692 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 29,1895. 
business and pleasure. It must indeed be 
a boon to city people as well as a veritable 
holiday. They become squatters for the 
time being, just as in the case of the hop- 
pickers later on, and as the shades of 
gloaming are falling, one may note the 
flicker of their camp fires round the edges 
of the field. 
Some peculiarities of the season may be 
noted, and prominent amongst these is the 
fact that the harvest must necessarily be of 
short duration owing to the uncommonly 
dry character of the weather even in this 
favoured part of England. The size of the 
individual fruits is smaller than usual, but 
the first picking or two leaves little to be 
desired even on this score, where the land 
is naturally fertile and fairly moist below. 
There is a complaint, however, that the 
fruits are not assuming their wonted 
brightness or depth of colour—a fact which 
may be noted in the shops and stalls of the 
markets in London. The dry weather is 
supposed to be accountable for this 
deficiency although it cannot be explained 
very clearly. The bulk of the marketable 
Strawberries still consists of Sir Joseph 
Paxton, but newer and earlier varieties are 
being planted and increased. The dry 
weather is particularly favourable to Noble, 
for the fruits are firmer and carry better 
than in wet seasons, when they get smashed 
and greatly destroyed in transit to market 
owing to their softness and perishable 
character. One cultivator said he had 
twenty new varieties under trial including 
a very prolific American variety which, 
however, is partly dioecious and requires 
some other sort to be planted alongside of 
it to furnish the pollen necessary to insure 
fertilisation. Some of the new varieties, 
such as Royal Sovereign, threaten to make 
Strawberries too productive and unremun- 
erative. The moral evidently is to make 
smaller plantations and secure present 
results, reserving the rest of the farm for 
something else. Surely this must be re¬ 
garded as evidence of progressive horti¬ 
culture, and a triumph of modern gardening. 
--—- 
Kent Cherries.—The first consignment of Kent 
Cherries was sent to London on the 22nd inst. 
Mr. W. J. Giiks has been appointed gardener and 
Orchid grower to H. Smith, Esq., Summerhill, 
Kingswinford, Staffs. 
Mr. Brown, the head gardener at Kennington Park, 
has been presented by the residents in the district 
with an illuminated address expressive of their 
appreciation of his good work in the park under his 
charge. 
Gardening Appointment.—Mr. Hugh F. McMillan, 
of the Royal Gardens, Kew, has been appointed 
Curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, 
Ceylon. He sailed on the 25th inst. 
A Nurseryman'as Magistrate.—Mr. P. C. M. Veitch, 
of the firm of Messrs. Robert Veitch & Sons, Royal 
Nurseries, Exeter, was recently made a Magistrate 
and Justice of the Peace for the City of Exeter. 
Next Year’s Bulbs.—Hyacinths in Holland are 
doing badly, and the blooming quality of the bulbs 
for the ensuing year, will, it is said, be in¬ 
different. If that is the case, first quality bulbs will 
be dearer than last year, unless the prophets are all 
wrong. 
Snow in June.—On the nth inst. a thunderstorm 
raged over several parts of Aberdeenshire and snow 
fell at Longside and other places. In the Badenoch 
district of Inverness snow lay heavily on the hill 
tops on the morning of the 12th, and more snow 
with showers of sleet fell during the day. Fears 
were entertained for the safety of the Potato crops if 
frost should intervene during the night. At Inchan- 
down, near Invergorden in Ross, snow also lay while 
the wind was bitterly cold. During the day Ben 
Wyvis was white. Ben Nevis was covered with a 
resh fall of snow on the 10th and nth inst. 
A new early flowering Rose.—A new rose has been 
ntroduced by M. deVilmorin, of Paris. It is dwarf, 
and the flowers are of the small pompon type. But 
its most remarkable feature is its rapid growth. 
Seeds may be sown in the middle of January, and 
the plant will be in flower in the middle of April. 
Indeed, M. de Vilmorin has obtained flowers in con¬ 
siderably less time. It is the result of cross-breeding 
with Japanese plants, and careful selection. 
Strawberry Crop in Devon.—The Strawberry crop 
in the Beerferris district is the heaviest the growers 
have had for some years. The fruit is of fair size. 
Destructive Frost at Northallerton.—On the night 
of the 14th inst. a severe frost prevailed at North¬ 
allerton, which wrought sad havoc amongst 
Potatoes, Vegetable Marrows, Dahlias, and other 
tender outdoor plants. Four degrees of frost were 
registered, and some acres of Potatoes in exposed 
situations have been blighted. 
Strawberries and vegetables in the far North.—Ripe 
Strawberries were picked at Burdshaugh, on the 12th 
inst., and at Kincorth, on the 15th ; both places are 
in the neighbourhood of Forres. Peas and garden 
Turnips were gathered for use at Invergordon, Ross, 
Scotland, on the 14th, and a bountiful and well 
developed crop of garden Potatos was ready to hand 
at Fortrose, in the same county, by the same date. 
The season in the north of Scotland is generally 
reckoned to be four or five weeks behind that of the 
south of England. 
Gooseberry and Currant Sawfly.—On Friday, May 
10th, about 6.30 p m., it was noticed that the Goose¬ 
berry bushes on a plot of about forty rods at the 
Essex Industrial School were badly attacked by the 
caterpillars of the saw-fly. Immediately this was 
discovered a number of boys was set to pick off the 
grubs. This was continued on Saturday, and by the 
evening they had collected about thirty pounds of 
the caterpillars. Half of the bushes were sprayed 
with one insecticide, and the other half with another 
antidote. The boys were set to pick the bushes 
again on the 13th, 14th, and 15th getting only a few 
caterpillars, and by the end of the week practically 
no caterpillars were to be found as reported in 
Biology Notes. 
Market Gardeners’ Compensation.—The Earl of 
Dudley, in moving the second reading of this Bill, 
explained that it had passed the House of Commons 
without opposition. Its object was merely to extend 
the conditions of the Agricultural Holdings Act, 
especially with reference to compensation, to certain 
cases of market gardeners which were not provided 
for by the Act.—Lord Carrington, on behalf of the 
Government, assented to the second reading.— The 
Marquis of Salisbury said that the Bill, subject to a 
more carefuTconsideration of its details in Committee 
than was ordinarily given, was one the general 
tenour of which he regarded as high beneficial.—The 
Bill was read a second time. 
Tuberous Begonias in America.—Concerning this 
useful class of plants, “ A.L.” in American Gardening, 
says:—“The advent of the tuberous Begonia 
was hailed with joy, because it is one of the most 
satisfactory plants in the garden, and it is hardly 
less valuable as a house plant. For show we have 
nothing to compare with it, neither have we a plant 
that is so thoroughly at home in sunshine or in 
storm, as this. The second year of its cultivation in 
this country, we called at a florist’s, where it was 
being grown as an experiment, and asked the grower 
how he liked it. His reply was : “ It is the grandest 
flower ever introduced into this country.” Asked 
how it compared with the Pelargonium for bedding 
out in masses, he replied : “ There is no comparison 
between them. Take it,” said he, " after a shower, 
and it looks like a duck, while a bed of Pelargoniums 
looks like a wet hen.” The comparison was an 
honest opinion plainly expressed. Whatever it 
lacked in beauty it made up in force, for that is pre¬ 
cisely the difference between the two.” 
Revival of the Newcastle Rose Society.—As we have 
strongly urged the desirability of reviving the New¬ 
castle Rose and Horticultural Society, both in the 
interests of the many working-men Rose-growers there 
are in theborough, to afford them encouragement, and 
to furnish a pleasant exhibition attractive to those who 
love the “Queen of flowers,” but are not personally 
engaged in its cultivation, we feel satisfaction that 
the movement is likely to achieve success. We have 
all along felt sure that if there could be a shaking 
out of the supineness which appears to creep over so 
many good agencies in Newcastle, if interest is 
allowed to s'acken for a time, we should see the 
Horticultural Exhibitions again. It would be well 
if in the next revival the Society is put upon as sound 
a basis as possible, so as to shut off any appioach to 
the ephemeral in character. 
Hailstorm Insurance Corporation, Ltd. —The 
Statutory General Meeting of The Nurserymen, 
Market Gardeners, and General Hailstorm Insurance 
Corporation, Limited, was held at Simpson’s, Ltd., 
Strand, on Friday, 21st June, 1895. The chairman 
(Mr. Harry J. Veitch), reported that the shares had 
been applied for freely thus providing perfect 
security for policy holders. Though established only 
four months, 100 policies had been issued on 6,720,832 
square feet of glass valued at ^80,542 2s. 8d. and pro¬ 
ducing /415 ns. 8d. in premiums. This amountwould 
be considerably augmented by the midsummer and 
Michaelmas business. No claims had yet been 
received. The capital had been invested in Govern¬ 
ment Stock. Twenty-six agents had already 
been appointed in the United Kingdom. The Cor¬ 
poration directors would take no remuneration in 
any year when less than 5 per cent, cn the subscribed 
capital was made, and then only such sum as the 
shareholders in general meeting voted to them. 
From the tone of the meeting the report was con¬ 
sidered very satisfactory. Messrs. Harry J. Veitch, 
James Sweet and James Webber were appointed 
trustees, and the meeting closed with a unanimous 
vote of thanks to the chairman. 
Tooting, Balhain, and Mitcham Horticultural 
Society.—This flourishing local association is 
specially interesting to lovers and growers of fruit, 
flowers, and vegetables, and the monthly meeting 
held on Thursday last, at Ye Olde Bell Coffee Palace, 
Tooting, was intended to be of service to amateurs, 
a paper read on " Orchids for Amateurs ” being so 
comprehensively written by Mr. A. B. Greenfield that 
it was useful even to professionals like Mr. Stott, the 
critical and practical secretary of the Society. Those 
who wish to gain information on gardening, and to 
win (possibly) one of the many prizes offered to local 
cultivators of the soil, should write to Mr. Stott for 
the rules and regulations of the Society, his address 
being “ The Laurels,” High Road, Tooting. The 
more gardeners we have, the better for everybody. 
The annual exhibition of Chrysanthemums, and 
other flowers, fruits, and vegetables will take place 
in November. 
Shirley Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Associ¬ 
ation.—The monthly meeting was held at the Parish 
Room, Shirley, on the 17th inst., when the chair 
was taken by Mr. B. Ladhams, F.R.H.S., and there 
was a good attendance of the members. Mr. G. E. 
Axford, florist, Fair Oak, gave a paper on the 
“ Cultivation of Roses under Glass,” which was very 
interesting, be being a grower for market on a large 
scale. A discussion ensued on the merits of Roses 
on their own roots versus budding on the various 
kinds of stocks, and the different methods of com¬ 
bating insect pests. A small show of cut Roses was 
held previous to the meeting, and there were eight 
competitors for three small prizes for the best twelve 
blooms, which were awarded to Messrs. VerdoD, 
Tubbs, and Hallett respectively. A Certificate of 
Merit was awarded to Mr. W. Burrougli Hill, and Mr. 
W. H. Rogers, J.P. and Mr. C. Ingram were highly 
commended for their exhibits of cut Roses. Certi¬ 
ficates of Merit were awarded to Mr. B. Ladhams fer 
hardy perennials, cut Roses, &c., to Mr. C. Dymott, 
for seedling Pelargoniums of dwarf habit, “ Harry 
Dymok,” and to Mr, H. Curtis for Ferns. A vote 
of thanks to the exhibitors and to Mr. Axford closed 
a pleasant evening. Mr. E. Molyneux and Mr. 
Axford judged the exhibits. 
-. 1 —- 
SEED MERCHANTS AT CRICKET. 
HURSTS v. SUTTONS. 
Played at Reading on Wednesday, 19th inst,, and 
resulted in a win for Hurst & Son by 66 runs. This 
is the first defeat sustained by Suttons' C.C. this 
season. Messrs. Sutton & Son provided a splendid 
lunch, also tea, and a more enjoyable day could not 
have been spent anywhere, and both firms are to be 
congratulated on what is now to be an annual 
fixture. The presence of Mr. Martin Hope Sutton 
added greatly to the interest of the game, he not 
having been present during a match for many years. 
The chair at luncheon was taken by Mr. Arthur 
Sutton, and Mr. N. N. Sherwood returned thanks 
on behalf of Hurst & Son. Amongst the visitors 
present of both firms we noticed Mr. J. Kay, Mrs. 
