136 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  OARDENEU. 
February  15,  1900. 
Timber  In  Victoria. — Mr.  Perrin,  the  Victorian  Conservator  of 
Forests,  reports  that  between  the  years  1888-89  and  1897-98,  615,603 
valuable  timber  trees  were  planted  by  hand  in  permanent  sites.  In 
addition  to  these  some  380,000  Blue  Gums  and  Sugar  Gums  are  thriving 
at  Havelock,  Majorca,  and  You  Tangs.  These,  however,  were  sown 
broadcast  and  thinned  out  afterwards.  The  number  of  applications  for 
surplus  stock  at  the  Macedon  nursery  continues  to  increase  year  by 
year.  Nearly  50,000  were  distributed  from  Macedon  during  1898.  The 
three  most  popular  trees  for  [the  northern  plains  are  the  Sugar  Gum, 
Pepper  tree,  and  Locust  tree,  and  to  these  may  be  added  the  Tallow 
Wood  of  New  South  Wales. 
Bristol  Gardeners’  Association. — The  fortnightly  meeting  of 
the  Society  was  held  at  St.  John’s  Parish  Room,  Redland,  on 
Thursday,  8th  inst.,  Mr.  W.  E.  Groves  presiding  over  a  good  attend, 
ance.  Mr.  Rogers  of  Staple  Hill  supplied  the  paper,  which  was 
on  the  subject  of  tuberous-rooted  Begonias.  Dealing  with  the  culture 
of  the  plant  in  a  very  skilful  manner,  he  said  seeds  should  be  sown  in 
January  in  a  temperature  of  60°  to  70°,  pricked  off  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  kept  potted  as  growth  proceeded.  The  soil  recommended  for  all 
stages  was  loam,  leaf  mould,  and  sand.  For  greenhouse  purposes 
the  plants  should  be  kept  in  a  light  house,  and  as  near  the  glass  as 
possible,  a  damp  atmosphere  being  the  best  for  them.  Mr.  Rogers 
strongly  urged  the  use  of  Begonias  for  bedding,  and  gave  much  valu¬ 
able  information  regarding  their  culture  for  this  purpose.  A  good 
discussion  followed,  and  Mr.  Rogers  was  accorded  hearty  thanks  for 
his  attendance.  Prizes  for  an  Orchid  in  bloom  were  awarded  Messrs. 
Bannister  and  Newberry  and  a  certificate  of  merit  to  Mr.  Maddock  for 
a  well  grown  pair  of  Cyclamens. 
Woolton  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society. — A 
well  attended  meeting,  comprising  the  best  of  the  gardeners  in  the 
Woolton  District,  met  together  in  the  Mechanics’  Institute  on  Thursday 
evening  to  hear  a  lecture  by  Mr.  Ducket  Cowan,  a  son  of  Mr.  John 
Cowan,  of  The  Nurseries,  Gateacre,  near  Liverpool.  The  chair  was 
occupied  by  Mr.  R.  Pinnington,  of  Roby.  In  introducing  Mr.  Ducket 
Cowan  to  give  his  lecture  on  “  Reminiscences  of  My  Travels  in  Collecting 
Orchids  in  South  America,”  the  Chairman  complimented  the  Secretary 
and  Committee  on  their  varied  programme  for  the  session.  Mr.  Cowan  at 
the  outset  briefly  described  his  journey  and  the  difficulty  he  had  owing  to 
his  arriving  at  the  time  of  the  revolution,  and  continuing  treated  his 
audience  to  a  most  interesting  dissertation,  in  which  all  the  most 
interesting  points  were  brought  into  conspicuous  prominence.  The 
lecture  was  a  great  success,  being  forcibly  delivered  and  heartily 
appreciated.  Prom  the  President’s  capital  collection  of  Orchids  came 
a  splendid  plant  of  the  Woolton  Wood  variety  of  Cypripedium  Leeanum 
with  twenty-four  flowers,  a  credit  to  the  owner  and  the  gardener, 
Mr.  Todd.  A  certificate  was  at  once  awarded.  Votes  of  thanks  to 
lecturer  and  Chairman  closed  the  meeting. 
Bxeter  Gardeners’  Association. — At  a  recent  meeting  of  the 
Devon  and  Exeter  Gardeners’  Association  a  paper  on  “  Gardening  as  a 
Profession,”  was  read  by  Mr.  G.  Camp,  gardener  to  Mr.  E.  Byrom  of 
Culver.  The  essayist,  in  dealing  with  the  gardening  profession  of 
the  present  day,  spoke  of  the  many  years  of  incessant  study  necessary 
to  qualify  the  young  gardener  in  the  many  branches  of  the  art.  He 
was  continually  under  the  influence  of  atmospheric  conditions  which 
physically  affected  him,  and  he  was,  moreover,  constantly  beset  with 
obstacles  that  taxed  his  time  and  patience.  The  gardener’s  position, 
however,  was  one  that  required  the  careful  consideration  of  all 
connected  with  it.  The  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution 
was  rendering  valuable  assistance  to  many  infirm  gardeners; 
but  the  funds  of  the  Society  were  by  no  means  adequate.  He 
expressed  surprise  that  so  few  gardeners  subscribed  to  that 
Institution.  Though  the  salaries  were  not  high,  each  could  contribute 
something.  He  expressed  the  idea  that  entertainments  could  be 
Buccessfully  carried  out  by  the  gardeners  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the 
Benevolent  Society.  In  conclusion,  Mr.  Camp  reviewed  the  great 
transformation  which  had  taken  place  in  horticulture  during  the  past 
century,  and  also  spoke  of  the  researches  that  were  continually  going 
on  in  every  part  of  the  globe  at  the  present  day.  Commenting  on 
the  improved  standard  of  excellence  of  the  produce  of  the  British 
gardener,  he  urged  that  the  time  had  come  when  greater  efforts 
should  be  made  on  behalf  of  the  profession,  either  independently  or 
by  strengthening  the  hands  of  the  Gardeners’  Benevolent  Institution. 
Mr.  Meyer  occupied  the  chair.  A  discussion  followed  the  reading  of 
the  paper,  and  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  the  essayist. 
Blrmlngbam  Gardeners’  Association. — Mr.  G.  Gordon,  V.M.H., 
delivered  a  lecture  entitled  “  Garden  Roses  ”  on  the  5th  inst.  before  a 
good  attendance  of  the  members.  Mr.  W.  B.  Latham  occupied  the 
chair.  After  a  comprehensive  exposition  on  the  cultivation  especi¬ 
ally  of  the  Hybrid  Perpetual  Rose,  including  the  pruning  of  climbing 
Roses,  and  for  which  a  sparing  use  of  the  knife  was  advocated,  a 
select  list  of  several  varieties  of  Roses  suitable  for  growing  near  towns 
and  smoky  districts,  adapted  for  cultivation  by  amateurs  or  small 
growers  was  given.  Standards  were  not  strongly  recommended,  unless 
for  some  of  the  climbing  section  budded  upon  tall  standards,  so  that 
the  long  shoots  might  depend,  and  in  time  form  very  interesting 
fountain -like  heads,  covered  with  a  profusion  of  bloom.  An  excellent 
discussion  followed. 
Tbe  Greatest  Sugar  Country.— The  average  yield  of  sugar  to 
the  acre  of  cane  is  greater  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands  than  in  any  other 
cane-growing  country  in  the  world,  and  its  standing  in  this  respect 
demands  our  attention.  In  “  Harper’s  Weekly  ”  there  has  appeared  a 
most  instructive  review  of  the  Hawaiian  sugar  industry,  from  which 
we  learn  that  the  yield  varies  a  great  deal ;  the  average  yield  of  maui, 
tor  instance,  is  about  3|  tons  of  sugar  to  the  acre.  Hawaii’s  average  is 
lowered  by  the  smaller  producing  qualities  of  her  leeward  or  dry  side, 
but  would  not  go  lower  than  4  tons ;  kauai,  from  4  to  5  tons ;  and 
oahu,  6  to  7  tons.  There  are,  of  course,  pieces  of  ground,  even  entire 
plantations,  on  each  of  these  islands  where  the  yield  would  greatly 
exceed  the  average  of  the  island  ;  one  plantation  of  oahu,  for  instance^ 
yields  10  tons  of  sugar  to  the  acre  (it  takes  7  to  8  tons  of  cane  to 
produce  a  ton  of  sugar),  and  special  yields  of  even  16  tons  per  acre 
have  been  obtained  from  given  sections  of  the  same  oahu  plantation. 
The  quality  of  these  figures  is  the  better  appreciated  by  comparison 
with  the  yield  of  Louisiana.  The  average  yield  of  Louisiana,  according 
to  the  figures  of  Professor  W.  C.  Stubbs,  Director  of  the  State  Experi¬ 
ment  Station,  varies  from  1  ton  to  tons  of  sugar  per  acre,  the 
average  being  perhaps  not  over  IJ  ton. 
January  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory,  Worksop. — Mean 
temperature  for  the  month,  38'8°  -f  2*5°;  maximum  in  the  screen,  52‘5° 
on  the  23rd  ;  minimum  in  the  screen,  26'5°  on  the  28th ;  minimum  on 
the  grass,  17°  on  the  21st ;  frosts  in  the  shade,  eight,  on  the  grass 
twenty-six  ;  sunshine,  twenty-six  hours,  or  11  per  cent,  of  the  possible 
duration,  difference  from  average,  —  11.  Rainfall,  2  93  inches,  difference 
from  average  +  1‘13  ;  rain  fell  on  twenty-one  days,  maximum  fall  0'90 
on  the  6th.  A  mild  and  rather  wet  month,  with  very  little  frost. 
— J.  Mallkndee. 
January  Weather  at  Bowlals. — Rainfall  6'34  inches,  which 
fell  on  twenty-seven  days.  Greatest  fall  1'30  inch  on  the  6th.  Snow 
fell  on  the  26th  and  three  following  days,  with  the  wind  very  cold. 
For  the  corresponding  period  last  year  the  rainfall  was  9’81  on  twenty- 
two  days.  Temperatures  :  Mean  maximum,  39-161°.  Highest  reading, 
45°  on  the  17th,  and  down  to  32°  on  the  31st ;  mean  minimum,  30-387°. 
Lowest  reading,  22°  on  the  4th  and  5th ;  below  freezing  point  on 
twenty-one  nights.  Highest  reading  in  the  sun,  63°  on  the  4th. 
Sunless  days,  eighteen.  The  prevailing  direction  of  the  wind  was 
S.W.  and  W _ Wm.  Mabbott. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
a> 
u 
o 
-Ai.  tn 
.2^ 
At  9  a.m. 
Day. 
Night 
d 
1 
“  S  i 
1600. 
ID  ^ 
c3 
At 
At 
At 
h4  a  c 
2 
03 
1-ft. 
2-ft. 
4-ft. 
H  ■ 
February. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
0) 
tdQ 
<D 
deep. 
deep. 
deep. 
w 
1-4 
Sunday . .  4 
N.N.W. 
deg. 
34-2 
deg. 
33  9 
deg. 
36-3 
deg. 
33-1 
ins. 
deg. 
36-9 
deg. 
40-2 
deg. 
43-9 
deg. 
31  -6 
Monday. .  5 
N.N.E. 
35-0 
33-9 
37-1 
31-8 
36-6 
39-8 
43-6 
28-4 
Tuesday  6 
N.N.E. 
34-5 
31-6 
39-1 
34-0 
_ 
36-8 
39-8 
143-4 
30-3 
Wed’sday  7 
N.N.E. 
28-4 
26-1 
34-9 
24-9 
. 
.36-1 
39-5 
43-2 
16-9 
Thursday  8 
N.N.E. 
25-0 
23-3 
33-9 
19  2 
— 
‘35-3 
39-2 
43-1 
9-0 
Friday  ..  9 
E.N.E. 
18-3 
is-1 
31-1 
15-7 
_ 
34-8 
39-1 
42-9 
8-9 
Saturday  10 
E.S.E. 
27-8 
26-7 
36-5 
16-8 
0-40 
34-3 
38-6 
42-9 
7-5 
Means  .. 
29-0 
27-7 
35-6 
25.1 
Total 
0-40 
35-8 
39-5 
43-3 
18-8 
The  temperature  has  been  very  low,  with  cold  north-easterly 
winds.  About  4  inches  of  snow  fell  on  the  evening  of  the  10th  inst. 
