May 23, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
601 
(N.R.S.); July 7th, Gloucester; July 8th, Dursley, 
Hitchin, Sutton, and Tunbridge Wells; July 9th, 
Bath and Woodbridge; July 11th, New Brighton; 
July 14th, Christleton and Wolverhampton ; July 15th, 
Ealing; July 16th, Hereford (N.R.S.), Bedford, 
Helensburgh, and Trentham ; July 18th, Manchester ; 
July 21st, Tibshelf ; July 23rd, Halifax and Worksop; 
August 1st, Ripley (Derby). 
Complimentary Dinner and Presentation to Mr. 
R. Grossart.—On the 15th inst., on the occasion of his 
leaving Oswald House, Edinburgh, where he had been 
gardener for ten years, to take charge of the gardens at 
Bimock, Dundee, Mr. R. Grossart was entertained at 
dinner at the Windsor Hotel, and presented with a 
gold watch by his gardening friends as a token of 
their respect and esteem. Mr. McHattie, New Battle 
Abbey, occupied the chair, and Mr. D. P. Laird was 
croupier. Mr. Grossart’s health was drank with 
musical honours and amid most hearty expressions of 
goodwill for his future welfare. 
Royal Horticultural Society'.—The society will hold 
its fourth Great Annual Flower Show in the gardens of 
the Inner Temple, London, on the 28th and 29th inst., 
and we understand that so far the entries have been 
numerous and important. To prevent eventual dis¬ 
appointment, however, it is requested that those who 
are still desirous of exhibiting should at once commu¬ 
nicate with the superintendent, R. H. S. Gardens, 
Chiswick. This year the arrangements have been 
nearly all completed somewhat earlier and more 
systematically than usual, and there is every reason to 
hope that, if favoured with fine weather, H. R. H. The 
Princess Christian will have the pleasure of opening the 
finest show the society has yet held in the Inner Temple 
Gardens. 
Sutton’s Potatos in Ceylon.—We learn that Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, of Reading, have been awarded a Gold 
Medal at the Ceylon Agri-Horti Exhibition held at 
Nuwara Eliya on April 1st, 1891, for a collection of 
Potatos grown in the gardens of His Excellency the 
Governor of Ceylon. The varieties were exclusively 
of Messrs. Sutton’s introduction, and included such 
standard sorts as Abundance, Satisfaction, Sutton’s 
Seedling, "Windsor Castle, Masterpiece, &c., and Mr. 
Nock, the superintendent, writes :—“The Potatos were 
a good sample, and made a splendid show. They 
would have held their own in most exhibitions, and 
would have been hard to heat for evenness and general 
appearance.” 
Potato Disease—Proposed Extensive Trial of 
Sulphate of Copper.—At the last meeting of the 
Council of the Royal Agricultural Society Mr. 
Whitehead reported from the Seeds and Plants Diseases 
Committee that a letter had been received from the 
Board of Agriculture asking whether the Society was 
possessed of results of any experiments conducted in 
this country for the purpose of testing the efficacy of 
applications of sulphate of copper as a remedy against 
Potato disease, and, if not, whether it would be feasible 
for the society to undertake a series of specific experi¬ 
ments of this nature in four or five distinctive and 
typical parts of England during the summer of 1891, 
and, if necessary, in succeeding seasons. The Seeds 
and Plants Committee recommended that the Board of 
Agriculture be informed that the society would be 
willing to organise and conduct such experiments for 
the Board of Agriculture if the Board considered it 
desirable ; and they suggested that a sub-committee be 
empowered to draw up a scheme and to make the 
necessary provision for the conduct of any experiments 
that might be arranged in conjunction with the Board 
of Agriculture. Earl Cathcart seconded the adoption 
of the report. After some further discussion, it was 
resolved that a sum not exceeding £300 be placed at 
the disposal of the Seeds and Plants Committee for the 
purpose of the experiments proposed. 
An Agricultural College at Mildura.—The Governor 
of Victoria, the Earl of Hopetoun, early in last month 
laid the foundation-stone of a new College of Agri¬ 
culture at Mildura, on the River Murray, one of the two 
Australian Irrigation Colonies, founded three or four 
years ago by the well-known firm of Chaffev Bros., 
under special Acts of the colonial Legislatures. A 
full report of the ceremony appears in the Melbourne 
Argus of April 6th. Mr. Geo. Chaffey, in presenting 
the trowel to his Lordship, stated that the value of the 
college lands exceeded that of any similarly endowed 
educational institution in Australia. These lands 
comprised 16,666 acres with water easements, valued 
(at the initial price of £20 per acre) at £333,320. A 
large portion of the property had, however, doubled in 
value, and it was quite within the bounds of probability 
that the endowment would be worth more than a 
million sterling before 20 years. Lord Hopetoun (in 
laying the stone) remarked that he had no doubt 
irrigation would play a most important part in the 
future of Victoria, and the Chaffey College in affording 
facilities for imparting the necessary instruction in 
irrigation and its dependent industries would be of 
immense advantage to the whole of Australia. 
Exochorda grandiflora.—In the absence of spring 
frost this early-flowering shrub has escaped the injury 
to the young foliage which it is liable to suffer at 
times, just as the foliage is expanding after a mild 
winter. The lanceolate-oblong, entire leaves are similar 
to many of the Shrubby Spiraeas, to which the species 
under notice is closely allied. - The flowers are, however, 
much larger individually than those of a Spiraea, pure 
white, and borne in racemes at the end of the short 
lateral branches. With the exception of the danger 
from spring frosts, it proves perfectly hardy, for plants 
exposed last winter do not seem to have been much 
hurt, and are now flowering freely, being very 
ornamental. 
-- 
WINTRY WEATHER IN MAY. 
Ax intensely sharp white frost was experienced all 
round London on Whit-Sunday morning early. The 
preceding two days had been marked by cold, 
northerly wind-storms, accompanied with rain and hail. 
Apparently nothing tender escaped, as those who had 
sown Runner and Dwarf Beans too early found to their 
cost. The frost affords fresh evidence, if any were 
needed, that no tender things are safe outside till the 
end of May. We trust no harm has been done to the 
fruit bloom. Mr. R. J. Humphries, writing on the 
17th inst. from The Lodge, Parkstone, Dorset, reports 
a severe frost in that district on the same morning, 
which has cut down Potatos, Runner Beans, &c. A 
heavy downfall of rain and snow was experienced the 
previous day. 
Weather experienced in East Yorkshire : Saturday 
and Sunday, May 9th and 10th, strong cold north¬ 
easterly winds, with driving showers of rain ; 11th, a 
fine bright day ; 12th and 13th, two splendid days, 
thermometer 72° in the shade ; 14th, colder ; 15th, 
thunder ; 16th, snow showers, the thermometer regis¬ 
tered during the night, 12° of frost; 17th, frequent 
snow showers, clear frosty night, minimum 13° of frost; 
18th, cold bright day, night, 9° of frost. The destruc¬ 
tive result of those sharp frosts is indeed pitiable to 
witness. Acres of Potatos killed to the ground ; 
Rhubarb stalks frozen through ; Asparagus, hanging 
black and soft. Amongst flowers, the stems of Dielytra 
frozen through ; Spirasas killed to the ground. On 
Pears, Plums, Cherries and Currants there was a 
splendid show of bloom, and Gooseberries were well 
set and of the size of Peas ; many are soft and turning 
black. Apples are not yet in bloom ; the foliage is 
well covering the fruit buds, so there is a hope that 
some may be saved .—Robert C. Kingston, Branting- 
ham Thorpe, Brough, East Yorkshire, May 19 th. 
We had 5° of frost on Monday morning, the 18th. 
Potatos suffered severely, and Kidney Beans are com¬ 
pletely destroyed. The Apple trees, which were in full 
bloom, suffered most severely, and several of the tender 
annuals have got a severe check .—James L. McKellar, 
The Castle Gardens, Burrow, Queen’s Co. Ireland, 
May \Dth. 
After two days of biting winds and furious hail¬ 
storms I awoke on Whit-Monday morning to find the 
earth covered with snow. The trees and shrubs were 
so laden with it that we had to take poles to lighten 
those that were prostrated, for fear of their being 
broken or mutilated with the heavy weight. Fruit 
bushes as well as shrubs were almost flat on the ground, 
and all crops were covered up. Peas, Broad Beans, 
Cabbages, Potatos, &c., all bent down, and the young 
shoots on the Raspberry canes, Currants, Ro.ses, and 
other things are broken off almost wholesale. In this 
neighbourhoood there are a great number of orchards, 
and Cherry trees are especially abundant and now 
laden with bloom. These were also as perfectly 
covered and weighed down with snow as they were in 
any part of the winter. It must cause a great deal of 
the bloom and fresh set fruit to perish. Apparently it 
snowed for many hours without intermission, by the 
great bulk that lay over the whole face of the country. 
Happily it did not subsequently freeze, but thawed, 
causing a perfect slop on all roads and paths. 
The effects of such severe winter weather within 
fourteen days of the month of June will soon be seen 
by all owners and occupiers of gardens. On some days 
last week the weather was exceptionally hot ; on the 
13th inst. the thermometer rose to 78°. To all 
appearance we were going to have a continuance of it, 
and placed the bulk of our bedding-out plants outside 
with only a light protection. To-day we have to get 
them all under cover in sheds or outhouses that can 
be spared to put them in. Such weather in May has 
hardly ever been seen before here, even by the oldest 
inhabitant, but I remember a great fall of snow on the 
10th of May, 1852 or 1853, when living in Flintshire. 
At that time plants that were placed outside under 
trees had to be got under cover again, the same as I 
have had to do to-day. Some old residents talk of a 
frost on the 29th of May some years ago (the year they 
all seem to forget), but snow to such a depth was never 
experienced. Happily it has been thawing most of 
this afternoon, and to-night the snow is only seen in 
rows under hedges and walls. We are something over 
310 ft. above sea level. — T. TV., Yelverton, Norfolk, 
May 19 th, 1891. 
- >X< »- 
NARCISSUS INTERMEDIUS. 
Ix general appearance this species resembles a small- 
flowered form of Narcissus Tazetta ; but there are 
smaller varieties of the latter, however, in cultivation. 
The leaves of N. Tazetta are, however, broad and flat, 
whereas in N. intermedius they are narrow, and so 
much incurved at the sides as to be almost sub-terete. 
The perianth segments are lemon coloured, and more or 
less imbricated at the base, while the small cup-shaped 
corona deepens to orange-yellow. In the type, as 
shown in the accompanying illustration, the corona is 
entire, but there are varieties in which it is more or less 
deeply divided. From four to ten of these flowers are 
borne in an umbel, so that the species is not only pretty, 
but affords a succession to most of the other Narcissi, 
which are now mostly out of bloom. It is now at its 
best, and is accompanied by the late-flowering form of 
N. Tazetta, its nearest relation. In the matter of soil 
it is not particular, provided it is friable and well 
drained. Good cultivation will, however, improve it, 
and encourage the development of a larger number of 
flowers on the stem. As the bulbs get strong, this will 
also follow as a result. 
- »>K -°- 
THE SNOWY MESPILUS. 
This beautiful little tree enjoys a multiplicity of 
names, both botanical and popular. The most correct, 
probably, is Amelanchier canadensis, but it is also very 
frequently called A. Botryapium in gardens. It was 
originally introduced from Canada in 1746, and is said 
to attain a height of 6 ft. or 8 ft. Probably, however, 
there are relatively few trees of it in Britain which 
have been allowed to attain any size. A fine specimen 
may be seen at Kingston in a villa garden on the banks 
of the Thames. The trunk is straight, clean, and sur¬ 
mounted by a globular head, the whole being about. 
20 ft. to 25 ft. high, and now laden with its masses of 
snowy white bloom, to which the popular name refers. 
The flowering period cannot be considered of long 
duration, but to that the fruiting stage succeeds, 
to be followed by the colour of the fading foliage, 
glorious in decay. The fruit is purple, and constitutes 
tolerably agreeable eating (if the birds allow it to ripen) 
either in the raw state or cooked and used in the 
form of tarts, puddings, and pies. 
