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JOURRAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 4, 1894, 
- Db. a. Zimmermann, we learn from “ Nature,” has been 
appointed Extraordinary Professor of Botany at the University of 
Tubingen ; and Dr. Solereder Curator of the Botanical Institute at 
Munich. 
- Gardening in India. —Floriculture, says an Indian con¬ 
temporary, is a pursuit for which a class of educated Bengalis appear 
to have taken a special liking. The nurseries in and about Calcutta 
are growing in number, and some of them show every sign of prosperity. 
The proprietors of some of these establishments are men of enterprise, 
and evince energy and pluck not common in the average Bengali. 
- SpiR.a:A ASTILBOIDES.—“E. M.” says, “Not only is this Spirma 
one of the best for pot culture, but it is an excellent plant for the 
herbaceous borders, being quite hardy. Its long, pure white, freely 
branched spikes of bloom are freely produced, and have a much less 
stiff appearance than the well-known S. japonica. The foliage, too, is 
attractive, having in its young state quite a coppery hue.” 
- Argemone grandiflora. —This is a noble annual not much 
known, and is growing in Messrs. Barr & Son’s hardy plant grounds at 
Long Ditton. The plant resembles a strong Thistle, having at the 
point of the branches large white Poppy-like flowers, single, with bright 
yellow clusters of anthers surrounding the black style. This should 
make a capital plant for mixed borders. It has a height of about 
30 inches. The perennial Thistles are here in great numbers. Eryngium 
planum is wonderfully fine, giving cutting material for a long season 
E. alpinum has the most beautifully fashioned bracts and calyx, and 
E. Oliveranum the bluest stems.—A. D. 
- Rhododendron Fordi. —According to a correspondent in the 
“ Garden and Forest ” this is a new species from Lantas Island, Kwang- 
tung, China, having been discovered and introduced by Mr. Ford, 
the Superintendent of the Botanic Garden, Hong Kong, after whom 
it was named, and described in the “ Kew Bulletin” by Mr. Hemsley 
in January last. It is related to E,. Fortune!, and has dark green 
leathery obovate leaves, 3 inches long, clothing woody branches, 
which are terminated by loose clusters of five-lobed ten-stamened 
flowers 2 inches across. It is likely to prove hardy, and promises to 
be a useful addition to the Chinese representatives of this genus in 
cultivation. 
- Water Lily Pools.— Since writing the notes on Water Lilies 
which appeared on page 264, Mr. Robinson Douglas has very kindly 
written me and given some further information regarding the construc¬ 
tion of his Water Lily pools. On referring to some notes, Mr. Douglas 
finds that the concrete was about 5 inches thick, except where it was 
against rock. The proportion was about five parts gravel and sand to 
one of cement, and the wash which was put upon this when dry was 
composed of about equal parts of Portland cement and fine sand. The 
ledge or shelf on w'hich to rest the rocks to conceal the cement was 
about 9 inches below the surface, but 12 inches would be better in order 
to make the pools more natural looking.—S. Arnott. 
- The Lily Disease. — As a fellow sufferer I can sympathise 
with Mr. H. R. Richards (page 295) in his disappointments with Lilies 
this year. For the first time in the last ten years L. chalcedonicum and 
L. testaceum have been attacked by this disease. L. Szovitzianum was 
the first to show it this season, and although it flowered, as did all the 
others affected, the blooms were soon attacked and lasted only a short 
time. Those of the umbellatum section suffered very little, while 
L. speciosum Krmtzeri was worse attacked than the other varieties of 
speciosum. Of course candidum, never satisfactory with me, fared worse 
than the others. I do not pretend to be able to account for this attack, 
which is all the more incomprehensible as in many other gardens 
L. candidum seems the only sufferer.—S. Arnott, Dumfries, KB. 
- Lime as a Top-dressing for Ferns. —Writing in a trans¬ 
atlantic paper a correspondent says :—“ I had a peculiar experience this 
spring in the use of lime. Two benches of Ferns planted out for 
cutting became infested with a black fungous growth which threatened 
the destruction of every plant ; we scratched it off, but it grew again, 
and the plants became smaller, when it occurred to us to use air- 
slacked lime as a top-dressing. I was sure it would kill the fungus, and 
did not know but it would kill the Ferns too ; but we tried it, a good 
covering, over crowns and all, and strange to say that while it did not 
kill the parasite, only checking it, it started the Ferns into active 
growth, and since then we have picked in large quantities, the longest 
and finest Adiantums I have ever seen grown on a bench. It is 
hardly necessary to say I shall not ba afraid to use lime on Ferns in 
the future.” 
- The Arnold Arboretum. —We learn from an American 
contemporary that the Arnold Arboretum has acquired an additional 
tract of land 75 acres in extent, formerly known as Whitney Hill. 
- Eucharis amazonica. —I was pleased to see the article on 
the above by “ G. H.” (page 268) in a recent issue. I am of the same 
opinion in respect of non-resting the above plant. In fact I believe 
that nothing causes the bulbs to be attacked by the mite so quickly as 
the drying process they are subjected to by some growers. I do not 
think bottom heat is essential to them, for I once had charge of a 
collection in an ordinary stove that did not receive any, though they 
were given similar treatment in other respects as “ G. H.” describes. 
The robustness of their growth, and also the profusion of flower spikes 
thrown up, proves that the treatment they received suited them,— 
G. Hagon. 
- The Weather in Wales. —Mr. W. Mabbott, The Gardens, 
Gwernllwyn House, Dowlais, Glam., S. Wales, writes :—“ The following 
is a summary of the weather here for the past month :—Number of 
days on which rain fell, ten ; total depth, 2'15 inches ; maximum, 0 54, 
on the 7th ; minimum 0.01, on the 16th ; sunless days, 6 ; number of 
hours sunshine, 123. The wind was in the east for twenty-three days. 
A much better month than the two preceding months, and with more 
sunshine. There has been sharp frosts on the mornings of the past 
week.” 
-The Total Rainfall at Abbots Leigh, Haywards 
Heath, Sussex, for September was 3-08 inches, being 0-05 inch below 
the average. The heaviest fall was 0'88 inch, on 22nd. Rain fell on 
fifteen days. Total rainfall for the nine months 23 75 inches, which is 
3-48 inches above the average. The maximum temperature was 71°, on 
the 1st; the minimum 34°, on the 28th. Mean maximum, 62°; mean 
minimum, 46 23°; mean temperature, 54’11—1'04° below the average. 
A more favourable month, cool northern winds prevailing and showery 
days less frequent. At the close of the month the barometer is high 
and steady. Slight frosts on grass on the mornings of 28th and 29th, 
but nothing injured.—R. I. 
-The Weather in September at Corona, Broughty 
Ferry. —Tbe past month may be considered a record month for 
dryness, only 0 15 inch being recorded, whereas the average rainfall 
for September for the last twenty years is 2*48 inches ; in fact, it has 
been the driest of any month during the last twenty years with the 
exception of February, 1891, when only 0-07 fell. Another remarkable 
feature is the mean temperature has been the lowest for the past twenty 
years, being 50 6°, whereas the mean of the last twenty years is 54'1°, 
showing 3|° under the average. Yet the thermometer on the grass on 
two nights only went down to and under freezing point. In 
September last year it went down to and under freezing point on seven 
nights. The direction of the wind for the month, with the exception of 
short intervals, has been from north or from points from north-east to 
north-west. Never since I can remember have I seen outside flowers in 
such great profusion than they have been throughout the past month. 
Sweet Peas, for instance, are 9 feet in height in full bloom from top to 
bottom at this late date ; and the fine shades of colour of some of the 
newer kinds show up splendidly in the dull autumn light.— 
John Machar. 
- Dulwich Park. —This park, which is always very beautiful 
and interesting with its splendidly kept lawns, borders, flower beds, 
walks, and carriage drives, is especially attractive just now. There will 
be found in the upper portion of the park near the American garden, 
upwards of 3000 Dahlias in full flower. These include the best of the 
Pompon and Cactus varieties, and form indeed a grand sight. There is 
also a fine collection of Michaelmas Daisies, and these are now coming 
in bloom. The rock and other alpine plants, which are a special 
feature during the spring and early summer, are still worth seeing. 
The different tints of green and purple among the masses of Saxifraga, 
Thymus, and Sempervivums are charming. Among the rockwork may 
be seen doing well Primula obconica, and P. cortusoides is grown here 
very successfully. The Rhododendrons and all other hardy trees and 
shrubs, both deciduous and evergreen, have made extraordinary growth 
this season. This may be accounted for by the perfect ripening of the 
wood during the hot sunshine of last year. There is no Chrysanthemum 
house as yet, but about 1000 plants have been grown which will be 
shown in a temporary structure. It is hoped that before another 
autumn a suitable conservatory may be built, which will be in keeping 
with this excellent park, which is a credit to the able Superintendent, 
Mr. W. Bailey.— Hortus. 
