October 11, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
341 
- Weed Killers and Pheasants. — A correspondent 
“ R. C. W.”) desires to know if the Cuprolene weed killer has ever 
been known to injure game, as he wishes to use some on a road which 
is occasionally visited by pheasants. 
- Tomato Acquisition. —This new Tomato has done well at 
The Castlemans, both under glass and on the outside walls this year. 
The growth is very sturdy, about 3 feet in height, short-jointed, 
and produces clusters of fruit in abundance ; when fully ripe the fruit 
is of a dull red colour, and the flavour is excellent.—J. C. 
- Shirley and District Gardeners’ Improvement 
Association. —Please state that I exhibited twenty-six dishes of hardy 
fruit at the meeting of the Shirley and District Gardeners’ Association. 
Not 261, as published on page 319 of the Journal of Uorticulture for 
4th inst.— Jesse Jones. [We printed the report as sent by a corre¬ 
spondent, but have pleasure in making the correction.] 
- Radish Seeds. —A transatlantic exchange says :—“Professor 
B. T. Galloway read a paper before the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science, at its late meeting in Brooklyn, on the 
■“ Growth of Radishes as Affected by the Size and Weight of the Seeds.’’ 
After a discussion of the physiological questions involved some experi¬ 
ments were reported, the results of which were, in brief, that when 
large seed was sown 90 per cent, of the crop reached marketable size at 
the same time—that is, the plants matured in from thirty-five to forty 
days, while from seed as it usually comes from the market—that is, 
large and small mixed together—about 50 per cent, of the crop matured 
in the same time.” 
-The Torquay District Gardeners’ Association. — Mr. 
F. C. Smale, Isaline, Avenue Road, Torquay, Honorary Treasurer and 
Secretary of the above Association, sends us the programme for the 
session, which opened on the 5th inst. The following papers are 
announced to be read at the meetings, which will be held in the Abbey 
Road Lecture Hall at 8 p.m. on each day ;—October 19th, Mr. 
Jas. Mitchell, “ Grape Growing; Successes and Failures ; ” November 
^nd, Mr. J. French of Glencarnock, “ Root Pruning; ” November 16th, 
Mr. T. Wilkinson of Syracusa, “ Chrysanthemums for Exhibition ; ” 
November 30th, Mr. A. Pidgeon of Stoodley Knowle, “ Flowering and 
Ornamental Shrubs ; ” December 14th, Mr. J. Wilson of Belton Lodge, 
“House and Table Decoration;” January 18th, Mr. F. W. Hodges of 
Watcombe Lodge, “How to Keep a Conservatory Gay all the Year 
Round;” February 1st, Mr. E. Wood of Bishopstowe, “Melons and 
Cucumbers ; ” February 15th, Mr. W. Satterley of Braddon Villa, 
■“Culture of the Cyclamen;” March 1st, Mr. P. Neate of Rockend, 
■“ Successional Vegetables ; ” March 15th, Mr. G. Lee of Upton Leigh, 
“ Orchid Growing ; Some Notes on the Culture of Cattleyas ; ” March 
29tb, Mr. W. B. Smale, “ A Ghent Quinquennial Horticultural 
Exhibition.” 
- Limeseed Oil. —The “ Vossische Zeitung ” has an interesting 
article on limeseed oil, pointing out that it is not sufficiently utilised. 
“ More than a hundred years ago the importance of the fine sweet oil 
made from the seeds of Lime trees was mentioned, but no attempts were 
made to procure this oil on a large scale, and later on the matter was 
forgotten. A few years ago limeseed oil was, as it w'ere, discovered for 
the second time, and the experience then acquired justified great 
importance being ascribed to the industry. Lime trees blossom so 
abundantly every spring, and produce such a multitude of seeds, which 
fall to the ground in autumn, that it would be easy to collect large 
quantities under every Lime tree avenue. The seeds possess 58 per cent, 
of oil, and are in this scarcely surpassed by any other seeds; only 
slightly by the Para Nut, the Cocoa Nut, and the Hazel Nut. The per¬ 
centage of other important oil-yielding seeds is far less. The oil of the 
Lime tree seed, which can be pressed in all sorts of ways, is distin¬ 
guished by a beautiful clear colour and fine taste, has not a trace of 
bitterness or aromatic flavour, and may be justly compared to the finest 
olive oil. It never becomes rancid, and can be left exposed to the air in 
open vessels without the slightest change in taste or state of preserva¬ 
tion. It is an oil that does not dry, and has not the least inclination to 
combine with oxygen. It is, therefore, not only invaluable as a food 
oil, but also for industrial appliances. It does not freeze at any degree 
of cold temperature known to us, and is not changed at even 21° Centi¬ 
grade. It is remarkable that this valuable oil seed has not been more 
utilised, for it would not be difficult to find the proper places for finding 
the seed in quantity, and collecting it cheaply. The Lime tree produces 
the same enormous quantity of seed almost every year, and, therefore, 
there would be no stoppage in the regular manufacture of the oil.” 
- Single Cactus Dahlias.— Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, 
N.B., have sent us some blooms of the single Cactus Dahlias. The 
flowers were fresh and beautiful, the best including Bruce, Queen Mary, 
Althea, Ravens wood, and Highland Mary. Whether these Dahlias will 
become popular seems to be an open question, but there is no doubt of 
their effectiveness. 
- Hertford Horticultural Society.— We are requested to 
state that the third exhibition of Chrysanthemums, autumnal flowers, 
fruit, and vegetables will be held under the auspices of the Hertford 
Horticultural Mutual Improvement Society in the Corn Exchange, 
Hertford, on October 25th and 26th. According to the schedule good 
prizes are offered, which should induce exhibitors to make an effective 
display. Mr. Jason Fears, Market Place, Hertford, is the Honorary 
Secretary. 
- Southport and Birkdale Gardeners’ Friendly 
Society. —The second season in connection withjthe Mutual Improvement 
branch of this Society opened on Tuesday evening, October2nd, when a 
lecture on “ The Colour of Flowers” was delivered by Mr. Henry Ball. 
His address was of the most interesting character, and contained a 
number of useful and instructive facts. Among other things he men¬ 
tioned was that insects are able to distinguish colours, and that the one 
apparently best liked by them was blue. At the close of the lecture a 
cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Ball for his valuable paper.— 
Wm. Spencer. 
- American Aloes Flowering.— I notice on page 319 of your 
last issue the interesting remarks made by Mr. John Mowlem Burt of 
Swanage re the above [subject; and being rather proud of our Devon¬ 
shire climate may I just mention that during the early part of this 
summer we had a splendid specimen of the American Aloe (Agave 
americana) blossoming freely in the open grounds of the Torbay Road, 
Torquay, and this without having any protection whatever during the 
winter? I well remember seeing it after a snowstorm had actually 
broken down one or two of its immense leaves, which then were about 
4 feet 6 inches long. The blossom stem ran up about 25 feet or more, 
by 4 or 5 inches thick, and had, I should say, some hundred or more of 
its bell-like flowers. The worst part of the story, however, remains to 
be told, for I am sorry to say that having delighted us by the sight of 
its beautiful bloom the stately plant gave up the ghost, and its place 
knoweth it no more.— W. A. Masterman, Torquay, 
- The Weather Last Month. —Mr. W. H. Divers, Bel voir 
Castle Gardens, Grantham, writes :—“ September was a dry month, 
mostly bright up to the 13th, chiefly dull and foggy afterwards. We 
had no frost worth mentioning, and tender plants, such as Heliotrope, 
Dahlias, French Beans, and Iresine were in good condition at the end of 
the month. The wind w’as in a northerly direction twenty-seven days. 
Total rainfall was 0'98 inch, which fell on nineteen days, the greatest 
daily fall being 0'38 inch on the 25th ; barometer, highest 30'266 at 
9 P.M. on 30th, lowest29-510 at 9 P.M. on 25th. Temperature, highest in 
shade, 67° on 11th, lowest, 31° on 29th ; mean daily maximum, 59-70°, 
mean daily minimum, 45d0° ; mean temperature of the month, 5240°, 
lowest on grass, 27° on 29th, highest in sun, 118° on 12th ; mean tem¬ 
perature of the earth at 3 feet deep, 55-03°. Total sunshine, 105 hours 
55 minutes, on twenty-five days, five days being sunless.” 
- Syringa Pekinensis. —The American “ Garden and Forest” 
recently published an excellent picture of this little known Syringa, 
which does not begin to flower freely until it has grown to a good size, 
but that it can in time produce its large clusters of white flowers in 
profusion is shown in the illustration mentioned. This is said to have 
been reproduced from a photograph of a plant which stands in deep rich 
soil, in a garden near Boston, and has been allowed to spread its long 
graceful branches in all directions. The habit of Syringa Pekinensis is 
excellent; the foliage is pleasing in colour, and is not injured by insects 
or disease ; and the flower clusters, which appear a week or ten days 
earlier than those of Syringa japonica, and about ten days later than 
those of Syringa Amurensis, are produced more freely on old well- 
established plants than they are on either of these species. They appear 
too, on the lower as w-ell as on the upper branches, while on Syringa 
japonica they are usually confined to the upper part of the tree. The 
disagreeable Privet-like odour, which is common to all the Lilacs of this 
section (Ligustrina), is less pronounced in this species than in the others. 
Altogether Syringa Pekinensis is a very beautiful, desirable, and per¬ 
fectly hardy small tree. It requires, however, strong moist soil and 
plenty of room in which to display the graceful sweep of its branches. 
