THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 13, 1888. 
exposure to sun and air to ripen them. 
The fierce frosts of the early days of October 
have therefore proved to be not only an 
unusual experience in fruit culture, but have 
come at a season when, if they did harm, that 
harm would be specially intensified. We shall 
wait anxiously for information on this head, 
and trust to learn from our readers how far 
their yet hanging crops of these fruits may 
have suffered, or otherwise. 
Very likely some information will be 
forthcoming at Chiswick during the conference, 
and a paper upon the subject of hardiness of 
late Apples and Pears, as respects early autumn 
frosts, might prove of considerable value now. 
We cannot get over a difficulty of this sort 
by growing early sorts only; we have early 
varieties in abundance, and now want high-class 
late sorts to be as plentiful; but still we 
want to learn also how far these finer late 
kinds are fitted to endure such very unwonted 
visitations of frost as those which we have just 
experienced. 
The Frosts. —Alas, how fugitive are the 
joys and beauties of our gardens! When 
Shakespeare put into the mouth of Wolsey 
such dolorous language after his fall from 
power he could find no stronger illustration 
of the coldness and black ingratitude of the 
world than a sharp and all too blasting frost 
presented. We have been familiar long 
enough with the wiles of October, but the 
month has rarely played our gardens a scurvier 
trick than it did on the morning of the 2nd 
inst., when, with a temperature ranging from 
5° to 9° of frost, it did such terrible mischief 
to every thing tender in vegetation exposed 
to its force, and also to many things reput¬ 
ably hardy. 
Not content with hitting hard and harshly 
once, the frosts came again and again, until 
all that before had been but scarcely hurt was 
soon dead, and frozen into a rotten pulp. 
Nothing was done by halves, the destruction 
was as thorough as it was wholesale ; and with 
it came to an all too rapid end all of what 
beauty a treacherous summer had afforded. 
We may well hope that such a disaster will 
not discourage gardeners, although it is difficult 
to understand how it can do otherwise. We 
can complain of no one; we have no one 
responsible for this disaster upon whom to 
expend our spleen, and perhaps it is just 
as well that it is so, because we do but all 
the sooner learn to exhibit true philosophy, 
and strive to bear such misfortunes with 
equanimity. 
It is just possible that this sudden closing 
of the season of tender plants may in future 
years tend to check their considerable employ¬ 
ment in gardens. Still, there is the anticipa¬ 
tion that the experience of the present year 
—a very distressing experience—may not be 
repeated for many years hence, and let us 
cordially hope such may be the case. 
Governmental Generosity.— The public 
papers have recently informed readers that the 
annual distribution of plants from the London 
parks and gardens would take place, and that 
requests for the same were to be forwarded 
to the superintendents of these places. Let 
us charitably hope that this stereotyped 
announcement was prepared and issued to 
the press prior to the advent of the late 
frosts, although it was not published until 
after these visitations had played havoc 
amongst all ordinary bedding plants. It 
would be, indeed, very interesting to learn 
how many of such plants as are thus offered 
are accepted, how many get petted by the 
poor recipients, and, finally, how many survive 
the winter. 
Even when the plants have suffered no 
harm beyond what checks they must of 
necessity have received when roughly lifted from 
their beds—and that is a rude check indeed— 
it is very doubtful whether many survive 
the winter. It is difficult enough to keep 
plants thus lifted from beds about the middle 
of October, even in proper frames and green¬ 
houses, except there be artificial heat at 
command. How very difficult it must there¬ 
fore be for the London poor in their courts 
and alleys to preserve such plants alive 
becomes obvious. To many, we fear far too 
many, the given plants become but sources 
of ultimate disappointment. What, therefore, 
must be the value of tender plants, which 
have been hard frozen morning after morning, 
and are nearly as dead as plants can be 1 
The offer seems to be but a hollow mockery 
this year at least, and we regard it but poor 
generosity at any time. If there be any 
surplus plants left on hand in our public 
parks and gardens after the summer-bedding 
is completed, then would it be a really kindly 
act to present such to the poor, as they 
would have the summer before them, during 
which the plants would develop into size 
and beauty. 
Chrysanthemums.— Only last week we 
referred to the then probable bloom prospects 
of these plants, when we wrote no frosts had 
come to depreciate natural anticipations. A 
popular writer on the Chrysanthemum, as also 
a famous grower, only a few days since 
published the information that pot plants 
should be housed not later than the 8th of 
October. Very admirable advice for average 
seasons, but this year, ere the 8th of the month 
was reached, we had been visited some four 
or five times by sharp frosts, possibly making 
a total of from 20° to 30° cumulative, a 
fearful amount of cold for flower buds to be 
exposed to. Of course such was not the case, as 
hardly a plant intended to produce respectable 
flowers was by any intelligent grower permitted 
to remain outside one moment longer than 
was needful after the intense frosts of the 
morning of the 2nd inst. 
But even that one frost sufficed to do 
some harm, especially to the more developed 
buds, and some malformed flowers will 
certainly be seen presently. Let us hope that 
they may be few. Still, the warning thus 
given will have to be borne in mind during 
future years. The bitter frosts of the first 
week of October, 1888, will long be remembered 
by all gardeners, not only for the frightful 
mischief wrought amongst flowers, but 
Chrysanthemum growers especially will 
remember them as warnings that hence¬ 
forth October may not be trusted for a day, 
and if unable or too early to get plants 
under glass, that they should have for a 
week or two the protection at night of canvas 
roofs ; for that purpose they may be placed 
somewhat closer together, and beneath a frame¬ 
work of wood, or in front of a south wall, where 
the blinds employed in the spring to protect 
wall trees might be pulled out over some light 
rafters, beneath which the plants can be 
temporarily placed. Most certainly, henceforth, 
advice to house plants, or protect them, 
will date rather from the 1st of October than 
a week later. 
-- 
The Great York Gala of 1889 has been fixed to 
take place on June 18th, 19th, and 20th. 
Gardening Engagement. — Mr. J. T. Smith, at 
present gardener to the Earl of Crawford, Dunecht 
House, Aberdeenshire, has been engaged as head gar¬ 
dener and manager to the Dowager Countess of Seafield, 
Cullen House, Banffshire. Mr. Smith has long been 
known as a successful competitor at the Aberdeen flower 
shows, and otherwise as an ardent horticulturist. 
National Apple and Pear Conference. — The 
following arrangements have been made for this 
conference, which opens next week at Chiswick: — 
The fruit, which will comprise selections from the 
various districts, is to be staged early on Tuesday, 
and the conference will be opened by the council of the 
society at 3 p.m. On "Wednesday papers will be read 
by Mr. G. Bunyard on the “ Growth of Apples for 
Profit by Mr. William Paul on the “ Growth of 
Pears for Profitby Mr. T. Francis It ivers on 
“ Stocks for Apples and Pears by Mr. W. Wildsmith 
on the “Fewest Varieties of Apples and Pears necessary 
to insure supplies of ripe fruit from August to March 
“Pruning Apple and Pear Trees,” by Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd, Dr. Hogg being nominated to preside at the 
meeting. On Thursday the subjects are “ Canker in 
Fruit Trees,” by Mr. J. Douglas >nd Mr. E. Tonks ; 
the “ Enemies of the Apple and Pear, ” by Mr. J. Fraser ; 
“Varieties of Apples for Sussex, and their Culture in 
Heavy Clay Soils,” by Mr. J. Cheal ; “Renovation of 
Old and Formation of New Orchards in the Midlands,” 
by Mr. W. Coleman ; “Apples and Pears suitable for 
Cultivation in Scotland,” by Mr. M. Dunn, Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd presiding. On Friday the papers to he read 
are on “ Compensation for Orchard Planting,” by Mr. 
W. E. Bear ; “ Fruit Production and Distribution,” by 
Mr. E. J. Baillie ; “Railway Charges for Carriage,” by 
Mr. D. Tallerman, Mr. T. B. Haywood being nominated 
to preside on the occasion. The meetings are to 
commence at 1.30 on each day, and discussions are 
expected to follow the reading of each paper. Visitors 
from the country who propose attending the meetings 
may be reminded that the Gardens are within five 
minutes’ walk of the Acton Green station of the 
Metropolitan District Railway, and trains run in half 
an hour from the City stations every twenty minutes. 
Visitors from the south will find trains from Clapham 
Junction to Chiswick station, which is within a mile 
of the Gardens. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—At a meeting of the 
council, held on Tuesday, it was resolved that a special 
general meeting of the Fellows be held at 2 p.m. on 
Tuesday, November 13th, in the council room of the 
society, 111, Victoria Street, to discuss and pass the 
bye-laws. The secretary reported that during the 
recess he had received an application from the Mel¬ 
bourne Exhibition Commissioners for a representative 
collection of English-grown Apples and Pears to bo 
sent out to Australia for the exhibition, and that he 
had arranged to comply with this request immediately 
after the Chiswick Conference, in the hope that many 
of the exhibitors there would allow their specimens to 
be sent out to the colony for that purpose. 
National Chrysanthemum Society. — A general 
meeting of the members of this society will be held on 
Monday evening next, at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet 
Street, the chair to be taken at seven o’clock precisely. 
With reference to the provincial show of the society, to 
be held in Sheffield on November 16th and 17th, we 
may state that a Chrysanthemum conference will pro¬ 
bably be held on the evening of the first day, further 
particulars of which will be duly announced ; and also 
that visitors to Sheffield will be admitted after three on 
Friday, at half price, on presentation of the return half 
of the rail ticket. Arrangements have also been made 
with the Midland Railway Company to convey exhibits 
at owner’s risk, at single rate for the double journey, 
provided they remain the property of the exhibitor. 
Elementary Botany and the Principles of Gar¬ 
dening.—A course of ten lectures on Elementary 
Botany and the Principles of Gardening was commenced 
in the Lecture Hall of the Mechanics’ Institute, 
"Woolton, Liverpool, on Thursday, October 11th, and 
will be continued weekly until completed, by Mr. R. 
J. Harvey Gibson, M.A., lecturer on botany in the- 
University College, Liverpool. 
The Birmingham Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.—The first meeting of the autumn session 
was held at the Midland Institute on Tuesday evening, 
October 2nd. The president, Sir Thomas Martineau, 
occupied the chair, and more than 100 members were 
present. The president warmly congratulated the 
members upon the great success of the society, and the 
excellence of the programme for the autumn session. 
He likewise drew their attention to the valuable horti¬ 
cultural education which such societies and meetings 
must be giving to the younger members of the pro¬ 
fession. He remembered with very great pleasure 
presiding at the first meeting which was held to 
inaugurate that society, inasmuch as it was one of the 
most useful and successful societies that sprang into 
existence during the three years of his mayoralty. At 
the close of his remarks Mr. R. Parker, The Gardens, 
Impney Hall, Droitwich, gave a most practical, in¬ 
structive and interesting paper on “Essential Points 
in Connection with the Successful Cultivation of Our 
Hardy Fruits.” He dealt with his subject in an 
exhaustive manner, dwelling upon the importance of a 
wise selection of stocks, of the value of a high, dry and 
sheltered position, and a limited selection of such 
