496 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 29, 1894. 
- In report of Dublin show (page 474) it should read, “ held in 
the premises of the Royal Dublin Society,” as these premises do not 
belong to the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland—the two societies 
are distinct.—B. K. 
- Cowslips in November. —A Worcestershire paper says the 
effect of the present mild weather is evidenced by the fact that Cow¬ 
slips were picted a few days ago at Ulliugswick. At Bromyard, too, 
both Primroses and Cowslips are in bloom, 
- American Apples.— Thousands of barrels of Apples, it is 
said, are arriving now at Liverpool by the ships from the United States 
and Canada! A single Allan liner last week brought some 7000 barrels 
of Canadian Apples in splendid condition. 
- The Hornbeam. —According to a transatlantic contemporary, 
one of the handsomest trees in the Botanic Gardens of Washington is 
a European Hornbeam, which was planted by Mr. Smith, the Superin¬ 
tendent, about twenty-five years ago. It is very symmetrical in shape, 
and its branches spread out over a circle 50 feet in diameter. It has a 
stout trunk, which breaks into numerous large limbs some 4 feet above 
the ground, although a distinct central stem continues much higher. The 
trunk measures 6 feet in circumference at its smallest point. 
- Weather in Naples. —Never was a season so beautiful as 
this present autumn one here (Naples)—air neither too hot nor too 
cold, gentle breezes, sea silvery calm, multicoloured sunsets, flowers 
all unfolding once more as if spring had come, at night the moon riding 
high in a blue sky. Everything, says a daily contemporary, contributes 
to make Naples a delightful sojourn, and it is a pity that travellers 
delay their coming till the period of storms, if ever we are to have any. 
The golden autumn tints of the deciduous trees, which are slow to drop 
their leaves, add to the colouring in the gardens and of the hills around 
the city. 
- Catalpas. —In reply to Mr. Bardney’s inquiry (page 471) 
respecting the Catalpa alluded to in my notes on these choice flowering 
trees, I would say that C. syringgefolia is the only one known to me, and 
this was of course the one of which I wrote. I should be quite prepared 
to admit that the golden form would be, as Mr. Bardney says, a very 
handsome tree, and would form a good companion to the commoner 
kind, of which far too few are planted in our pleasure grounds and 
parks. They are very ornamental and striking in character of growth, 
and being flowering add much more to their value and interest.— 
W, Strhgnell. 
- The Winter Moth. — Does not the recently recorded 
experience of the comparative inefficacy of the bands to prevent the 
ascent of the moths show the importance, if possible, of preventing the 
moths appearing at all ? Wherever the experience of the past summer 
shows that there is a brood awaiting emergence, they should be dealt 
with by either killing the pupae or the moths directly they appear. It 
is certain most of the pupae lie near the trunks or stems of the trees or 
shrubs upon which they have fed, and many would be removed by 
scraping off the surface soil about fruit trees. It might also be dressed 
with the petroleum compound often recommended in your Journal, 
either made by combining it with water by means of softsoap and soda^ 
or with the admixture of Gishurst compound. Moths emerging into 
soil wetted with this would die, as they also would if it were wetted 
with alkaline solutions or diluted gas liquor, or sprinkled with soot. 
—J. R. S. Clifford. 
- The Mildness of the Weather in Scotland.—T he Rev. 
David R, Williamson writes to us on November 24th from Kirkmaiden 
Manse, Wigtonshire :—“ The weather here has been for some time past 
exceptionally mild and favourable to vegetation. In my own garden, 
which has in many places a vernal aspect, hardy Primulas, white and 
lilac, are in bloom ; so also are the China Roses, including Hermosa 
and Laurette Messimy, while flowers are still discoverable on certain of 
the Teas and Hybrid Perpetuals, including Safrano, Marie Van Houtte, 
Beauty of Waltham, G6n^ral Jacqueminot, and Souvenir de S. A. Prince. 
Large buds are still visible on very late specimens of the Lily of Ber¬ 
muda (L. longiflorum Harris!). These I usually cut, and in the heat 
of my study force them into bloom. On the north wall of the garden 
Jasminum nudiflorum, one of the most interesting of winter flowering 
plants, is already disclosing its tender saffron hue. The Christmas Rose 
is almost equally anticipative of early bloom. Snowdrops, inspired 
into somewhat premature activity by the spring-like influence of this 
genial season, are beginning to make their first welcome appearance 
above the ground. The St. Brigid Anemones are equally advanced, and 
several of the Irises are also exhibiting remarkable growth.” 
- Judging Apples. —Would someone who is accustomed to 
judge Apples kindly say what is the leading and standard authority by 
which it is decided which Apples are eligible or ineligible for the 
dessert and culinary classes ? The line seems to be drawn in a very 
undecided manner, and when I find, in a catalogue recently sent me, 
Bramley’s Seedling and Ribston Pippin classed alike as D. K.—that is, I 
suppose, as eligible for either class—it seems time to make inquiry.— 
W. R. Raillem. 
- A Floral Tribute to the Queen. —It is reported that 
the Sydney (Australia) National Horticultural Society recently for¬ 
warded to Her Majesty some fine specimens of native flora frozen in a 
huge block of ice. The flowers, comprising Rock Lilies, Clematis, and 
Waratah (Telopea speciosissima), were arranged in a vase and fixed 
with plaster of Paris and then frozen into a block of ice which weighed 
7 cwt. The flowers arrived on the I7th inst. by the steamer “ Arcadia,” 
and were forwarded to the Queen at Windsor. 
- A Gardener’s Misdeeds. —We are requested to publish 
the following :—“At the Middlesex County Sessions, on the 24th inst., 
William Kemp, gardener, of South Norwood, was indicted on four 
separate counts for obtaining by false pretences divers sums of money 
from his employer, Mr. Alexander, of Teddington, also plants from 
Messrs. Protheroe & Morris, Cheapside, and Messrs. John Laing & Sons, 
Forest Hill. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and Mr. Loveland- 
Loveland sentenced him to twelve months’ hard labour.” 
- The Hop-picking Machine. —In the “American Agricul¬ 
turist ” a correspondent writes:—" I have every reason from past 
experience to assure Hop growers that the time is near at hand when 
Hops will be picked by machine, doing the work cleaner than American 
hand-picking at not over one-fourth the cost. It is expected that each 
section of the machine which receives the Hops from one person who 
feeds in the vines will pick as many in an hour as a hand-picker would 
do in a day—that is, if the feeder can feed the Hop-bearing .vines fast 
enough.” 
- Lilium auratum. —A Bath correspondent writes :—“ That 
the weather is extremely mild is a matter of general comment, but I 
venture to think that to see Lilium auratum in bloom in an open 
border on the 11th of November is unique. The bulb was one of 
several I planted out here in the spring in an open border sloping 
towards the south-east. Most of them flowered in September, but one 
developed late, and in an ordinary way the growth would have been 
destroyed by frost. On the 11th inst,, however, I cut from it two 
handsome blooms, the choice perfume from which pervades the house.” 
- anew Cypress, —“Nature” last week published an illustra¬ 
tion of a new Cypress named Widdringtonia Whytei. This is reported 
to have been discovered in Milanji, the easterly corner of the British 
Protectorate of Nyasaland, It is said that Mr. Alexander Whyte, the 
naturalist attached to the staff of Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., H.B.M. 
Commissioner and Consul-General, who usually resides at Zomba, made 
a botanical excursion to Milanji in 1892, and obtained a good series of the 
mountain plants. Among many plants new to science discovered by 
Mr. Whyte, this one is of special interest, owing to its importance from 
an economic point of view. In his exploration of the mountain, 
Mr. Whyte was much impressed with “a large Cypress,” which formed 
the most striking feature of the upper plateau. One prostrate trunk, 
and that by no means the largest seen, measured 140 feet in length, 
with a diameter of 5J feet at 6 feet from the base, and had a clean 
straight stem of 90 feet. In other cases long straggling branches are 
given off nearer the base. The timber is of a pale reddish colour, of 
excellent quality, and easily worked. The bark on the old trees is 
of great thickness, consisting of layers which are annually shed and 
renewed. The foliage recalls that of the Juniper, while the fruits or 
cones, which are crowded from four to six together on short lateral 
shoots, are about three-quarters of an inch long, and from that to 1 inch 
wide when open. They consist of four thick woody scales, united below, 
spreading above, and bearing at their bases on the internal surface a 
number of small winged seeds. Examination of the specimens sent 
home has shown that we are here dealing with a new species of 
Widdringtonia, a small genus of Conifers allied to the Cypress and 
Juniper. Mr. Whyte’s discovery has considerable scientific interest, 
from the fact that it extends the geographical range of the genus, 
hitherto known only from South Africa, Madagascar and Mauritius, into 
Tropical Africa. Widdringtonia Whytei promises to be of great economic 
value from the excellent quality of its timber for building purposes and 
furniture. It is easily worked, and is moreover a tree of rapid growth, 
