8 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  4,  19C0. 
Ebcent  Weather  in  London. — The  closing  days  of  1899  were 
particularly  pleasant,  the  sun  shining  brilliantly  for  several  hours.  The 
early  hours  of  the  new  year,  however,  brought  a  change  in  the  form  of 
a  heavy  fog,  which  was  followed  on  the  evening  of  Monday,  Tueday, 
and  Wednesday  with  heavy  rain. 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — The  last  fortnight  of  the  year 
was  marked  by  variable  weather.  Up  to  the  23rd  ult.  dull  days 
with  sleety  showers  were  occasionally  brightened  by  gleams  of  sun¬ 
shine.  Frost  then  set  in,  which  increased  in  intensity  till  the  28th, 
when  23°  were  recorded.  Thaw  followed  on  the  afternoon  of  that 
day,  and  the  year  closed  with  three  days  of  cold  highish  winds  and 
drizzly  showers.  New  Year’s  Day  was  dull  and  cold,  4°  of  frost  being 
registered  in  the  morning. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire 
-  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society. — The  first  meeting  of  the 
Committees  of  the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society  in  1900  will  be  held  as 
usual  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James’  Street,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday, 
January  9th,  1  to  4  p.m.  The  Scientific  Committee  will  meet  in  the 
library  on  the  same  day  at  4  p.m. 
■ -  The  Epping  Forest  Committee. — On  the  motion  of  Mr. 
Edward  North  Buxton,  J.P.,  it  has  been  resolved  that  the  members 
of  the  Committee  express  their  great  indebtedness  to  Mr.  John  Lobb 
for  the  admirable  manner  in  which  he  has  fulfilled  the  requirements 
of  his  office.  He  has  exhibited,  the  resolution  states,  an  earnest 
desire  for  the  welfare  of  the  Forest,  and  the  interests  of  the  public 
therein,  and  has  devoted  much  valuable  time  and  unremitting  attention 
to  the  work  of  the  Committee.  By  the  able,  urbane,  and  impartial 
manner  in  which  he  has  presided  over  their  deliberations,  he  has 
greatly  aided  his  colleagues,  and  fully  earned  their  hearty  acknowledg¬ 
ments. 
-  The  Chiswick  Potato  Trial. — I  am  pleased  to  learn  that  it  is 
Mr.  S.  T.  Wright’s  intention  so  far  as  is  practicable  to  act  upon  a  sugges¬ 
tion  I  recently  made,  that  in  conducting  the  trial  of  early  Potatoes 
determined  upon  at  Chiswick  this  year,  planting  of  the  same  varieties 
early  and  late  in  rows  side  by  side  will  be  made,  so  that  apart 
from  the  merits  of  the  individual  variety,  the  best  time  for  planting 
may  be  tested  also.  All  those  who  purpose  sending  in  varieties  for 
trial,  and  only  quite  early  ones  should  be  so  sent,  should  not  only 
send  as  soon  as  possible,  but  also  sufficient  tubers  to  enable  this 
duplicate  planting  to  be  carried  out.  The  trial  would  in  such  case  be 
all  the  more  interesting.  There  are  very  many  first  early  varieties  in 
commerce,  the  merits  of  not  a  few  of  which  are  little  known.  It 
will  be  specially  interesting  to  note  how  far  from  out  of  the  legion  of 
new  varieties  the  old  Ashleaf  Kidney  maintains  its  reputation  for 
earliness.  The  trial  should,  if  growth  be  not  checked  by  frost,  prove 
to  be  one  of  exceptional  interest. — D. 
Peristeophe  speciosa. — About  three-quarters  of  a  century  has 
passed  since  this  plant  was  introduced  to  English  gardens,  and  like 
many  other  good  old  things  it  has  been  pushed  into  the  background  by 
more  recent  introductions.  That  it  is  worth  growing  is  apparent  from 
its  effective  appearance  in  the  few  places  where  it  is  well  grown.  It 
is  an  Indian  plant,  and  under  good  cultivation  makes  a  bush  from 
3  to  4  feet  high,  which  from  Christmas  onwards  for  eight  or  ten  weeks 
makes  a  very  fine  show  with  its  pretty  purple  flowers.  To  have  it  at 
its  best,  cuttings  should  be  rooted  each  year,  old  plants  being  thrown 
away.  Cuttings  may  be  inserted  in  sandy  soil  in  March ;  they  root 
readily,  and  require  growing  on  quickly  without  a  check  until  autumn. 
A  mixture  of  two  parts  loam  to  one  of  leaf  mould  and  one  of  decayed 
manure  is  a  suitable  compost,  and  7  or  8-inoh  pots  will  be  found  large 
enough  for  the  largest  plants.  Frequent  pinchings  will  be  found 
necessary  until  the  end  of  July.  When  the  pots  are  well  filled  with 
roots,  feeding  must  be  attended  to.  A  cool,  airy  house  is  the  best  place 
for  the  plants  after  they  have  become  established  in  their  final  pots, 
and  growth  should  be  completed  by  the  end  of  October.  Insect  pests 
must  be  well  looked  after,  as  one  of  the  most  important  things  is  to 
keep  the  leaves  healthy. — W.  D. 
-  Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  Jas.  Gibbins,  for  six  years 
general  foreman  at  Knowsley  Hall,  has  been  appointed  head  gardener 
to  the  Earl  of  Sefton,  Croxteth  Park. 
-  Liverpool  Horticultural  Association. — On  the  whole,  the 
Liverpool  Horticultural  Association  has  had  a  very  fair  year,  and 
the  annual  dinner,  which  is  to  take  place  at  the  celebrated  Bear’s 
Paw  Restaurant  on  Saturday,  January  20th,  is  certain  to  bring 
together  a  large  company.  No  better  musical  programme  could  be 
arranged  than  that  got  up  by  the  sub-committee.  The  speeches,  once 
so  full  of  interest,  have  disappeared  during  the  past  year  or  two, 
and  if  the  speakers  lacked  eloquence  I  could  have  understood  it, 
but  in  this  respect  Liverpool  can  hold  its  own,  and  a  few  toasts  are 
always  appropriate  at  least  once  a  year.  Not  only  as  a  member  of 
the  Committee,  but  as  a  representative  of  many  others,  I  would  ask 
those  responsible  to  revive  once  again  a  much  enjoyed  custom. — 
R.  P.  R. 
-  Judging  Melons. — How  unconsciously  has  Mr.  Temple  in  his 
note  on  this  subject  last  week  emphasised  the  need  for  tasting  Melons 
in  judging  them  when  he  said  that  the  task  was  disagreeable,  so  many 
badly  flavoured  fruits  to  be  tasted  often  producing  nausea.  Well,  I 
have  tasted  a  good  many,  and,  like  so  many  others,  have  not  swallowed 
the  flesh  of  an  offensive  Melon,  as  such  ordeal  was  needless.  But  what 
an  admission  of  the  generally  objectionable  character  of  Melons  shown 
for  prizes  is  thus  made,  and  what  a  strong  argument  is  thus  furnished 
in  opposition  to  granting  such  things  prizes  from  appearance  only.  I 
think  that  judges  who  do  adopt  the  tasting  test,  as  a  rule,  look  for 
something  besides  mere  sweetness.  They  look  for  soft,  pleasant  flesh, 
and  good  flavour.  If  these  things  are  not  found  in  Melons  the  faults 
lie  not  with  the  judges,  but  with  the  bad  culture  shown  in  producing 
them. — K. 
-  The  Banished  Eelworms. — When  the  Editor  wrote  his  short 
note  headed  “  Fungoid  Diseases  ”  on  page  565,  he  did  not,  I  fear¬ 
fully  expose  what  was  in  his  mind.  Doubtless  courtesy  towards 
friends  kept  him  in  restraint,  for  when  he  wrote  with  regard  to 
“  W.  B.’s  ”  intimation  that  he  had  with  a  mixture  of  Veltha  and 
phenyle  exterminated  the  eel  worm,  but  did  not  know  which  Ingredient 
did  the  business,  “  that  probably  Messrs.  Wood  and  Co.  would  favour 
Veltha,  and  Mr.  Abbey  phenyle.”  Whilst  the  ordinary  man  might 
exclaim,  “  A  plague  on  both  your  houses  !  it  was  neither  ingredient, 
but  it  was  the  whitewashing  and  the  fresh  soil  that  got  rid  of  the 
pests.”  Now  had  these  wonderful  chemical  remedies  been  applied  to 
the  old  eelworm  infested  soil,  and  “  soaked  ”  with  them,  and  as  a 
result  had  exterminated  the  worms,  what  a  triumph  would  it  have 
been  for  one  remedy  or  both.  But  soaking  fresh  soil  with  them,  that 
perhaps  was  entirely  fiee  from  the  pest,  seems  nothing  to  boast  of 
—A.  D. 
-  Reading  Gardeners’  Association. —  The  annual  general 
meeting  of  the  Reading  and  District  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Association  was  held  on  Monday  the  1st  inst.,  and  was  well  attended, 
the  President,  C.  B.  Stevens,  Esq.,  occupying  the  chair.  Before  the 
usual  business  was  commenced  the  President  announced  the  Judges’ 
awards  in  connection  with  the  Essays  arranged  during  1899.  They 
were  as  follows  : — “  The  Planting  of  a  Garden  with  Hardy  Fruit 
Trees  and  Bushes.”  (Open  to  all).  First,  Mr.  G.  Hinton,  The 
Gardens,  Walmer,  Reading.  Second,  Mr.  E.  Trollope,  The  Gardens,  ; 
Coombe  Lodge,  Whitchurch.  Third,  Mr.  C.  P.  Cretchley,  The  Gardens,  ; 
The  Honeys,  Twyford.  “  Plants  Suitable  for  Table  or  Room  Deco¬ 
ration,  and  their  Culture.”  (Open  to  assistant  gardeners  only).  First, 
Mr.  J.  Botley,  The  Gardens,  Blythewood,  Maidenhead.  Second,  Mr. 
C.  Townsend,  Whiteknights  Gardens,  Reading.  Third,  Mr.  T.  Pem¬ 
broke,  Greenlands  Gardens,  Reading.  The  adjudicators  were  Mr.  T. 
Turton,  Sherborne  Castle,  and  Mr.  J.  Hudson,  Gunnersbury  House. 
The  annual  report  and  balance-sheet  were  read  by  the  Secretary,  and 
proved  of  a  very  encouraging  character.  The  election  of  officers  for 
the  ensuing  year  was  then  proceeded  with.  A  feature  of  the  meeting 
was  a  magnificent  display  of  Primulas.  Mr.  Townsend,  The  Gardens, 
Sandhurst  Lodge,  showed  P.  obconica  rosea ;  and  Mr.  F.  Lever,  The 
Gardens,  Hillside,  sent  well  grown  P.  sinensis  in  small  pots,  as  well 
as  good  plants  of  Lachenalia  pendula.  Mr.  Wilson,  The  Gardens 
Redlands,  exhibited  well-coloured  specimens  of  Newton  Wonder  Apples. 
The  best  thanks  of  the  members  present  having  been  given  to  the 
exhibitors  and  to  the  past  officers,  the  first  meeting  of  1900  was 
brought  to  a  close. 
