28G 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  5,  ISOO. 
Gardening:  Appointment.  —  Mr.  Chas.  Ford,  for  two  years 
foreman  at  Coombe  House  Gardens,  has  been  appointed  head  gardener 
to  Henry  Goschen,  Esq.,  Heathfield,  Addington. 
Pblladelphla’s  First  ‘Willows. — It  is  stated  that  the  first 
Willow  trees  in  Philadelphia  (which  grew  on  the  site  of  the  custom 
house)  resulted  from  an  accidental  discovery  on  the  par.t  of  Benjamin 
Franklin,  who  found  a  wicker  basket,  which  had  been  thrown  into 
a  damp  place,  sprouting.  He  felt  much  interested,  and  gave  some  of 
the  cuttings  to  Charles  Morris,  who  planted  them  on  his  place.  The 
stalks  took  root  readily  and  thrived,  and  a  number  of  Willow  trees 
resulted. 
Royal  Bouquets. — In  a  description  of  the  Royal  saldbn  decorated 
with  Shamrock  on  the  occasion  of  her  Majesty’s  memorable  visit  to 
Ireland,  we  are  told  that  charming  bouquets  of  flowers  from  the  Frog- 
more  gardens  were  provided  for  the  Queen  and  Princesses.  Her 
Majesty’s  consisted  of  Tea  Roses,  Lilies  of  the  Valley,  and  Maidenhair 
Ferns.  Princess  Christian’s  was  made  of  Orchids  and  other  blooms, 
and  Princess  Beatrice’s  of  Ghent  Azaleas,  Lilies  of  the  Valley,  and 
foliage.  All  were  bunched  in  lace-paper  holders.  A  vase  of  Violets 
was  also  placed  in  the  Royal  saloon. 
The  Profits  of  IVIarket  Gardening'. — Numbers  of  inquiries 
come  to  the  editors  of  horticultural  and  agricultural  newspapers  of 
gardening  profits  that  may  be  made  out  of  growing  fruits  and 
vegetables  for  market.  Much  attention  is  paid  to  the  character  of  the 
soil,  the  climate,  and  the  adaptability  of  varieties  to  these  conditions ; 
but  onej  essential  is  over  all,  and  that  is  the  marketing  of  fruits  and 
vegetables  after  they  have  been  raised.  Even  when  there  are  markets 
convenient  a  person  may  be  wholly  ignorant  of  the  methods  of 
marketing.  It  takes,  says  Mr.  Meehan,  nearly  as  much  art  to  know 
how  to  sell  as  it  does  to  know  how  to  raise  the  article  in  the  first  place. 
In  brief,  the  success  of  any  proposed  market  garden  plan  depends  as 
much  on  the  man  himself  as  on  the  natural  conditions  of  soil  and 
climate. 
■Workmen’s  Compensation  Act  and  Agricultural  labourers. 
— On  Tuesday  the  House  of  Commons  Grand  Committee  on  Trade 
revised  the  Workmen’s  Compensation  Act,  1897,  Extension  Bill,  Mr. 
J.  Ellis  in  the  chair.  Mr.  Walter  Long  moved  that  Clause  1  should 
read  as  follows: — “The  Workmen’s  Compensation  Act,  1897,  shall 
apply  to  the  employment  of  workmen  in  agriculture  by  the  occupier 
of  any  farm’^or  premises  used  wholly  or  in  part  for  the  business  of 
agriculture,  who  habitually  employs  for  hire  one  or  more  workmen,  and 
any  such  occupier  shall  be  deemed  an  undertaker  within  the  meaning 
of  that  Act.JiThe  expression  ‘agriculture’  includes  horticulture,  forestry, 
and  the  use  of  land  for  any  purpose  of  husbandry,  inclusive  of  the 
keeping  or  breeding  of  live  stock,  poultry,  or  bees,  and  the  growth  of 
fruit  and  vegetables,  and  the  like.  The  expression  ‘  workman,’  in  the 
case  of  agriculture,  means  every  labourer  in  agriculture.’’  At  present 
the  clause  said  that  the  original  Act  “  shall  apply  to  all  employment  on 
or  in  or  about  agricultural  work,  and  a  labourer  in  such  employment 
shall  be  deemed  to  be  a  workman  within  the  meaning  of  the  Act.” 
These  words  would,  of  course,  disappear  if  his  amendment  were 
adopted. 
The  Red  Book  of  Honour. — In  this  small  manual  with  a 
significant  crimson  binding,  and  bearing  the  title  “  Who’s  Who  at  the 
War,”  we  have  chronicled  by  Messrs.  Charles  and  Adam  Black  the  names 
of  only  a  part,  alas  !  of  those  who  have  died  and  suffered  for  us  in 
South  Africa.  The  record  includes  commissioned  officers  killed  and 
wounded  to  about  February  20th  last,  but  takes  no  account  of  the 
others  of  lower  rank,  or  of  those  since  included  in  the  casualty  lists. 
There  is  a  talk  of  erecting  in  London  some  more  imperishable  record 
than  that  upon  paper  to  the  memories  of  our  latest  gallant  slain.  If  so, 
it  should  be  a  temple  in  honour  of  the  Empire,  or  better,  the  British 
Commonwealth  now  visible,  and  having  on  its  walls  the  names  of  all 
who  died  in  cementing  that  glorious  political  structure.  No  doubt  the 
counties  and  colonies  will  do  their  best  to  immortalise  the  exploits  of 
their  own  regiments,  but  in  the  metropolis  should  rise  a  Pantheon 
where  in  pictures,  tablets,  and  scrolls  should  be  perpetuated  the 
names  and  deeds  of  those  who  have  died  in  order  that  their  motherland 
might  be  great.  Westminster  Abbey  and  St.  Paul’s  are  antiquated  and 
insufiioient.  The  Victorian  Era  should  be  commemorated  by  a  British 
Valhalla  standing  on  the  new  Embankment  by  St.  Thomas’  Hospital, 
and  facing  the  Houses  of  Parliament. 
'Tree  Planting  on  ‘Welsb  Crown  Bands. — We  are  informed 
that  her  Majesty’s  Commissioners  for  Woods  and  Forests  have  again 
placed  their  order  for  extending  their  plantation  on  Crown  property,. 
Wales,  in  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Wm.  Clibran  &  Son,  under  the  super¬ 
intendence  of  Mr.  Lewis  of  Arthog. 
Hampstead  Heatli. — This  popular  resort  of  Londoners  has  had 
another  charm  added  to  it  on  the  Holder’s  Hill  estate.  This  beautiful 
area  exceeds  30  acres  in  extent,  and  was  secured  to  the  public  for 
some  £36,000.  The  estate  is  now  vested  in  the  London  County  Council,, 
and  becomes  the  property  of  the  metropolis  in  perpetuity. 
Bnglnes  Injuring  Flowers. — A  firm  of  nursery  gardeners  and 
florists,  Messrs.  Cull  &  Rook,  carrying  on  business  near  Tottenham, 
on  27th  ult.  successfully  brought  an  action  against  the  Great  Eastern 
Railway  Company,  to  recover  damages  for  injury  to  their  business  caused 
by  passing  trains.  The  case  was  tried  by  Mr.  Justice  Grantham  and  a 
special  jury.  In  1898  the  railway  company  constructed  a  large  number, 
of  sidings  near  Tottenham,  and  on  these,  the  plaintiffs  alleged,  engines 
were  constantly  waiting,  and  the  drivers  took  the  opportunity  to  clean 
their  boiler  tubes,  a  process  known  as  blasting.  Black  and  greasy 
smoke,  steam  and  soot,  Messrs.  Cull  declared,  pervaded  their  green¬ 
houses,  quite  blocking  the  light.  With  the  smoke  was  emitted 
quantities  of  sulphur,  which  mingled  with  the  atmosphere  to  make  a 
kind  of  sulphurous  acid.  This  got  into  the  greenhouses  and  damaged 
the  plants.  Defendants  submitted  that  they  had  acted  solely  within 
their  statutory  rights,  but  the  jury  found  for  the  plaintiffs,  damages 
£400.  A  stay  of  execution  was  granted  by  the  judge,  pending  an 
appeal. 
"Weather  In  Ireland. — The  weather  in  the  metropolis  and 
adjoining  counties  is  far  from  being  pleasant.  Since  the  slight 
return  of  the  snow  about  a  fortnight  ago  a  reaction  has  set  in,  the  days 
being  cold  with  several  frosty  mornings.  The  rain,  however,  was  of 
the  briefest,  only  slight  drizzling  showers,  and  a  complete  absence  of 
sun — that  is,  practically  speaking,  until  Saturday  the  31st.  This  was 
a  pleasant  day. 
Sussex  Weather. — The  total  rainfall  at  Abbot’s  Leigh,  Hayward’s 
Heath,  for  the  past  month  was  0  83  inch,  being  1'14  inch  below  the 
average.-  The  heaviest  fall  was  0‘44  on  the  18th.  Rain  fell  on  five 
days.  The  maximum  temperature  was  56°  on  the  10th,  the  minimum 
19°  on  the  18th.  Mean  maximum,  45‘16° ;  mean  minimum,  32‘19°. 
Mean  temperature,  38‘67° — 2°  below  the  average.  A  dry,  cold,  sunless 
month.  Vegetation  backward,  showing  signs  of  a  late  spring. — R.  I. 
march  Weather  at  Dowlals.  —  Total  fall  rain  and  snow 
1’44  inch,  which  fell  on  eight  days.  Greatest  snowfall  0‘42  inch  on 
the  18th  ;  most  rain  0‘25  inch  on  the  9th ;  for  the  same  period  last 
year  2‘22  inches  on  ten  days  ;  total  for  the  first  quarter  17‘32  inches. 
Temperature  :  mean  maximum,  40‘451°  ;  highest  reading  50°  on  the 
29th  ;  mean  minimum  24'709°;  lowest  reading  10°  on  the  l7th  ;  below 
freezing  point  on  twenty-six  nights  j  mean  in  the  sun,  50‘387° ;  highest 
reading  86°  on  the  12th.  Sunless  days  twelve.  The  wind  was  in  the 
N.E.  and  E,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  month.  Bitter,  cold,  and 
piercing  winds  prevailed  until  the  last  week,  when  it  was  very  mild  in 
the  daytime,  but  sharp  at  night. — Wm.  Mabbott. 
meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Direction  of 
Wind. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Rain. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
Lowest 
Temperature 
on  Grass. 
ISOO. 
March. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Ad 
OQ 
<D 
^  . 
s 
■s 
<o 
o 
Sunday . .  25 
Monday . .  26 
Tuesday  27 
Wed’sday  28 
Thursday  29 
Friday  ..  30 
Saturday  31 
E.N.E. 
E.N.E. 
N.N.W. 
S.W. 
N.N.E. 
E.N.E. 
E.N.K 
deg. 
38-5 
35-2 
35- 0 
38-1 
36- 7 
33-2 
36-1 
deg. 
33-2 
33- 6 
32- 8 
37-0 
34- 3 
31-9 
33- 8 
deg. 
41-9 
41 '9 
41- 1 
42- 3 
45-5 
47*3 
47-9 
deg. 
34-7 
31-7 
31-5 
31-3 
29-8 
25-8 
28  5 
ins. 
0-16 
deg. 
39-9 
39-9 
39-4 
39-7 
39-6 
39-2 
38-7 
deg. 
42-2 
42-1 
41-8 
41-8 
41-8 
41-8 
41-5 
deg. 
43-9 
43-9 
43-9 
43-9 
43-9 
43-7 
43-7 
deg. 
30-4 
22-6 
22-0 
22-6 
20-6 
18-2 
19-6 
Means  .. 
36-1 
33-8 
44-0 
30-6 
Total 
0'16 
39-6 
41-9 
43-8 
22-3 
The  weather  during  the  week  has  been  cold,  dull,  and  dry. 
