September 6,1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
223 
Events of the Week. —The events of horticultural interest to 
take place during the ensuing week include the annual exhibition of 
the National Dahlia Society, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, 
7th and 8th, at the Crystal Palace. On Tuesday, the 11th inst., the 
Committees of the Royal Horticultural Society will meet at the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Westminster ; and on the 12th inst. the exhibition 
of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society opens at Edinburgh* 
continuing the following day. 
- The Weather in London.—C hangeable weather has been 
experienced in the metropolis since publishing our last issue. The 
temperature was above the average towards the end of the week, also 
on Sunday, but Monday proved wet and cold. Tuesday opened more 
favourably, as did Wednesday, the latter day being bright and warm. 
- Royal Horticultural Society.—T he next meeting of the 
Society will be held in the Drill Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, 
Westminster, on Tuesday, September 11th. At 3 p.m. Mr. A. Pettigrew 
will deliver a lecture on “ Lord Bute’s Vineyards.” 
- The Natural History op Plants.—W e announce with 
pleasure the appearance of the fifth part of this work, from the press 
of Messrs. Blackie & Son. Among the questions treated are metabolism, 
locomotory mechanism, respiration, fermentation, and the reciprocal 
effects of light, heat, and cold in relation to vegetation and in influenc¬ 
ing its distribution. The general consistency and care with which the 
work is written is as noticeable as ever, and while the abstruse aspects 
of the subjects receive a most simplified presentation, there are many 
portions in which even a haphazard reader can become immediately 
interested. 
-The Improvements at Kew Gardens.—I t is stated on 
good authority that there is no foundation in the report which has been 
going the round of the daily papers to the effect that the Board of 
Works are about to complete the temperate house by adding two wings 
at the north and south ends, at a cost of about £12,000, and that among 
other improvements being carried out is the overhauling and re¬ 
arranging of the heating apparatus of the Palm house. Only the latter 
portion of the statement is said to be correct, and no official intimation 
of any proposed extension of the kind named has been received. The 
alteration of the heating apparatus was decided upon some time ago. 
-National Amateur Gardeners’ Association. — The 
monthly meeting of this Association was held at the Memorial Hall, 
Farringdon Street, E.C,, on Tuesday evening last, under the presidency 
of Mr. T. W. Sanders. Mr. Leonard Brown read an excellent paper on 
“ The Amateur Gardeners’ Fruit Garden,” which was followed by a 
discussion. Numerous exhibits were shown, many of them being of 
superior quality in the special classes. Mr. A. J. Rowberry, South 
Woodford, won a silver medal, given by Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, 
for six distinct seedling Violas, staging charming flowers. Other silver 
and bronze medals were awarded, and Messrs. C. Toope & Son, Stepney, 
offered as first prize for a dish of Tomatoes a heating apparatus, 
which was won by Mr. Bruce Cook, Chingford, who staged splendid 
examples. 
- Potatoes in Jersey. —An authority says that “ the Jersey 
Potato crop for 1894, as exported, reached the total of 60,605 tons, pro¬ 
ducing the sum of £462,895 lOs. 5d. The shipments commenced on 
April 30th, and during the week following 456 tons were exported, at an 
average price of £18 23. 6d. per ton ; this was the highest price realised 
this season. The lowest rates occurred during the week ending May 
26th, when 6668 tons were shipped and realised an average of £6 Os. 2d. 
per ton. The last shipment, on July 9th-14th, amounted to 585 tons, 
which realised £6 ITs. 6d. per ton. From 1883 to 1894, inclusive, the 
most prosperous season for the Jersey Potato growers was 1891, when 
the 66 810 tons exported produced £487,642 Is. 8d.; this was the largest 
tonnage and the highest value obtained during the yeais indicated. In 
1892, 66,332 tons produced only £376,535 153. lOd.; in 1883 only 
36,468 tons left the island, and this exportation realised £262,472 3s. 4d.” 
- Gardening Appointment. — We are informed that Mr. 
Frank Chamberlain has been appointed head gardener to A. Knowles, 
Esq., Newent Court, Gloucestershire. 
- Liliums in Ireland. —Two beautiful flowers are Lilium 
nepalense and L. auratum rubro-vittatum. These were exhibited in 
an extensive group of plants contributed to the Royal Horticultural 
Society of Ireland autumn show. Lady visitors were enraptured by 
nepalense. Judging by its growth it appears to be what gardeners 
would call “ miffy,” but its unique blending of colour was very 
striking.—E. K. 
- A New Insecticide. — The American papers recommend 
gypsine, or arsenate of lead, as a valuable insecticide for spraying fruit 
trees ; 14 ozs. lead acetate and 4 czs. soda arsenate are mixed in water, 
to which a little glucose has been added, is the way it is advised to use 
it. It is lighter than Paris green, and may be used in strong doses with¬ 
out damaging the foliage ; 5 lbs. of gypsine to 150 gallons of water is 
the general strength, but as much as 30 lbs. has been used with safety. 
It has been used to destroy the gipsy moth by the Department of 
Agriculture; hence its name, and has been pronounced to be the most 
satisfactory of all insecticides tried. The glucose assists the adherence 
to the foliage, and moderate rains do not wash the deposit off. 
- The Plum Crop. —Last year, says a daily contemporary, the 
glut of stone fruit was so great that many growers in the west of 
England left it to ripen and decay, as it would not pay for gathering and 
sending up to London, nor for that matter to any place where railway 
charges and other disbursements would have to be paid. The fruit 
farmer now finds himself in exactly the same predicament as in 1893. 
To give some slight idea of what a ruinous business Plum growing is in 
this year of grace, there were upwards of 50 tons sold in Covent Garden 
on Saturday afternoon at a rate which, reduced into easy figures, reads 
6 lbs. for Id. 
- Plumbago capensis. — Notwithstanding the many recent 
additions which have been to our lists of greenhouse climbers, this 
old and well tried favourite has no rival in its own particular way, its 
pale blue panicles of flowers are of a delightfully soft and pleasing shade 
of colour. A few days ago I saw a grand specimen in a lofty conserva¬ 
tory at Barford Hill Gardens, Warwick. The plant was trained up one 
of the iron pillars supporting the roof, and extended for a considerable 
distance on either side, the shoots being loosely fastened to an iron bar 
underneath the roof. It would be difficult to imagine a position in which 
the beauty of the flowers could be seen to better advantage, as the long 
slender shoots bearing them hung in graceful clusters and marvellous 
profusion from base to summit of the pillar, and clothed the roof with 
depending masses of azure on either side.—H. 
- Conference on Hardy Trees and Shrubs at Chiswick. 
—The Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, being anxious to 
direct greater attention to the ornament and utility of the trees and 
shrubs which are to be found growing in the British Isles, have 
decided to hold a Conference on the subject in the Society’s Gardens at 
Chiswick (close to Acton Green, Turnham Green, and Gunnersbury 
railway stations) on Tuesday, September 25tb, 1894. The Council are 
particularly desirous that specimens in the shape of branches of trees 
and shrubs not generally known, and remarkable either for their 
economic value or ornamental aspect, or both, should be sent to 
Chiswick Gardens, so as to add thereby a greater interest to the 
Conference. Specimens will be received at Chiswick on the Saturday 
or Monday before the Conference, and it is desirable that the con¬ 
tributors should give as much information as possible as to age, height, 
economic or ornamental properties, altitude, and soil. In addition to 
the exhibition and Conference on hardy trees and shrubs, there will 
also be a display of Orchids, and hardy, half-hardy, stove or greenhouse 
plants, as well as fruits and vegetables, such as are usually 
exhibited at the Society’s fortnightly meetings in the Drill Hall, 
Westminster. The following is the programme of proceedings :— 
11 A M., the members of the Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Committees 
assemble punctually; 12 noon. Council meeting; 12 30 P.M., opening 
of the Conference on hardy trees and shrubs. Part I.—Mr. W. T, 
Thiselton-Dyer, C.M.G., C.I.E., M.A., B.Sc., F.R.S., Ac., in the chair. 
Papers to be read:—1, Mr. J. B. Carruthers, F.L S., on “The Larch 
Disease.” 2, Mr. E. J. Baillie, F.L.S., on “ Forest Trees for Commercial 
Purposes,” being treated with reference to soil and aspect. 3 p.m.— 
3, Mr. J. Simpson, on “ The Utilisation of Waste Ground Unsuitable for 
Agriculture.” 4, Mr. A. C. Forbes, on “ The General Management of 
Woods, Planting, Thinning, Nurse Trees, Coppices, and Hedgerows.” 
