April  1,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
269 
culture,  and  chiefly  determined  me  to  devote  my  future  mainly  to  the 
higher  development  of  fruit,  flower,  and  vegetable  culture,  through  the 
technical  education  schemes  of  County  Councils. — D.  T.  Fish. 
I  peel  I  must  join  in  the  universal  expression  of  regret  at  the  loss  of 
our  dear  old  Dr.  Hogg.  It  is  over  twenty-five  years  ago  that  I  first  met 
him  in  the  Council-room  of  the  R.H.S.  at  South  Kensington.  I  was  then 
yearning  for  knowledge  of  the  names  of  Apples  and  Pears  then  unknown 
to  me,  bat  hardly  liked  to  approach  the  highest  authority  with  a  few 
pocketed  specimens.  But  on  an  introduction  I  was  very  agreeably 
surprised  to  find  how  affable  and  agreeable  he  was  to  impart  any 
information  on  fruit  to  inquirers.  For  that  and  other  favours  I  shall 
fiver  cherish  his  memory,  and  feel  that  gardeners  and  horticulturists 
.generally  have  lost  a  true  friend. — C.  Orchard. 
I  should  like,  as  a  young  gardener,  and  I  am  sure  I  may  Bay  on  the 
part  of  others  in  the  same  domain,  to  tender  our  deep  sympathy  with 
members  of  the  Hogg  family  in  their  bereavement  occasioned  by  the 
decease  of  the  late  Dr.  Hogg.  The  biographical  sketch  on  page  232 
enlightened  probationers  respecting  the  youthful  career  of  the  esteemed 
Doctor,  and  what  lessons  it  affords.  A  successful  career,  terminated 
amid  universal  regret ;  the  possessor  of  great  horticultural  knowledge, 
gained  by  undaunted  courage  and  energetic  enterprise,  freely  and 
impartially  expounded  “  for  gardening  and  gardeners.”  Let  us  hope 
that  this  irreparable  loss  to  the  horticultural  world  may  teach  us  to 
persevere  untii  we  reach  the  ideal  of  our  ambitions.  “  The  Fruit 
Manual  ”  is  a  literary  monument,  and  when  those  who  possess  it  reflect 
on  the  benefit  derived  by  its  teaching  and  guidance  the  name  of  the 
author,  the  late  Dr.  Hogg,  will  find  a  cherished  place  in  the  heart  of 
many  a  gardener. — H.  Turner. 
I  WAS  very  sorry  to  see  that  we  had  all  lost  the  good  old  “  Doctor,” 
and  to  me  it  seems  like  the  falling  of  one  more  of  the  staunch  old  ram¬ 
parts  of  the  past.  I  knew  him  since  1869,  when  he,  Mr.  Moore  of 
Chelsea,  and  the  late  Rev.  M.  J.  Berkeley  formed  the  Chiswick  Garden 
Committee,  and  a  noble  trio  they  were  in  all  truth. 
I  remember  the  dear  old  Doctor  once  giving  me  the  kindest  and  best 
of  advice  at  a  crisis  in  my  life,  and  though  I  did  not  see  and  take  it  at 
the  time  I  have  since  regretted  that  I  did  not  do  so,  as  time  has  proved 
his  advice  to  have  been  true,  sound,  and  disinterested. 
Ah  !  in  those  old  days  (1868)  Chiswick  was  a  garden  to  Bee  and 
feel  proud  of.  Though  not  quite,  even  then,  in  its  most  prosperous 
time,  but  it  was  intact,  covering  33  acres,  and  the  things  and  the  men 
of  the  best.  The  fruit  room  alone  was  a  sight  to  see,  and  its  like  could 
not  now  be  found  in  Europe.  Certainly  not  in  Britain.  George  Gordon, 
.Robert  Thompson,  and  Robert  Fortune,  the  Chinese  collector,  used  now 
and  then  to  visit  the  former  scene  of  their  labours  and  triumphs,  and 
the  visits  of  the  Garden  Committee  were  red-letter  days  indeed. 
One  or  other  of  the  young  gardeners  used  to  prepare  a  frugal  luncheon 
in  the  old  Council  room  for  the  Committee.  One  day  it  fell  to  my  share 
to  do  this  duty,  and,  boy  like,  I  was  most  anxious,  and  had  things  ready 
half  an  hour  or  so  before  the  time.  Then  I  began  to  look  out  for  the 
members  of  the  Committee.  Seeing  another  young  gardener  at  work  in 
an  enclosed  plot  near  the  Council  room  I  shouted  to  him,  “  Hev’  you 
seen  'oud  Smellfungus  about  yet  ?  ”  This  was  our  usual  appellation 
•for  Berkeley,  the  eminent  fungologist  and  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  1 
“  No  1  ”  he  shouted,  and  I  returned  through  the  doorway  of  the  wall,  and 
almost  fell  into  Rev.  Mr.  Berkeley’s  arms  !  Catching  hold  of  me,  he 
asked,  “Who  were  you  calling  oud  Smellfungus  just  now?”  “Your¬ 
self,  sir,”  I  managed  to  stammer,  though  I  felt  like  sinking  into  the 
earth.  “Ah  1  quite  right,”  said  he.  “  Good  boy  ;  always  tell  the  truth 
when  you  are  in  a  difficulty.”  Just  then  Mr.  Thos.  Moore  and  Dr.  Hogg 
came  up,  and  by  the  laughter  I  heard  proceeding  from  the  Council  room 
shortly  afterwards  I  suspected  that  Mr.  Berkeley  was  telling  the  story 
•to  them. 
When  I  was  abroad  collecting  in  Borneo  Dr.  Hogg  did  not  forget  me, 
but  asked  Mr.  Veitch  several  times  as  to  my  welfare,  and  he  also  made 
me  a  good  offer  of  employment  on  my  return,  which  circumstances,  I 
need  not  now  mention,  prevented  my  accepting. 
Though  I  only  saw  Dr.  Hogg  occasionally  I  always  found  him  to  be 
a  good  and  faithful  friend,  and  now  he  is  gone  from  us  I  feel  that  I 
should  be  lacking  in  grateful  sympathy  did  I  not  lay  a  tiny  green  leaf 
of  Laurel  and  a  sprig  of  Rosemary  at  his  feet. 
Words  sound  thin  and  poor  in  the  face  of  death,  but  they  are  now  all 
that  are  left  to  us  excepting  our  grateful  memories  of  such  a  noble  man. 
— F.  W.  Burbidge.  _ 
It  was  scarcely  possible  for  anyone  interested  in  horticulture,  or 
those  who,«»tike  myBelf,  have  read  the  “  Journal  ”  year  by  year,  to  fail  to 
take  an  interest  in  all  that  the  good  Doctor  said  or  did.  May  the  force 
of  his  example  and  the  value  of  his  life’s  work  never  fade. — W.  Holmes, 
Guernsey. 
[We  have  not  been  able  to  publish  aU  the  communications  and  kind 
references  that  have  been  received  on  this  mournful  subject,  and  have 
selected  those  that  were  generally  representative.  The  kind  expressions 
tendered,  whether  published  or  not,  are  highly  appreciated  by  the  family 
and  coadjutors  of  the  dear  old  Doctor,  as  are  the. generous  allusions  to 
the  memorable  event  which  have  appeared  in  the  horticultural  press. 
Mr.  Harrison  Weir  has  proposed,  in  the  Gardeners'  Chronicle,  that  a 
fund  be  raiBed  for  providing  a  “  Robert  Hogg  fruit  medal  ”  to  be  offered 
as  the  highest  award  for  fruit  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.] 
Weather  in  London.  —  Again  we  have  to  record  a  week  of 
changeable  weather,  gleams  of  brilliant  sunshine  alternating  with 
drenching  downpours  of  rain.  Besides  these  we  have  had  on  several 
occasions  high  winds  that  have  combined  with  the  rain  to  make 
travelling  thoroughly  uncomfortable.  Sunday,  both  in  the  morning 
and  evening,  was  very  wet,  the  afternoon  being  bright,  fine,  and  warm, 
as  was  the  whole  of  Monday.  Early  on  Tuesday  morning  there  was  a 
white  frost,  followed  by  a  genial  day.  Wednesday  was  dull  and  showery* 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — Gusty  winds  frequently  accom¬ 
panied  by  heavy  showers  of  rain  marked  both  days  and  nights  of  the 
former  part  of  last  week.  The  afternoon  of  Saturday  was  breezy  and 
cold,  Sunday  morning  extremely  wet ;  Monday  bright  and  sharp 
throughout,  with  the  hills  around  whitened  by  snow.  On  Tuesday 
morning  8°  frost  were  recorded. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
-  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  —  At  a 
meeting  of  the  Committee  of  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institu¬ 
tion,  held  at  the  Offices,  50,  Parliament  Street,  S.W.,  on  March  26th  last, 
the  following  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  : — “  The  Committee 
of  the  Gardeners’  Rjyal  Benevolent  Institution  desire  to  place  on  record 
an  expression  of  the  deep  regret  at  the  severe  loss  they  have  sustained 
by  the  death  of  Dr.  Hogg,  Chairman  at  the  anniversary  festival  dinner 
in  1876,  a  Vice-President,  and  a  Trustee.  For  the  long  period  of  fifty-five 
years  Dr.  Hogg  had  taken  a  keen  and  active  interest  in  the  work  of  the 
Institution.  He  always  had  its  welfare  at  heart,  and  his  warm  support 
will  be  greatly  missed.  The  Committee  further  desire  to  express  their 
sincere  sympathy  with  Mrs.  Hogg  and  her  family  in  their  bereavement.” 
-  The  Queen’s  Jubilee  and  Horticulture  in  Scotland. 
— The  Royal  Caledonian  H.S.  and  the  Edinburgh  Horticultural  Associa¬ 
tion  are  offering  respectively  £120  and  £150  for  extra  prizes  by  way  of 
celebrating  our  good  Queen’s  Jubilee.  It  may  be  asked  what  lasting 
benefit  will  accrue  from  such  prizes  beyond  a  little  gratification  to 
the  prizewinners,  and  there  it  will  end.  It  is  quite  certain  that  it 
would  be  more  in  accordance  with  Her  Majesty’s  feelings,  and  be  a 
lasting  good  to  the  needy  connected  with  horticuiture,  if  the  money 
were  given  to  the  Gardeners’  Benevolent  Institution  and  the  Gardeners’ 
Orphan  Fund.  To  bestow  the  money  as  is  proposed  will  not  result  ia 
a  fraction  of  benefit  to  horticulture  for  the  present  or  future  years, 
and  will  be  of  comparatively  little  benefit  to  the  few  who  may  share 
in  it. — Observer. 
-  The  Hessle  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society  . 
— Mr.  Chas.  Lawton  occupied  the  chair  at  a  special  meeting  ou  Tuesday, 
March  23  d,  when  a  most  excellent  paper  was  given  by  Mr.  J.  Johnson, 
gardener  to  G.  Marshall,  Esq.,  Claremont  House,  Grimsby,  on  “  Odonto- 
glossums.”  He  dwelt  unon  advantages  and  pleasures  to  be  derived 
from  such  cool-house  Orchids  as  OJontoglossums,  it  being  possible  with 
but  a  comparatively  small  collection  to  have  blooms  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  year  provided  the  cultural  details  are  duly  attended  to. 
Every  point  in  their  culture  is  of  importance,  one  neglected  item  often 
causing  much  trouble  which  would  otherwise  be  avoided. — F.  L.  T. 
-  Weather  and  Crop  Prospects  in  Guernsey.  —  After  a 
spell  of  six  months  dreary  dripping  weather,  we  have  at  last  had  a 
bright  week  or  two.  The  effect  of  this  is  already  apparent  in  the 
improved  appearance  of  all  kinds  of  crops  out  of  door3,  and  it  has  also 
had  a  very  beneficial  effect  upon  the  Vines  and  Tomato  plants  indoors. 
These  had  been  badly  in  need  of  sunshine — indeed,  had  not  the  change 
come  when  it  did,  the  “  set”  of  Tomatoes  in  many  places  would  have 
been  a  very  light  one.  The  damp  sunless  weather  was  causing  many 
of  the  flowers  to  drop,  and  where  Grapes  were  being  forced  strongly 
mildew  had  in  several  instances  made  its  appearance.  Now,  happily, 
all  is  changed  for  the  better,  and  should  the  fine  weather  continue 
we  may  yet  have  an  early  season.  Narcissi  have  come  and  gone  very 
quickly,  so  that,  excepting  Ornatus,  there  will  be  few  left  for  gathering 
for  Easter.  Pear  trees,  now  in  full  bloom,  promise  a  very  full  crop. 
Melons  have  been  pretty  extensively  planted,  and  in  view  of  the  coming 
busy  season  of  the  Diamond  Jubilee  these  should  pay  well. — X. 
