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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  18,  1897. 
Weather  in  London. —  Since  la6t  Wednesday  the  weather  in 
London  has  been  by  no  means  pleasant.  There  has  been  a  thunder¬ 
storm,  snow  showers,  and  downpours  of  rain  at  frequent  intervals 
Occasional  gleams  of  bright  warm  sunshine  have  been  very  welcome 
Some  dry  weather  would  do  an  immense  amount  of  good. 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — Cold  easterly  winds,  rain  more  or 
lees  every  day,  with  a  very  rare  watery  gleam  of  sunshine  and  frequent 
sleety  showers,  have  made  up  the  record  far  the  week  ending  Tuesday 
morning,  the  latter  being  fair  but  cold  with  no  great  promise  of 
improvement. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
-  Fruit  Prospects  Round  Liverpool. — In  walking  round 
the  garden  there  is  nothing  at  the  present  time  more  interesting  than 
the  rapid  development  of  the  fruit  buds,  and  although  we  have  had  a 
few  days  of  brilliant  sunshine  yet  the  weather  of  the  past  few  days  hes 
been  of  such  a  nature  as  to  retard  them  to  a  great  extent.  Of  this  I  am 
glad,  for  I  never  remember  seeing  such  a  splendid  promise  of  fruit  a* 
the  trees  present  at  the  present  time,  from  the  youngest  to  old  veterans 
of  between  fifty  and  sixty  years’  standing,  espalier-trained  and  standards, 
and  it  would  indeed  be  nothing  Bhort  of  a  calamity  if  the  unpropitious 
state  of  the  weather  should  deprive  us  of  bountiful  crops. — R.  P.  R. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  —  Constant  complaiDti- 
having  been  made  to  the  Council  to  the  effect  that  the  business  of  each 
of  the  Committees  has  lately  been  disorganised  on  account  of  the 
disregard  of  the  Society’s  rules  and  regulations,  the  Council  hereby 
direct  that — 1,  The  rule  whereby  all  objects  presented  for  certificate 
must  be  entered  with  the  clerks  at  the  table  beforeif.50a.wi.be  in 
future  rigidly  enforced  ;  and  that— 2,  All  such  objects  must  be  placed 
on  the  special  table  provided  for  plants  for  certificate.  After  the  plants 
have  been  presented  to  the  Committees  they  can,  if  the  exhibitors  wish 
it,  be  incorporated  in  their  groups.  The  next  Fruit  and  Floral  Meeting 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  March  23rd, 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Westminster,  1  to  5  p.m.  A  lecture  on 
“Bud  Transference  and  its  Effects  on  Fruit,”  will  be  given  at  three 
o’clock  by  the  Rev.  Gordon  Salmon,  M.A. 
-  Berlin  International  Horticultural  Exhibition. — 
We  are  desired  to  announce  that  a  great  exhibition  of  horticultural 
products  will  be  held  in  Berlin  from  April  28th  till  May  9th  of  the 
present  year  in  celebration  of  the  seventy-fifth  anniversary  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  of  Prussia.  The  display  promises  to  be  of  great 
magnitude,  as  already  nearly  one-third  more  space  is  taken  than  sufficed 
for  the  great  exhibition  of  1890.  We  are  informed  that  there  are  com¬ 
paratively  few  Orchid  entries,  and  that  a  good  opportunity  is  afforded 
for  British  growers  to  distinguish  themselves,  the  prize  for  100  plants 
being  100  marks.  The  Directors  would  also  like  to  see  Cyclamens  and 
other  plants,  also  cut  flowers,  to  compare  with  those  of  German 
gardeners.  Schedules  and  information  can  be  obtained  from  Professor 
Wittmark,  General  Secretary,  42,  Invalidenstrasse,  Berlin,  who  will  be 
glad  to  give  a  hearty  welcome  to  British  amateurs  and  professional 
horticulturists. 
-  Horticultural  Club.  —  The  usual  monthly  dinner  and 
conversazione  took  place  at  the  rooms  of  the  Club,  Hotel  Windsor, 
Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday  evening  la9t.  The  chair  was 
to  have  been  taken  by  Sir  J.  D.  T.  Llewelyn,  but  business  at  the  House 
of  Commons  prevented  him  from  attending.  Mr.  Salmond,  Clerk  of  the 
Gardeners’  Company,  was  requested  to  take  his  place,  and  in  a  few 
appropriate  words  he  thanked  the  members  for  the  honour  they  had 
done  him,  the  youngest  member  of  the  Club,  in  placing  him  in  so 
honourable  a  position.  There  were  also  present  Messrs.  Geo.  Paul, 
F.  Rochford,  James  Walker,  J.  Assbee,  T.  Francis  Rivers,  F.  Rivers,  jun., 
C.  E.  Pearson,  Geo.  Bunyard,  James  H.  Veitch,  and  the  Secretary.  A 
paper  was  read  by  Mr.  T.  Francis  Rivers,  entitled  “  Notes  on  Fruit,” 
which  displayed  the  long  and  intimate  knowledge  he  had  of  the  whole 
subject,  especially  in  raising  new  varieties  of  fruit.  This  paper  we  hope 
to  give  in  a  future  issue.  It  was  followed  by  a  very  interesting  discus¬ 
sion,  in  which  most  of  the  members  present  took  part. 
-  Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  M.  Roe,  fruit  foreman  at 
Lockinge,  has  been  appointed  head  gardener  to  Sir  Albert  Rollit,  Bart.p. 
The  Willows,  Windsor. 
-  The  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — It  is  announced 
that  Sir  J.  Whittaker  Ellis,  Bart.,  has  kindly  consented  to  preside  at  the 
annual  festival  dinner  of  this  chaiity,  which  is  arranged  to  be  held  at 
the  Hotel  Cecil  on  Friday  the  30th  of  April,  1897.  The  Executive 
Committee  is  anxious  to  give  Sir  Whittaker  a  hearty  reception,  and 
especially  so  during  this  eventful  year,  the  sixtieth  of  the  reign  of  our 
beloved  Queen,  and  a  large  company  is  hoped  for  on  the  occasion. 
-  Royal  Meteorological  Society — A  special  exhibition  of 
meteorological  instruments  in  use  in  1837  and  in  1897  has  been  arranged 
in  commemoration  of  the  Diamond  Jubilee  of  H.M.  the  Queen  at  the- 
Institution  of  Civil  Engineers,  Great  George  Street,  Westminster.  It 
opened  on  Tuesday,  March  16th,  and  will  continue  on  view  to 
Friday,  19th. 
-  The  Recent  Galb. — A  very  destructive  gale  raged  through 
Sussex  on  the  3rd  of  March,  which  on  account  of  the  damage  of  trees 
is,  I  think,  never  likely  to  be  forgotten  ;  certainly  it  never  will  be  on 
this  estate,  where  it  blew  down  gigantic  Elms,  Evergreen  Oaks,  and  a. 
very  fine  Yew  tree  about  60  feet  high  ;  and  when  I  tell  you  that  there 
are  seventy-eight  large  trees  down  within  a  circle  of  1000  yards  from  tb& 
house,  the  wreck  can  be  imagined. — G.  Hart,  Buckingham ,  Shoreham. 
-  February  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory,  Worksop.— 
Mean  temperature,  4D4°.  Maximum  in  the  screen,  56'70  on  the  23rd  ;. 
minimum  in  the  screen,  24  0°  on  the  12th  ;  minimum  on  the  grass,  13  9° 
on  the  28th.  Number  of  frosts,  in  the  shade,  ten  ;  on  the  grass, 
eighteen.  Sunshine,  forty-one  hours,  or  15  per  cent,  of  possible 
duration.  Rainfall,  3  03  inches.  Rain  fell  on  sixteen  days.  Maximum 
fall,  1*14  inch  on  the  5th.  Much  rain  and  snow  at  the  commencement, 
followed  by  floods  ;  the  rest  of  the  month  mild,  with  a  good  deal  of 
wind  near  the  close. — J.  Mallender. 
-  Sussex  Rainfall. — The  total  rainfall  at  Abbots  Leigh, 
Haywards  Heath,  for  February  was  3  02  inches,  being  0’62  inch  above 
the  average.  The  heaviest  fall  was  0  59  inch  on  the  1st.  Rain  fell  on 
fourteen  days.  The  maximum  temperature  was  57°  on  the  20th  ;  the 
minimum  27°  on  the  8th  and  15tb.  Mean  maximum,  48  06° ;  mean, 
minimum,  33’21°.  Mean  temperature,  40  63°,  which  is  3 •37°  above  the 
average.  The  latter  part  of  month  was  mild,  fairly  dry,  and  pleasant. 
If  it  continue  the  season  will  be  an  early  one.  Rhubarb  was  gathered 
from  the  open  ground  on  the  27th.  March  has  come  in  cold  and  stormy, 
and  at  night  on  the  1st  it  was  very  wet. — R.  I. 
-  The  Weather  Last  Month. — February  was  wet  until  the 
20th,  when  it  became  milder  and  drier,  and  continued  so  unto  the  end. 
The  prevailing  direction  of  the  wind  wa9  W.  on  twenty-one  days.  Total 
rainfall,  3  06  inches,  which  is  1^  inch  above  the  average  for  the  month  ; 
this  fell  on  fourteen  days,  the  greatest  daily  fall  being  0  93  inch  on  the 
5th.  Barometer  (corrected  and  reduced),  highest  reading,  30  611  inches  at 
9  A.M.  on  the  16th  ;  lowest,  29  256  inches  at  9  A.M.  on  the  2nd. 
Thermometers,  highest  in  the  shade,  56°  on  the  26th  ;  lowest,  25°  on  the 
28th.  Mean  of  daily  maxima,  45  82°  ;  mean  of  daily  minima,  36  10°. 
Mean  temperature  of  the  month,  40  96°  ;  lowest  on  the  grass,  20°  on  the 
28th  ;  highest  in  the  sun,  102°  on  the  23rd  ;  mean  of  the  earth  at  3  feet, 
38'96°.  Total  sunshine,  49  hours  30  minutes.  This  is  remarkable, 
being  exactly  the  same  amount  as  in  January.  There  were  eleven 
sunless  days. — W.  H.  Divers,  Belvoir  Castle  Gardens ,  Grantham. 
-  Shirley  Gardeners’  Association. — The  annual  general 
meeting  of  above  Society  wa3  held,  on  the  15th  inst.,  in  the  Parish  Room, 
Shirley,  Southampton,  and  a  good  attendance  of  the  members  rewarded 
the  efforts  of  the  Committee.  Vice-President  W.  F,  Mayoss,  E  q., 
presided  in  the  unavoidable  absence  of  the  President.  The  report  and 
balance-sheet  were  submitted  to  the  meeting  for  approval.  The  report 
showed  that  there  are  about  140  members,  which  is  an  advance  on 
last  year,  that  there  were  thirteen  meetings  during  the  year,  and  an 
average  attendance  of  forty-two.  The  balance-sheet  showed  a  balance 
in  favour  of  the  Society  of  £4,  and  a  sum  of  about  £2  members’ 
subscriptions  still  due,  some  of  which  came  in  during  the  meeting.  The 
report  and  balance-sheet  were  unanimously  adopted,  and  the  election  of 
officers  and  Committee  for  ensuing  year  next  ensued,  the  President  being 
unanimously  re-elected,  and  the  Committee  increased  from  nine  to  fifteen. 
At  the  close  of  the  business  Mr.  A.  Dean,  Lecturer  in  Horticulture 
S  C.C.,  gave  a  short  address  on  “Horticultural  Progress  During  the 
Victoria  Era.” 
