572 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 4, 1895. 
and glasses of water, using a blackboard in order to 
make all technical terms as plain and easily under¬ 
stood as possible. It was a very interesting gather¬ 
ing, and the order and attention shown by the child¬ 
ren reflected great credit upon the masters 
in the schools. Later on, certain questions—eleven 
in number—based upon my address and one given 
bv the secretary of the society, were set down on 
paper and the children invited to reply to them. 
About forty of these papers were filled up and sent 
in, and they were forwarded to Ealing to me, so that 
I might go through them and award them marks, 
which I did ; and I think the replies on the whole 
showed that the children had paid great attention to 
the instruction they had received. 
The spring exhibition took place at the Davenant 
Schools, just off the Whitechapel Road, on the i8th 
inst., but the date was too late, as many of the 
Hyacinths, Narcissi, and Tulips had gone out of 
bloom ; Crocus and Scilla wholly so ; but there was 
evidence that many of them had been well grown ; and 
I had seen the bulk of those which had flowered at the 
People's Palace Horticultural Society, Mile End 
Road, at the end of March, when several prizes were 
awarded to them. 
I attended the spring show as judge, it being held 
in the evening, and again talked to the youngsters, 
taking as my subject the replies given on the papers 
alluded to above ; and they were very attentive and 
well-behaved. On a table in the centre of the room 
were a number of plants for sale to the children for 
exhibition in July, and I was afterwards informed 
by the excellent and energetic Hon. Secretary, Mr. 
F. A. Peaty, of 26, Clarke Street, Stepney, that he 
sold 155 at one penny each, many of them being 
worth sixpence and more. These plants will be duly 
sealed and registered for exhibition in July. Each 
child who competes pays an entrance fee of twopence, 
and this covers all the expense to which an exhibitor 
is put at the time of competing. Each competitor 
has to hand in a signed declaration that the plant has 
been honestly grown by him or her. I was sorry to 
learn that this most useful society has to suffer for 
want of subscriptions. More is the pity, for it is 
doing good work and should have ample encourage¬ 
ment.— R. D. 
-™ - - 
THE GREAT FROST 
OF 1895. 
“ The Frost of January and February, 1895, over the 
British Isles,' ’ was the subject of a recent lecture before 
the members of the Royal Meteorological Society, at 
12, Great George Street, Westminster, by Messrs. F. 
Campbell Bayard and William Marriott. Mr. 
Marriott, who read the paper, said the cold period 
which commenced on December 30th, and terminated 
on March 5th, was broken by a week’s mild weather 
from January 14th to 21st, otherwise there would have 
been continuous frost for sixty-six days. Temperature 
below io Q Fahr., and in some cases below zero, were 
recorded in parts of England and Scotland, between 
January 8th and 13th, while from the 26th to the 31st, 
and from February 5th to 20th, temperatures below 
io° occurred on every day in some parts of the 
British Isles. The coldest days were February 
8th to 10th. The lowest temperatures recorded 
were 17 9 at Braemar, and 11 0 at Buxton 
and Drumlanrig. The mean temperature of the 
British Isles for January was about 7 0 , and for 
February from n° to 14 0 below the average, while 
the mean temperature for the period from January 
26th to February igth was from 14° to 20 c below the 
average. The distribution of atmospheric pressure 
was almost entirely the reverse of the normal, the 
barometer being highest in the north, and lowest in 
the south, the result being a continuance of strong 
northerly and easterly winds. The effect of the cold 
on the public health was very great, especially on 
young children and old people. The number of 
deaths in London due to diseases of the respiratory 
organs rapidly increased from February 2nd to 
March 2nd, when the weekly number was 1,448, 
or 945 above the average. Rivers and lakes were 
frozen, the ice being more than 10 in. thick. The 
frost would long be remembered for its effect on the 
water-pipes all over the country, in many cases 
householders being without water for more than nine 
weeks. As the result of inquiries the authors found 
that mains had frozen which had been laid as low as 
3ft. 6in from the surface of the ground to the top 
of the pipe. It appeared, however, with the depth 
to which the frost penetrated than the intensity of 
the frost itself. From a comparison cf previous 
records the authors were of opinion that the recent 
frost was more severe than any since 1814. 
ALPINE FLOWERS UNDER GLASS. 
It does not fall to the lot cf every lover of Alpine 
flowers to possess conveniences whereby he may 
grow them in a miniature of their natural surround¬ 
ings; for a rockery capable of containing many 
plants calls for a lot of room if it is to be erected 
properly, and even when it is made the number of 
plants it is capable of containing is after all not very 
great in comparison to the space it occupies. Con¬ 
sequently the culture of Alpine plants in pots is a 
method of procedure that has much to recommend 
it to the favourable notice of those with whom space 
is of the limited order of things. Within the space 
enclosed by one or two cold frames may be accom¬ 
modated a host of subjects which, as they come into 
flower, may be removed to the show-house. A word 
of caution with regard to the arrangement of Alpine 
plants in such a house is, however, very necessary, 
for in many instances we come across plants which 
have had their appearance well-nigh spoiled by the 
way in which they have been arranged, or rather 
mis-arranged. In no case should the formal bank¬ 
like form of staging be attempted; but each plant 
must be given full room to show itself off properly, 
whilst a certain irregularity of outline is a desirable 
feature. Just as in their native wilds these simple 
flowers appeal so strongly to the taste of lovers of the 
beautiful, and as if conscious that to grow in tufts or 
clumps is their only chance of having their beauties 
recognised, so when growing them in pots they 
should always be grouped together in batches, for if 
staged as isolated specimens with undesirable 
regularity much of the effect that is obtained by the 
adoption of the more natural method is lost. 
To those who are interested in the culture of 
Alpines in pots a visit to the Alpine house at Kew is 
both instructive and profitable, for here, within a 
few feet of area, are gathered together quite a host 
of floral gems. At the present time an especially 
comprehensive collection of plants are in flower, in 
which the Muscaris or Grape Hyacinths are occupy¬ 
ing a conspicuous position. In addition to the well- 
known M. botryoides, M. grandiflorum is in fine 
condition, the lower flowers of the spike being so 
very much darker and deeper blue than the higher 
ones as to render the plant extremely noticeable. 
M. atlanticum, M. Hedreichii, M. conicum, and M. 
neglectum are all well represented, and although the 
flowers are rather stiff and formal in appearance 
this defect is amply compensated for by the brilliant 
blue of their flowers. Whether grown out-of-doors 
in the rockery or under glass in pots the Grape 
Hyacinths are exceedingly useful and showy plants. 
Primulas are well to the fore, and comprise such 
plants as P. alpina, P. rosea, P. Clusiana, and P. 
ciliata purpurea, the last mentioned having rich 
purple flowers of large size produced in huge 
umbels, this mass of colour contrasting well with the 
dark green, thick and succulent leaves. P. marginata 
is also both pretty and distinct, and whether in 
flower or out of flower is very attractive, as the 
leaves are dusted over with a light golden-yellow 
powder, this more especially in the younger stages, 
whilst the margins have also a yellow line running 
round them that adds much to the charm of the 
plant. 
Rather more curious than pretty is the little 
Fritillaria dasyphylla with its small dull yellow 
flowers, tinted brown on the outside of the seg¬ 
ments. The popular Gentiana verna with its 
wonderful blue flowers is also not without its 
representatives. What other plant have we exhibit¬ 
ing such an intense and vivid blue ? Several Tulips 
deserve special mention. T. cuspidata, with its 
rich crimson-scarlet flowers, is worthy of all praise, 
likewise T. Leichtlinii, in which the segments are 
creamy-yellow in colour a bronzy-salmoa tint being 
very apparent on the outsides. Triteleia (Brodiaea) 
uniflora at the time of my visit was responsible for 
a fine display. The segments of the perianth are 
white, tinted blue at the tips, a line of similar hue 
running down each segment. This plant is a native 
of Buenos Ayres, and to those who are on the look¬ 
out for easily grown and showy subjects it is worthy 
a little attention. A desirable little variety of our 
common Wood Anemone, A. nemorosa Robinsoni- 
ana, is a distinct departure from its type, and its 
pretty light blue flowers contrast very favourably 
with the pure white ones of our British wildling, 
batches of which were peeping like stars at the 
passers-by from amongst the stumps and stones in 
the hardy fernery. 
A very pretty member of its genus is Saxifraga 
geranioides, a native of the Pyrenees, although it is 
of rather loosely-growing habit. Other Saxifrages 
which call for a note of admiration were S. mar¬ 
ginata, with its pretty white flowers barely 4 in in 
height ; S. acanthifolia, which grows about a foot in 
height, also bearing white flowers; and the yellow 
flowered S. iratina. Such plants as the tiny 
Alyssum podolicum, A. pyrenaicum, Androsace 
carnea, A. obtusifolia, Noccaea alpina, Scilla 
italica, Soldanella montana, Ranunculus pyrenaeus, 
R. amplexicaulis, Polemonium pulchellum var. 
humile, Aubrietia tauricola, Myosotis caespitosa 
Rehrsteineri, and the lovely little Armeria caespitosa, 
a native of Portugal, with its exceedingly dwarf 
habit and delicate pink flowers, all combined to 
augment the charm attaching to a collection 
sufficiently beautiful to keep the lover of Alpine 
plants busy, interested, and happy for some con¬ 
siderable time in observing and noting the varied 
charms they display so ungrudgingly.— G. 
- •!» — 
Hardening Miscellany. 
CARNATIONS. 
We are commencing another season in the cultiva¬ 
tion of this charming genus, and I opine that taking 
into consideration the vast number of professionals 
and amateurs engaged in the raising of novelties 
that this year will prove to be a very prolific one in 
the proiuction of grand and choice examples, sur¬ 
passing all that may have been seen before. I am 
speaking more particularly of pot and border 
Carnations, which have far more attractive qualifi¬ 
cations to please the general public than the purely 
florist's varieties, more especially those varieties 
which possess the seductive property of exquisite 
fragrance, which is at all times one of the most 
acceptable charms of this popular flower. Plants 
sown last year are now beginning to flower, and I 
send a bloom of one of my first. It is the result of 
a cross on a crimson Malmaison with pollen from 
seedling yellows. I have a variety of colours, and 
some of the flowers (if spared) I may produce 
subsequently. —George Fry, Lewisham. 
AMHERSTIA NOBILIS. 
This magnificent tropical tree is at the present time 
in full flower in the Aroid House at Kew, and is 
indeed both a glorious and an interesting spectacle, 
and one that no one interested in plants from tropical 
climes should suffer to pass without seeing. From 
the tropics at various times come glowing reports of 
the magnificent sight that the tree presents when in 
bloom—a picture which it is said surpasses all efforts of 
the tongue or pen to describe. A peep at the Kew 
specimen, which itself carries a goodly quantity of the 
long pendulous racemes of the vermilion coloured 
flowers,will,however, help to convey to the minds of 
those less favoured individuals to whom it is denied 
to see the tree in all its full grandeur in its native 
habitats some little idea of the grand appearance it 
must present during its flowering period. Although 
the flowers are so showy they are of an exceedingly 
ephemeral character. The plant revels in a high 
temperature with plenty of moisture both at the root 
and in the atmosphere. 
DOUBLE AURICULAS. 
Semi-double forms of the Chinese Primula are 
already raised in large numbers from seed, but 
double Auriculas are very much more rare and not 
at all known to the general public. Mr. C. B. Green, 
of Acton, in the small amount of space at command 
and in a thickly populated district has raised a batch 
of seedlings showing a considerable variety of colour 
from a soft lilac or pink to dark brown and umber. 
The lighter colours are the most pleasing though not 
always the most fully double, for there are all degrees 
of it as might be expected. To get particular shades 
of colour and fulness of flower, the work of seed 
raising must be continued and the best selected 
named and propagated by division as in the case of 
the ordinary exhibition varieties. Besides the 
doubles, Mr. Green has also raised a considerable 
quantity of show and Alpine kinds which are very 
variable in colour and also profuse in the quantity of 
bloom as plants so raised usually are. They can be 
utilized for conservatory work or planted out in the 
garden ; but the neighbourhood of a thickly populated 
district seems unfavourable to outdoor culture, and 
many losses occur in winter. Under glass this can 
to a great extent be avoided, with more satisfactory 
results generally. 
