SOCIETIES—HORTICULTU RE, ETC. 
47 
pears by repeated experience, that cold does not extend to more than two years 
at a time. Again if the winter excess of east wind be great in the first instance, 
the winter will be mild, and followed by mild summers; while the summer excess 
of east wind is itself, in the first instance, always mild, but uniformly followed 
by cold winters and cold summers, which continues more or less for one or two 
years, according to circumstances.— Mackenzie. 
Evaporation. —It has been ascertained by the experiment of M. van Marum, 
that vapours are more largely exhaled from the summits of lofty mountains, than 
from the plains below, in conseqnence it is supposed of the diminution of atmos¬ 
pheric pressure. 
SOCIETIES, 
CONNECTED WITH HORTICULTURE AND NATURAL HISTORY. 
LONDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The exhibitions of the two October meetings of this Society were particularly good. The 
most attractive articles consisted of a specimen of the Cucurbita clavata, or Trumpet Gourd 
a delicate variety grown at the Marquess of Salisbury’s from seed obtained from Italy. Black 
Prince, W. Frontignan, and Black Hamburgh grapes from Mr. G. Leslie, gardener at Stone- 
ham Park, Southampton ; Princes Golden Nectarine, Rosanna Peach from a standard, Wheat- 
ear Carnations, Scarlet Arbutus, and a fine collection of 54 sorts of apples, from Mr; Joseph 
Kirke. Dahlias from Mr. J. Young, of Epsom, who also exhibited a peculiar and handsome 
variety, named Levick’s Incomparable; its fine crimson colour blotched with white, drew 
much attention. Fruit of the Banana, of Passiflora edulis, and P. laurifolia, from the Earl of 
Shrewsbury. Seedling plums from T. A. Knight, Esq. and a Queen Pine four pounds and 
three quarters weight, from H. J. Grant, Esq. of Heath, South Wales. The collection of 
flowers and fruit, especially the Pears from the Society’s garden, were much admired. We 
observed specimens of the Doyenne blanc pear from Quince,Thorn, and MountainAsh stocks, 
the maturity of those which are produced from the Thorn is to be found greatly accelerated 
whilst those from the Mountain Ash are retarded to a later period; 
The communications made to the Society were on the cultivation of the striped Hoosainee 
Persian melon, by the author of the Domestic Gardeners Manual. On the production of early 
peas by Mr. T. Blake, and a description [of the varieties of cherry cultivated in the Society’s 
garden, with a new system of classification by Mr. Robert Thompson. 
At the meeting on the 6th of November, Mr. George White, gardener, to Sir R. Hill, exhibi- 
bited a fine specimen of the Green St. Vincent Pine apple from a sucker planted Sept. 1830; 
Mr. R. Ibeson, of Doncaster, some large bunches of an unnamed grape grown in the open air. 
Mr. D. Money, three varieties of grape named the Muscat Eshcolata, Escholata superba, and 
the British seedling. Mr. Allnutt contributed some excellent white Muscadine grapes, and 
Black Hamburgh do. the produce of vines both protected and exposed, and Mrs. Marryatt, of 
Wimbledon, a superb collection of Passion flowers and a Cactus truncatus. The collections of 
apples, pears, chrysanthemums, and dahlias, were also very interesting. We observed on the 
table six varieties of grapes from the Society’s garden, from which are obtained the Rhenish 
wines. 
A communication w'as made to the Society by Mr. Kendall, F. H. S. on the employment of 
cats as guardians of fruit trees from the attacks of birds, each animal having a certain range 
and being secured by a light chain to a stake. By this means, or by their chain running on a 
rod, they have proved themselves very serviceable. 
