THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 8, 1857. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
141 
D 
M 
! 
D 
W 
DECEMBER 8—14, 1857. 
Weather n 
Barometer. 
... . . - 
ear Lon 
1 
Thermo. 
DON IN 1 
Wind. 
856. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.andS. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
afterSun 
Day of 
Y ear. 
8 
Tu 
Alyssum balinifolium. 
29.553—29.401 
59—51 
S.W. 
.03 
55 a. 7 
49 a. 3 
morn. 
G 
7 
48 
342 
9 
W r 
Spring Cyclamen. 
29.500—29.349 
59—50 
S. 
.15 
56 
49 
0 a 27 
23 
7 
21 
343 
10 
Tn 
Tangier Fumitory. 
29.419—29.275 
56—43 
s. 
.33 
57 
49 
1 39 
24 
6 
53 
344 
11 
F 
Narrow-leaved Golden Rod. 
29.512—29.201 
52—42 
S.W. 
.19 
58 
49 
2 51 
25 
6 
26 
345 
12 
S 
Winter Aconite. 
29.318—28.955 
54—39 
s. 
.44 
59 
49 
4 5 
26 
5 
57 
346 
13 
Sun 
3 Sunday in Advent. 
29.093—28.834 
49—39 
S.W. 
.02 
vur. 
49 
5 17 
27 
5 
29 
347 
14 
M 
Laurustinus. 
29.922—29.412 
47—31 
N.w. 
.01 
1 
49 
6 30 
28 
5 
0 
348 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-eight years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 45.9° and 33.6°, respectively. The greatest heat, 61 , occuned on the loth, in 1842 j and the lowest cold, 11°, 
on the 13th, in 1846. During the period 114 days were fine, and on 82 rain fell. 
An ordinary Meeting of the British Pomological 
Society was held at St. Martin’s Hall, Long Acre, on 
Thursday the 3rd of December. Robert Hogg, Esq., 
Yice-President, in the chair. 
The Meeting was numerously attended, and the col¬ 
lections of fruit from all parts of the country were large ; 
so much so, that although the meeting continued till j 
a late hour, it was found impossible to examine the , 
i 1 
| whole at one sitting. 
The Meeting was informed that Robert Hanbury, 
Esq., of The Poles, Herts, one of the Vice-Presidents of 
the Society, had liberally placed the sum of Five Guineas 
at the disposal of the Society, to be applied as prizes for 
the production of new and improved varieties of Iruit. 
Alexander Scrutton, Esq , of St. Aun’s Hill, Wands¬ 
worth, a member of the Society, made a similar donation 
of Three Guineas. H. G. Bohn, Esq., of Twickenham, 
gave Two Guineas , for the best new late Seedling Straw¬ 
berry. The Editors of The Cottage Gardener offered 
Two Guineas ; and Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, Two 
Guineas , to be applied as stated below ; and Mr. M. 
Busby, late of Stockwood Park, gave Two Guineas, to 
be awarded to the best dish of Golden Hamburgh 
Grapes, to be shown as below. 
The subject of Prizes, as suggested at the previous 
Meeting was considered ; but the terms in which the 
1 whole matter was expressed were so vague, that the 
matter was fully discussed, de novo; and it was resolved 
that the Society award the following prizes, should the 
subjects sent be considered worthy; and that there 
should be a repetition during next season of the prizes 
for Seedling and New Grapes, as last year, viz.:— 
1. For the best Seedling Grape having a 
Muscat flavour.Two Pounds. 
2. For the best Seedling Grape of any 
other description not having a 
Muscat flavour.Two Pounds. 
3. For the best Grape not a Seedling, 
raised in this country, and not in 
general commerce .Two Pounds. 
; 4. For the best Seedling hardy Grape to 
ripen in the open air, and which 
shall be superior in quality to those 
already cultivated. One Pound. 
I 5. For the best six varieties of late 
Dessert Pears, three specimens of 
each variety to be exhibited at the 
Meeting on the 4th of February 
next, offered by A. Scrutton, Esq .... Two Pounds. 
No. CCCCLXXX. Vol. XIX. 
6. Second prize for the same, by A. Scrut¬ 
ton, Esq . One Pound. 
7. For the best Seedling Late Strawberry, 
which is not in general commerce, 
offered by IT. G. Bohn, Esq .Two Pounds. 
8. For the best Seedling Early Peach, 
offered by Mr. Rivers .Two Pounds. 
9. For the best Seedling Late Peach, 
offered by the Editors of The Cottage 
Gardener . Two Pounds. 
10. For the best Seedling Early Apricot, 
offered by R. Hanbury, Esq . Two Pounds. 
11. For the best Late Apricot, offered by 
R. Hanbury, Esq .Two Pounds. 
12. For the best Early Nectarine, offered 
by the Society . Two Pounds. 
13. For the best Late Nectarine, offered by 
the Society . Two Pounds. 
14. For the best dish of Golden Hamburgh 
Grapes, offered by Mr. Busby .Two Pounds. 
15. For the best Early Dessert Pear, offered 
by R. Hanbury, Esq . One Pound. 
10. For the best Seedling Late Kitchen 
Apple, offered by Mr. Spencer, of 
Bowood . One Pound. 
The Society is thus enabled to offer the sum of 
Twenty-eight Pounds as prizes, for the encouragement 
of new and improved varieties of Fruits. The days of 
the meeting for the award of the several prizes have not 
yet been appointed, with the exception of that for 
Dessert Pears, which will be on the 4th of February 
next. It cannot fail to be a cause of mutual gratification 
to every one interested in the welfare of the Society, to 
find it thus exhibiting such signs of stability and activity. 
Much has been done ; but much more still remains to be 
done, in the prosecution of a knowledge of fruits, and 
the management of fruit trees; and it is hoped that every 
member of the Society will use his influence not only 
to extend its numbers, but contribute as much as he 
possibly can to the Meetings, so that the information 
there obtained, and the conclusions arrived at, may be 
as extensive and satisfactory as the importance of the 
subject demands. After the arrangement of the prize 
list, the Meeting then proceeded to the examination of 
the fruit. 
Mr. Stephens, of Chingford, Essex, sent four varieties 
of Seedling Pears, all of which possessed qualities of 
greater or less excellence ; none of them being positively 
bad. No 3 is a pretty good variety, with a melting 
flesh, but considerably gritty at the core. It has a 
