410 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
*! 
Weather  in  London. — The  winds  during  the  past  few  days  have 
been  very  keen  and  gusty,  sometimes  accompanied  by  cold  rains, 
but  more  often  dry.  On  Thursday  last  it  was  cold  and  very  showery  ; 
but  on  Friday  it  was  much  brighter,  though  there  were  two  or  three 
slight  Bhowers  in  the  afternoon  and  evening.  On  both  Saturday  and 
Sunday  gleams  of  warm  sunshine  shone  out  between  periods  of  dullness. 
The  wind  on  each  day  was  a  little  boisterous  and  cold.  Towards  the 
evening  of  Monday  heavy  showers  fell,  but  Tuesday  was  clear  and 
lovely  until  night,  when  rain  again  fell.  Wednesday  was  clear  and  cold. 
-  Weather  in  the  North.  —  The  ungenial  weather  of  the 
preceding  fortnight  has  continued  throughout  the  past  week.  Almost 
every  night  the  thermometer  has  been  at  or  under  the  freezing  point, 
and  piercing  northerly  winds  have  prevailed.  The  evening  of  Friday, 
when  gentle  rain  fell  for  some  hours,  and  Saturday  morning  were 
somewhat  milder,  but  the  afternoon  of  the  latter  day,  Sunday,  and 
Monday,  were  bitterly  cold,  and  there  was  no  improvement  on  Tuesday 
morning. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
-  Death  of  Mr.  R.  Owen. — It  is  with  deep  regret  that  we 
have  to  announce  the  sudden  death  of  Mr.  R.  Owen,  Maidenhead,  which 
took  place  last  Saturday  afternoon.  Few  men  were  better  known  in 
the  Chrysanthemum  world  than  Mi.  Owen,  who  was  formerly  gardener 
to  G.  Schwabe,  Esq.,  and  went  into  business  on  his  own  account  about 
thirteen  years  ago.  Mr.  Owen’s  death  was  brought  about  by  heart 
disease  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven,  and  we  tender  our  sympathy  to  his 
relatives  and  friends. 
-  Ploughing  in  a  Greenhouse. — At  Redlees,  Isleworth,  a 
curious  and  novel  sight  has  been  witnessed,  a  local  paper  says,  this 
spring.  The  owner  has  erected  ten  huge  glass  houses,  600  feet  long  by 
40  feet  wide,  and,  after  calculating  the  cost  of  digging,  decided  to  dis¬ 
pense  with  manual  labour  in  favour  of  the  plough,  Two  ploughs 
have  been  at  work  under  the  glass,  ploughing  from  end  to  end,  the 
ground  being  afterwards  harrowed  in  the  ordinary  way.  Although  the 
men  and  horses  are  under  cover,  they  have  to  wait  for  favourable 
weather,  such  work  being  impossible  in  bright  sunshine  owing  to  the 
excessive  heat.  The  houses  are  intended  for  the  culture  of  Tomatoes. 
-  National  Co-operative  Show. — The  new  schedule  of  this 
annual  Show  has  just  been  issued.  The  prizes  are  increased  to  £350  in 
cash,  besides  gold,  silver,  and  bronze  medals,  framed  certificates,  and 
other  awards.  The  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Association  con¬ 
tributes  £200  to  the  prize  list,  and  the  Crystal  Palace  Company  £150. 
The  Show  is  fixed  to  be  held  on  Friday  the  20th  and  Saturday  the 
21st  of  August  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  concurrently  with  the  Great 
National  Co-operative  Festival.  Mr.  George  Waugh  again  acts  as  Hon. 
Director  of  the  Show,  and  Mr.  Edward  Owen  Greening  as  Hon.  Secre¬ 
tary.  The  schedule  may  be  obtained  on  application  to  the  Hon.  Sec., 
at  3,  Agar  Street,  Charing  Cross,  W.C. 
- -  Wolverhampton  Gardeners’  Horticultural  Club. — 
At  the  monthly  spring  meeting  of  this  Society  there  was  a  goodly 
attendance  of  members  to  hear  an  essay  on  “  British  Ferns  and  their 
Allies,”  by  Mr.  W.  Gardiner,  Harborne,  Birmingham.  The  essayist’s 
object  in  reading  a  paper  on  this  subject  was  based  on  a  twofold  purpose 
— viz.,  from  a  desire  to  incite  an  increased  love  for,  and  an  extension  in 
the  cultivation  of  this  highly  interesting  and  most  useful  class  of  our 
native  flora,  and  with  this  object  in  view  he  sought  to  inculcate  it  by 
references  more  in  relation  to  the  various  and  beautiful  attributes  possessed 
by  Ferns  ;  also  of  their  unique  and  wonderful  reproductive  organisa¬ 
tion,  including  likewise,  as  the  various  genera  were  passed  in  review, 
references  to  the  nomenclature  and  etymology  of  the  same  as  far  as 
practicable,  than  to  cultural  details.  The  essay  was  illustrated  with  a 
small  collection  of  dried  fronds.  Altogether  the  subject  proved  of  an 
interesting  character,  and  was  followed  by  an  instructive  discussion,  in 
which  Messrs.  Simpson  (the  Chairman),  Lowe,  Bishop,  Bradley,  and 
Banner  took  part,  elucidating  also  the  fact  that  Mr.  Bradley  has 
charge  of  a  very  good  collection  of  hardy  Ferns,  and  in  which  such  as 
the  Parsley  Fern  (Allosorus  crispus),  and  the  comparatively  rare  Scaly 
Spleenwort  (Ceterach  officinarum),  which  latter  is  somewhat  difficult  to 
cultivate,  flourish  satisfactorily. 
May  13,  1897. 
-  Gardening  Appointments. — Mr.  John  H.  Cumming,  for  the 
past  ten  years  gardener  and  steward  to  Viscount  Gough,  St.  Helens, 
Booterstown,  Dublin,  has  been  appointed  gardener  and  steward  to  the 
Lady  Stewart,  Glandtully  Castle,  Ballinluig,  Perthshire,  taking  up  the 
duties  there  on  May  28th.  Mr.  David  Sime,  gardener  to  Colonel 
Clements,  Killadoon,  Celbridge,  Co.  Kildare,  has  been  appointed 
gardener  and  steward  to  Viscount  Gough,  St.  Helens,  Booterstown, 
Dublin.  Mr.  David  Kirk,  foreman  in  the  gardens  at  Willow  Park, 
Booterstown,  has  been  appointed  gardener  to  Colonel  ClementB,  Killa¬ 
doon,  Celbridge,  Co.  Kildare. 
- Early  Tomatoes  in  the  Isle  of  Wight. — In  reply  to  G.  R. 
Peerless  (page  363)  re  particulars  of  above,  I  may  say  that  the  plant* 
mentioned  were  raised  from  seeds  sown  in  December,  the  exact  state- 
of  sowing  not  being  recorded.  The  plants  were  grown  freely  in  a. 
minimum  temperature  of  55°  to  60°,  and  in  their  early  stages  received 
the  syringe,  as  well  as  a  free  circulation  of  air.  They  were  potted  into 
10-inch  pots,  in  which  they  are  fruiting,  early  in  February,  the  soil 
containing  no  manure,  and  now  the  plants  are  8  feet  high,  single  stem, 
with  healthy  foliage  hanging  over  the  pot  tops.  Some  of  the  leaves- 
measure  20  inches  long  and  16  inches  wide.  There  is  an  average  truss 
of  fruit  (with  from  six  to  eight  fruits)  for  every  foot  of  growth.  Mr- 
Barkham  attributes  his  success  to  a  judieious  amount  of  heat,  air, 
and  moisture  in  suitable  proportions.  The  faddy  idea  that  Tomatoes 
should  never  be  syringed  he  considers  moonshine,  and  one’s  common, 
sense  should  be  a  great  guide  in  the  cultivation  of  all  plants.  The 
variety  above  mentioned  is  a  cross  between  Early  Ruby  and  Frogmore 
Selected. — S,  H. 
-  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. — Lord  Roth¬ 
schild,  who  is  to  preside  at  the  annual  dinnerof  this  admirable  Association, 
which  will  be  held  at  the  Hotel  Metropole  on  Wednesday,  the  26th  May, 
makes  tbe  following  appeal.  “  I  have  consented  to  preside  at  the 
fifth-eighth  festival  dinner  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the  Gardeners’  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution,  and  I  venture  to  ask  for  the  kind  assistance  and 
support  of  all  lovers  of  flowers  and  gardening.  The  charity— the  only 
one  of  its  kind  in  the  United  Kingdom — whose  cause  I  have  undertaken 
to  plead,  has  been  [established  fifty-nine  years.  It  has  distributed 
£71,000  to  worn-out  gardeners,  horticulturists,  and  their  widows  in  dis¬ 
tressed  circumstances,  and  has  now  upon  its  funds  161  persons — men 
and  women — who  are  receiving  permanent  relief  at  an  annual  cost  of 
nearly  £3000.  To  meet  this  expenditure  the  only  assured  income  is 
£900,  leaving  the  remainder  to  be  made  up  by  subscriptions  and 
donations.  Towards  this  object  I  earnestly  solicit  generous  aid.  T 
may  mention  that  the  Queen  has  been  the  patroness  of  the  charity  for 
forty-five  years,  and  that  in  order  to  commemorate  the  sixtieth  year  of 
Her  Majesty’s  glorious  reign,  a  special  fund,  to  be  called  the  ‘  Victorian 
Era  Fund,’  is  being  raised  for  the  benefit  of  applicants  who  are  awaiting 
aid,  and  who  cannot  at  once  be  assisted  for  lack  of  means.” 
-  Making  More  Gardeners. — The  following  regulations  for 
junior  scholarships  in  practical  gardening  are  issued  by  the  Technical 
Education  Board  of  the  London  County  Council  : — “  The  Board  haa 
decided  to  institute  junior  scholaiships  in  practical  gardening  tenable  at 
tbe  gardens  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  in  Regent’s  Park.  These- 
scholarships  are  intended  to  offer  to  boys  who  wish  to  become  gardeners 
an  opportunity  of  going  through  a  thorough  course  of  training.  The 
following  are  the  regulations  relating  to  the  award  of  the  scholarships  : — 
1,  The  Technical  Education  Board  will  proceed  in  July  to  award  three 
junior  scholarships  in  practical  gardening  tenable  at  the  gardens  of  tbe 
Royal  Botanic  Society  in  Regent’s  Park.  2,  The  scholarships  will  be 
awarded,  not  upon  the  results  of  a  set  examination,  but  upon  a  considera¬ 
tion  of  the  record  and  qualifications  of  the  candidates  Each  candidate 
must  furnish  the  Board  with  a  statement  as  to  his  past  career  aud  hi* 
future  intentions,  and  his  application  -  must  be  supported  by  specific 
recommendations  from  his  head  master  and  other  teachers.  3,  The 
scholarships  are  open  to  boys  who  are  not  less  than  fourteen,  and  not 
more  than  sixteen  years  of  age  on  May  1st,  1897.  4,  Candidates  must 
be  resident  within  the  Administrative  County  of  London  at  the  time  of 
the  award  of  the  scholarships,  and  must  continue  to  reside  within  the 
county  during  the  tenure  of  their  scholarships.  5,  The  scholarships 
will  provide  free  instruction  in  horticulture  at  the  gardens  of  the  Royal 
Botanic  Society  in  Regent’s  Park.  They  will  also  provide  a  maintenance, 
grant  of  £20  per  annum  to  scholars  under  fifteen,  and  £25  per  annum 
to  scholars  over  fifteen  years  of  age.  The  scholarships  will  be  awarded 
in  the  first  instance  for  one  year,  but  will  be  renewable  for  a  second,  or 
even  for  a  third  year,  if  the  progress  of  the  scholar  is  satisfactory  to  the 
Board.  6,  No  candidate  will  be  eligible  for  these  scholarships  whose 
parents  are  in  receipt  of  more  than  £250  per  annum.” 
