80 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[May, 
its appearance, he removed it into a flower-pot, where 
it became so large that he transplanted it into the 
garden. In due time it produced two apples, which 
proved remarkably fine. The tree continued to thrive 
and bore fruit regularly, one year its produce amount¬ 
ing to 21 bushels. Every one was desirous of pos¬ 
sessing a Kempster Pippin, as it was at first called ; 
and such was the eagerness to obtain grafts, that 
large branches were repeatedly torn off in the night¬ 
time. In 1811, Mr. Whitman, the Duke of Marl¬ 
borough’s gardener, prevailed on his Grace to allow 
them a place on his table, and the Duke highly 
approving of them, they have since obtained the 
name of the Blenheim Orange. In 1820, Mr. Cook, 
fruiterer in Covent Garden Market, sold a bushel of 
them for 14s., they being before this period unknown 
in the market. The original tree was standing in 
1826. On September 21,1822, five of these Apples 
gathered in the garden of Mr. Parrow, of Wood- 
stock, weighed as follows :—No. 1 , 1 lb. ^ oz.; No. 2 , 
1 lb. 5J oz.; No. 3, 15 oz.; No. 4, 1 lb.; No. 5, 1 lb.; 
total, 5 lb. 4 t oz.; when first gathered their total 
weight was 885 oz. They were exhibited at the 
October meeting of the Horticultural Society, where 
the Banksian Silver Medal was awarded for them. 
In the same year Mr. Griffin, surgeon, of Ded- 
dington, gathered one of these Apples weighing 
24 oz. Of the largest of these a model in wax was 
made, which is now (1882) in my possession.” 
— 21 s regards Vine-culture in California, 
it has been stated that the area devoted to 
this object is upwards of 80,000 acres, aver¬ 
aging 800 vines to the acre, or a total of some 
64,000,000 vines. Of this large number, however, 
probably 25,000,000 are not in bearing, while the 
Phylloxera has seized upon some 5,000,000 more. 
The great size attained by many of the vines shows 
how well the Californian soil is adapted to them. 
— 3The use of Emulsions of Petroleum 
as Insecticides is recommended by Prof. Riley, 
the American State Entomologist, who shows 
tint for ordinary practical purposes soap and milk 
are among the most available substances for their 
production. Ordinary bar soap scraped and rubbed 
into a paste at the rate of twenty parts soap, ten parts 
water, thirty parts kerosene, and one part of fir 
balsam, will make, when diluted with water, an 
emulsion stable enough for all practical purposes, 
as the slight cream which in time rises to the sur¬ 
face, or the flakiness that often follows, are easily 
dissipated by a little shaking. Soap emulsions are, 
however, less satisfactory and efficient than those 
made with milk. Emulsions with milk may be made 
of varying strength, but one of the most satisfactory 
proportions is two parts of refined kerosene to one 
part of sour milk. This must be thoroughly churned 
(not merely shaken) until butter is formed, and is 
then quite stable, and will keep indefinitely in closed 
vessels; it may be diluted ad libitum with water 
when needed for use. The time required to bring the 
butter varies with the temperature, and both soap 
and milk emulsions are facilitated by heating the 
ingredients. The diluted emulsion, when prepared 
for use, should be finely sprayed on to the insects to 
bo killed, its strength varying for different insects or 
plants, and its effect is enhanced when brought 
forcibly in contact with the insects. It must be 
applied with care to most deciduous fruit-trees in 
order not to injure them. 
— & gigantic scheme of Fruit-growing has 
been inaugurated, as we learn from the country 
papers, by Lord Sudeley, at Toddington, 
near Cheltenham. The fruit-trees were planted two 
years ago, the total number and varieties being as 
follows :—93,000 gooseberries 20,053 plums, 167,000 
black currants, 2,919 apples, 852 pears, 8,845 damsons, 
532 cherries, 10,000 red currants, 25,000 raspberries, 
100 cob-nuts, and 52 acres of strawberries. There 
has been, in addition, 100 Scotch firs and 10,000 
poplars planted for sheltering purposes. 
Jftetnortam. 
— JHr. John Collinson died at Chester 
on March 26, aged 81 years. Mr. Collin¬ 
son had been head gardener for seven years 
to Sir Watson Taylor, Earl’s Court, Wiltshire, and 
was for forty years head gardener to the Duke of 
Westminster at Eaton Hall. Some ten or twelve 
years ago he retired from the gardens at' Eaton Hall 
with a pension from the Duke, of his full salary, 
with a house and garden rent free. 
— JETr. Herbert Smith, eldest son of 
Mr. James Smith, of the Darley Dale Nurseries, 
died on March 31, aged years. 
■— iiElR. Joseph C. Spyers died at Tor¬ 
quay on April 10, at the age of 32. He was 
Orchid-grower to Sir Trevor Lawrence at Bur- 
ford Lodge, Dorking, and his employer has penned 
a most graceful tribute to his memory, in which he 
saj r s :—‘ c He was an excellent gardener, gifted with 
much observation, a retentive memory, and a keen 
love of his work and his plant*. He had accumu¬ 
lated a large and varied store of information bearing 
on horticulture, especially on the cultivation of 
Orchids. He was a great favourite with all about 
him, and during the nine years he was in my service 
there was never a dispute or misunderstanding in 
the garden. I 11 all things he was upright and 
honourable, and his many good qualities had won 
for him the esteem and regard of all who knew him.” 
— JEIks. Emma Sherwood, wife of N. N. 
Sherwood, Esq., and last surviving daughter 
of the late William Hurst, sen., died on April 
18, at Dunedin, Streatham, in her 39th year, greatly 
regretted. 
— JUHajor-General H. Y. D. Scott, C.B., 
F.R.S., died at Sydenham on April 16, aged 
61 years. He was educated at Woolwich, and 
entered the corps of Royal Engineers. Subsequently 
he became one of the officials at the South Kensing¬ 
ton Museum, and in this way began his connection 
with the Boyal Horticultural Society, of which he 
was Secretary from 1866 to 1873. He was also 
Secretary to the Boyal Commissioners for the Exhi¬ 
bition of 1851; and as Director of Buildings at 
South Kensington acted as architect to the Boyal 
Albert Hall and Science Schools. 
— M*- Richard Weatiieeill, of Wood- 
side Nursery, Finchley, died recently in his 
58th year. He began life as a private gar¬ 
dener, bat twenty-five years ago he turned his 
attention to growing for market, in which he was 
very successful. He was a large grower of Pelar¬ 
goniums, Solanums, and Cinerarias. The Woodside 
establishment has become, under his guidance, one 
of the largest and best appointed market-nurseries 
in the kingdom. 
