and its culture. In 
speaking of the early history of this plant, Mr. Jones referred to the 
Cape of Good Hope becoming an English possession. Many beautiful 
varieties of the Cape Heath were sent to this country by Mr. Masson, 
and Mr. Loudon in his “ Encyclopedia” referred to the fact that we are 
indebted to him for their introduction. Especial reference was made to 
the form of houses most suited for growing specimens—namely, a lightly 
built span-roof, running from north to south, with side and lop 
ventilation, with plenty of ventilators so arranged that cold air should 
not act too strongly upon the plant or pots, and especially sheltering the 
pots from the sun’s rays. Young, healthy plants in 48-pots to start 
with were recommended, and not too tightly root-bound, thoroughly 
examining the balls, selecting well burnt clean pots. These to be well 
drained with clean crocks, with fine pieces over the rougher ones, sifting 
out the dust. For specimens Mr. Jones uses a liberal supply of 
drainage, much depending upon this and its being so arranged that 
the soil is not washed into it. Care must be taken in repotting that the 
ball is not dry or too wet, and potting most firmly. The soil recom¬ 
mended consists of good sound peat, not too spongy or too adhesive^ 
breaking it into lumps according to the size of the pots to be used, not 
riddling the soil, but using all together, adding one-sixth of silver sand, 
a little broken charcoal, adding also a good sprinkling of the dust¬ 
like bits of broken pots sifted from the drainage crocks prepared for the 
repotting, for by keeping the soil porous and sweet the roots soon fasten 
to this gritty matter and enjoy it. Mr. Jones recommends repotting at 
almost any time rather than in very hot summer weather. Not to pot 
too deeply, keeping the ball a little higher than the soil, but taking care 
that this is quite half an inch below the top of the pot, so as to allow 
plenty of water space. Ericas require careful handling, so as not at 
any time to be allowed to get too wet, and never too dry, and in hot 
weather frequently syringing about the pots, not the plants. Mr. Jones 
is no advocate for the use of artificial manures, although admitting that 
in some cases it may be beneficial. He uses only soot water, the soot is 
placed in a bag, and the bag placed in water, using the water in a com 
