518 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 6,1894 
never appeared in any year in more than fifteen prize stands ; Duchess 
of Bedford, average 9 2, highest record thirteen stands ; Pride of 
Waltham, average 9'5, highest record nineteen stands; Dr. Andry, 
average 131, highest record twenty-one stands ; and Marie Finger, 
average 14 0, highest record twenty-four times. It should be borne in 
mind, or the meaning of the above data will not be understood, that the 
lowest average for any variety in my twenty-eight is 16. Then as 
regards the twenty Teas tabulated by Mr. Grahame only three are 
outside my first twenty—Anna Olivier, which is only one place below 
them ; Kubens, which is only two places below ; and Cleopatra, one of 
the newer Teas. In these comparisons I have given in every case the 
actual figures without applying any correction whatever. 
It will thus be seen that my analysis comes out remarkably well, 
even when compared with the most recent Rose election. Of course, 
the positions of the different varieties vary in the two lists ; but then a 
Rose election, as usually conducted, must necessarily be only a rough 
and ready way of assigning places to the varieties in the tables. In 
his comparisons Mr. Grahame has, to my mind, reversed the usual order 
of things—opinions should be tested by facts, not facts by opinions.— 
B. M,, BerTihamsted. 
Events op the Week.— The Committees of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society will meet for the last time this year at the Drill Hall, 
Westminster, on Tuesday, the 11th inst. On the following day, the 
12th inst , the Floral Committee of the National Chrysanthemum Society 
will hold a meeting at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster. As mentioned 
elsewhere, the annual general meeting of the National Rose Society has 
been postponed until the 13th inst., on which date the members will 
also hold their annual dinner. 
- The Weather in London. —Fogs have been prevalent in the 
metropolis during the past week, it being very thick in some districts 
on Saturday last. Sunday was hazy and rather cold, the same applying 
to Monday, Tuesday was clearer, but dull, and Wednesday opened 
similarly. No severe frosts have as yet occurred, and in suburban 
districts many autumnal flowers may still be seen in gardens. 
- Royal Hoeticulthral Society.— The last meeting of this 
Society for this year will take place next Tuesday, the 11th, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, when the Fruit, 
Floral, and Orchid Committees will meet as usual at twelve o’clock. 
-Gardening Appointments —We are informed that Mr. W. J. 
Penton, for the last three years foreman at The Gardens, Rendlesham 
Hall, Woodbridge, has been appointed to succeed Mr. J. Deacon as head 
gardener to H. Harris, Esq., Bowden Hill House, Chippenham. Mr. 
James Anderson is leaving Airfield, Dundrum, to take charge of the 
gardens at Marlay, Rathfarnham. Mr. Anderson was previously for 
two years a foreman at Drumlanrig, N.B. Mr. Owen Roberts has been 
appointed head gardener and bailiff to James Tompkinson, Esq., J.P, 
Willington Hall, Tarporley, Cheshire. 
- Outdoor Strawberries in November.—M r. John Gwynne, 
from near Mexborough, writes to a Wakefield paper :—“ Having recently 
seen in the papers that Strawberries were blooming in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Pontefract, I beg to enclose a specimen (fruit) that I 
gathered in an open lane close to the lawn in front of Hickleton Hall, 
the seat of Lord Halifax, on Wednesday, November 28th. The specimen 
in question is rather diminutive, but well coloured and fragrant, and 
beside it three or four other berries have set. It is an extraordinary 
evidence of the unseasonableness of the weather.” 
- Mushrooms in Peat Moss Litter,— I should he glad to 
know if any of your readers have been successful in growing Mushrooms 
in peat moss litter after coming from the stable, and if so, how they 
used it. I have always had abundance of Mushrooms here with horse 
droppings collected from straw, but have failed this year by using peat 
moss litter. I have a warm house with slate beds, and I had the litter 
fresh from the stable. There was ample heat in it at first, and the spawn 
ran well, but afterwards died away, and the bed went quite cold. I 
made another bed a fortnight after the first, but that is iust the same, 
and I do not think we shall have a single Mushroom. The beds appear 
to lose their heat too quickly with the litter.—R. C. W. 
-Mild December.—A Sussex correspondent informs us that 
nothing has yet been injured by frost in his garden, tender plants, 
including Dahlias, Heliotropes, and others being as fresh as in summer. 
Roses are plentiful in some gardens. 
- New Open Spaces for London. — The London County 
Council propose to form various new open spaces in the metropolis, 
including one in Tottenham Court Road, and which consists of a strip 
of land known as Whitefield’s Tabernacle ground. The other site is 
situated in Whitechapel, where open spaces are desirable. 
-Death op Mrs. Muir.—W e regret to learn that the wife of 
Mr. J. Muir, the well-known gardener and bailiff at Margam Park, died 
on the 27th ult. Mrs. Muir will be remembered as giving a genuine 
Scottish reception—pleasant and hospitable—to her husband’s numerous 
friends who have called on him during the several year* he has been 
established at Margam. 
- Dean Hole in America. —We understand a reception and 
dinner were recently tendered to Dean Hole, who is now in America. 
Mr. Barry of Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry presided, and Mr. J. N. May 
of Summit, New Jersey, carried out all the arrangements. The tower 
of Rochester Cathedral, together with a view of the Deanery, and a 
Rose, were, it is said, the decorations on the menu card. 
-American Aloe Flowering.—A t a meeting of the Royal 
Botanic Society held recently, Mr. Arthur Rigg in the chair, photographs 
of an American Aloe bearing six distinct flower spikes were shown by 
the Earl of Bradford, in whose garden at Shifnal the plant recently 
flowered. The Secretary stated that this was an unusual occurrence, the 
normal form containing but one spike, and that unbranched. 
- Epping Forest Museum. —We learn from " Nature ” that 
the Drapers’ Company have contributed £20 to the funds of the 
Epping Forest Museum, now being formed in Queen Elizabeth’s Lodge, 
Chingford, by the Essex Field Club, under the sanction of the Epping 
Forest Committee of the Corporation of London. The museum is 
intended to illuitrate the natural history, antiquities, and scenery of 
this beautiful district. 
- Flowers in Sussex. —“R. I.” writes, “ For Sussex, asin other 
parts of the country, the mild autumn has brought us spring flowers, 
and a continuance of summer flowers throughout November. Primroses 
are quite abundant in the woods, full pickings of Violets in the open 
borders, and Rose buds are still to be found in the rosery. Ulrich 
Brunner has been remarkably fine, and a strong plant of Madame 
Berard has furnished buds all through the autumn. Wallflowers are 
also beginning to bloom.—R. I.” 
- Mr. Henry Birch.—W e regret to announce the death of this 
highly esteemed gardener, who died suddenly of apoplexy, on his return 
from Northampton to Castle Ashby, on November 27th. The deceased, 
who was forty years of age, began hi* career with his father at Hatherop 
Castle, subsequently being placed in the gardens at Sandringham; held 
a foreman’s position at Croxteth Park, as head gardener at Waddesdon, 
and for the past eleven years filled that position in the noted gardens 
of Castle Ashby. He leave* a widow and two children to mourn hi* 
los*. 
- Ox-Eye Daisies.—I n my “ Hardy Flower Notes,” on page 
489, reference was made to a former article in which I mentioned a new 
variety of Chrysanthemum maximum. I learn that this may give rise 
to some misapprehension, in so far that it may lead persons to think that 
there is only one new variety of this fine Ox-Eye Daisy, while there are 
at least four. In my former notes I said that several had been raised, 
and it may be as well to give the names of these—viz., filiformis or 
filiforme, laciniatum, Duchess of Ahercorn, and Elaine. I said filiformis 
was among the best, and I am glad to find my opinion confirmed by one 
of our best judges of a good garden flower, who has written me regard¬ 
ing these flowers. With reference to the plant spoken of as being sold as 
C. latifolium maximum, it is possible that it may have originated in the 
Rev. C. Wolley Dod’s garden ; although I am sure Mr. Dod will re¬ 
pudiate the name applied to it by the vendor. It appears that the Edge 
Hall seedlings were raised from seed sent from Portugal, and that Mr. 
Wolley Dod retained only the best one of the seedlings, which has flowers 
5 inches across. It is possible that the nurseryman may have obtained 
this Edge Hall seedling, but I am still inclined to think that those I 
saw in Mr. Wolley Dod’s garden were finer than that sold as 
C. latifolium maximum—a name which I again venture to protest 
against.— S, Arnott. 
