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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  8  1897. 
Weather  in  London.  —  Bitterly  cold  have  been  the  winds  in 
London  daring  the  past  week.  The  quarter  has  been  north-easterly 
and  easterly  throughout  the  whole  of  the  time  until  Wednesday  morning, 
when  a  slight  rain  fell,  and  the  City  in  the  early  hours  was  enveloped  in 
a  dense  fog.  Towards  the  time  of  going  to  press  the  fog  dispersed,  but 
the  rain  continued. 
-  Weather  in  the  North.— Frost  ranging  from  5°  to  9°  has 
been  registered  every  morning  during  the  past  week.  The  wind  has 
been  frequently  high,  generally  from  the  east,  and  always  bitterly 
cold.  Snow  has  fallen  freely  in  several  parts  of  the  country,  and 
altogether  the  weather  has  been  of  a  wintry  nature.  Farm  and 
garden  work  has,  however,  been  pushed  forward  after  the  spell  of  wet. — 
B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
-  Crystal  Palace  Fruit  Show, — The  prize  schedule  for  this 
show  will  be  issued  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  in  a  week  or  ten 
days’  time,  and  will  contain  an  authoritative  list  of  dessert  and  cooking 
Apples  and  Pears  and  Plums,  post  free  Id.  Donations  towards  the  prize 
fund  will  be  gratefully  received  by  the  Society. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  Fruit  and  Floral 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday, 
April  13th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster, 
in  connection  with  which  the  National  Auricula  and  Primula  Society 
will  hold  their  annual  show,  1  to  5  p.m.  At  three  o’clock  a  lecture  on 
“  Artificial  Manures  ”  will  be  given  by  Mr.  J.  J.  Willis. 
- Violet  Mademoiselle  Bertha  Barron.— A  Violet  more 
worthy  of  cultivation  than  is  given  it  is  Mademoiselle  Bertha  Barron. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  hardy  double  varieties  grown,  and  comes  into  flower 
when  nearly  all  other  varieties  are  beginning  to  get  short.  I  have  growD 
it  this  last  four  years  in  the  open  borders,  and  never  found  it  suffer  the 
least  from  frost.  With  us  it  begins  to  flower  the  first  week  in  April, 
and  its  beautiful  dark  indigo  blue  and  scent  is  much  appreciated. — 
B.  Trollope,  [The  flowers  sent  are  particularly  rich  in  colour,  but, 
possibly  through  packing  in  moss,  lack  fragrance,] 
-  The  Hessle  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society. 
— The  last  meeting  on  the  syllabus  was  held  on  Tuesday,  March  30th, 
when  the  result  of  the  essay  competition  was  made  known.  The  first 
and  second  prizewinners  were  Mr.  F.  L.  Thurston,  Hesslewood  Gardens, 
and  Mr.  M.  SkinDer,  Bishop  Burton  Gardens,  respectively.  It  was 
decided  to  give  Mr.  R  Greenfield  a  certificate,  his  essay  being  third  in 
order  of  merit.  Five  members  competed,  and  great  credit  is  due  to  each 
one,  they  displaying  good  talent  for  young  gardeners.  The  chairman  (Mr. 
Chas.  Lawton)  briefly  reviewed  the  past  session,  which  has  been  the 
most  successful  one  both  financially  and  otherwise  the  Society  has  ever 
had.  A  certificate  of  merit  was  awarded  Mr.  Geo.  Picker,  gardener  to 
F.  R.  Pease,  Esq.,  Hesslewood,  for  some  splendid  blooms  of  Amaryllis 
of  which  the  seeds  were  sown  three  years  ago,  which  for  size  and 
colour  would  be  hard  to  beat.  The  annual  dinner  was  announced  for 
April  14th  — F.  L.  T. 
-  Isle  of  Wight. — The  monthly  meeting  of  the  Isle  of  Wight 
Horticultural  Improvement  Association  was  held  at  Newport  on  Saturday 
last.  During  the  afternoon  and  evening  there  was  an  exhibition  of 
Narcissi  and  other  spring  flowers.  Messrs.  Barr  &  Sons  of  London  staged 
a  magnificent  collection  of  DafFodils  and  Tulips,  numbering  about  150 
bunches  in  all,  which  were  effectively  arranged,  the  monotony  being 
relieved  by  Palms  and  Maidenhair  Ferns.  Mr.  A.  E.  Cave  of  Newport 
Nurseries  staged  a  group  of  plants,  including  Azaleas,  Orchids,  Ferns, 
and  Palms.  In  the  evening  Mr.  T.  W.  Birkenshaw’s  paper  on  Daffodi  s 
was  read  by  the  Secretary.  In  the  subsequent  discussion  which  followed 
it  was  agreed  that  the  exhibition  would  give  an  impetus  to  bulb  culture 
in  tte  Isle  of  Wight  which  in  many  places  might  prove  of  commercial 
value  if  capital,  labour,  and  knowledge  were  applied .  The  Association, 
under  the  chairmanship  of  Dr.  J.  Groves,  F.G.S.,  is  endeavouring  to 
create  a  greater  interest  in  horticulture  in  the  Garden  Isle,  and  no  doubt 
this,  the  first  spring  show  ever  held  in  the  island,  will  be  a  means  to 
accomplish  this  object. — S.  H. 
-  The  David  Thomson  Testimonial. — The  subscription  lists 
for  Mr.  Thomson’s  testimonial  will  close  on  May  1st,  and  it  is  hoped  all 
who  intend  to  join  will  send  in  their  subscription  by  the  above  date. 
-  Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  Maurice  Jones,  late  gardener 
to  Baron  Von  Roemer,  Lime  Park,  Hurstmonceux,  Sussex,  has  been 
appointed  head  gardener  to  W.  Cooper,  Esq.,  Cockley  Cley  Hall,. 
S  waff  ham,  Norfolk. 
-  Cyclamens  at  Luton  Hoo. —  A  few  weeks  ago  I  had  the- 
pleasure  of  visiting  Mr.  G.  H.  Maycock  at  Luton  Hoo  Park,  and  was. 
particularly  struck  with  the  collection  of  Cyclamens.  The  plants  were 
in  48-pots,  and  had  been  raised  from  seeds  sown  about  twelve  months 
previously,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  were  blooming  spoke  volumes 
both  for  the  excellence  of  the  culture  and  the  strain  of  seeds  (Sutton’s). 
In  all  there  were  about  1000  plants,  and  there  was  not  an  inferior  one 
in  the  whole  number.  It  is  gratifying  to  see  how  Cyclamen  growing  is- 
both  improving  and  increasing,  though  such  collections  as  the  one  noted 
are  still  by  too  seldom  met. — Traveller. 
-  Death  of  Mons.  G.  Ville  — We  learn  with  regret  that 
Mons.  Georges  Ville,  the  eminent  authority  on  chemical  manures,  died 
on  the  22nd  February,  in  his  seventy-fourth  year.  He  carried  out  a 
series  of  agricultural  experiments  in  the  trial  ground  of  Vincennes,, 
Paris,  as  long  ago  as  1867,  and  published  a  book  entitled  “Les  Engrais 
Chimiques,”  in  1868.  It  has  passed  through  seven  editions  at  least,  the 
seventh  appearing  in  1890,  and  has  been  translated  into  Italian,  German 
Polish,  Russian,  Spanish,  Portuguese,  and  English,  a  translation  being 
also  made  in  the  United  States  of  America.  The  principles  hetaught> 
or  the  views  which  he  expounded  have  been  generally  accepted,  and  are 
advocated  at  the  present  day,  including  those  relating  to  the  fixation  of 
the  free  nitrogen  of  the  atmosphere  by  the  bacteria  in  the  nodules  of  the 
roots  of  leguminous  plants. 
-  Wakefield  Paxton  Society.  —  At  the  ordinary  weekly 
meeting  of  the  members  of  this  Society,  held  Saturday  evening, 
March  27th,  Mr.  W.  H.  Milnes  of  Green  House,  St.  John’s,  presided,  and 
Mr.  W.  Tunnicliffe  of  the  Poplars,  Thornes,  occupied  the  vice-chair. 
There  was  a  good  attendance.  The  lecturer  was  Mr.  G.  H.  Goldsborough 
of  the  Wakefield  Asylum,  and  he  delivered  a  lengthy  and  exceedingly 
interesting  lecture  on  “  Swaledale,”  illustrated  by  a  large  Dumber  of 
beautiful  photographic  slyles,  which  was  cleverly  thrown  on  the  screen 
by  Mr.  Harold  Parkin,  lantemist  to  the  Society.  Mr.  Goldsborough, 
who  appears  to  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  Yorkshire  dales,  and 
is  also  a  naturalist  and  antiquarian,  gave  his  audience  much  historical 
infoimation,  and  related  many  interesting  incidents  in  connection  with 
Swaledale,  its  castles,  mansions,  rivers,  waterfalls,  and  woods. 
-  The  Carshalton,  Beddington,  and  Wallington  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society. — An  interesting  ceremony  took  place  on  the  occa¬ 
sion  of  the  anniversary  dinner  of  this  prosperous  Society,  which  was 
held  in  the  Public  Hall,  Carshalton,  on  the  evening  of  the  31st  ult. 
Mr.  H.  Cosmo  Bonsor,  M.P.,  presided,  and  was  supported  by  Mr.  E.  J .  Halsey, 
Chairman  of  the  Surrey  County  Council  ;  Mr.  A.  H.  Smee,  C.C.,  a  great 
patron  of  county  horticulture  as  practised  so  successfully  by  the  opera¬ 
tive  classes  ;  Mr.  H.  Macan,  M.A.,  Secretary  of  the  Technical  Education 
Committee,  and  many  other  gentlemen,  including  representatives  of  the 
District  and  Parish  Councils.  The  workers  also  attended  in  goodly 
numbers,  the  assemblage  comprising  some  150  persons.  Excellent 
speeches  were  delivered  by  the  Chairman,  Mr.  Halsey,  and  others,  the 
last  named  gentleman  presenting  the  silver  Banksjau  medal  to  Mr. 
Harvey  Hopkins,  as  not  only  the  champion  allotment  holder  of  the 
district,  but  of  the  county  of  Surrey  ;  and  right  well  he  deserved  the 
honour  in  view  of  his  splendid  work,  carefully  appraised  during  the  last 
three  years.  It  was  remarked  during  the  evening  that  this  was  the  first 
occasion  that  the  Banksian  medal  had  been  granted  to  any  individual 
allotment  holder,  and  it  is  bound  to  have  a  stimulating  effect.  If  the 
Council  of  the  R.H.S.  (which  seems  anxious  to  do  all  the  good  possible 
should  grant  a  similar  medal  another  year,  the  Committee  of  this  pro¬ 
sperous  local  Society  (of  which  Mr.  G.  W.  Cummins  is  the  efficient 
Honorary  Secretary)  may  perhaps  consider  the  advisability  of  granting 
it  to  the  champion  cottage  gardener  in  the  district.  It  was  stated 
during  the  evening  that  the  immediate  effect  of  a  conference  held  in 
connection  with  one  of  the  shows  of  this  Society  on  August  3rd,  1891,. 
was  the  formulation  of  a  syllabus  for  the  teaching  of  horticulture  in 
schools,  which  was  adopted  by  the  Education  Department,  and  the 
meeting  was  also  the  pioneer  of  teaching  practical  horticulture  by  the 
County  Council,  which  teaching  has  now  extended  over  the  greater  part 
of  the  kingdom, 
