June  10,  1S97. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
505 
Welcome  Rain. — Mr.  J.  Udale,  Droitwicb,  writes,  “Welcome 
rain  came  on  June  1st  and  2nd  with  a  higher  temperature,  and  vegeta¬ 
tion  is  now  making  better  progress.  Aphis  was  making  its  appearance 
very  plainly  upon  many  Plum  trees,  bat  the  trees  will  now  outgrow  its 
attacks.” 
-  Rainfall  at  Abbots  Leigh,  Sussex.— The  total  rainfall  at 
Abbots  Leigh,  Haywards  Heath,  Sussex,  for  May  was  M6  inch, 
being  0  29  inch  below  the  average.  The  heaviest  fall  was  0  39  on  the 
30tb.  Rain  fell  on  eleven  days.  The  maximum  temperature  was  73° 
on  the  17th,  18tb,  and  30tb.  The  minimum  30°  on  the  13tb.  Mean 
maximum,  62-27  ;  mean  minimum,  41-30°;  mean  temperature,  51  78° — 
1'93°  below  the  average, — R.  I; 
-  May  Weather  at  Driffield. — Mean  temperature  at  9  a.m,, 
50'83°.  Wet  bulb,  46  04°.  Mean  maximum,  56-93;  mean  minimum, 
39  55.  Highest,  67-0°  on  the  31st ;  lowest,  31  8°  on  the  13th.  Mean 
of  maxima  and  minima,  48  24°.  Mean  radiation  temperature  on  the 
grass,  36-01°.  Lowest,  26-4°  on  the  13th.  Rainfall,  1-03  inch. 
Humber  of  rainy  days,  eight.  Greatest  amount  on  one  day,  0  37  inch 
on  the  29  th — W.  E.  Lovell,  Observer ,  York  Road,  Driffield. 
-  May  Weather  at  Dowlais— Rainfall,  1-87  inch.  Maxi¬ 
mum,  0-44  inch  on  the  29th.  Number  of  days  on  which  rain  fell, 
thirteen.  Thermometer:  Highest  reading,  86°  on  the  24th;  minimum, 
24°  on  the  12th.  The  temperature  was  below  33°  on  eight  nights.  Mean 
maximum  for  the  month,  62°  ;  mein  minimum,  36°.  The  wind  was  in 
the  S.W.  and  W.  on  nineteen  days,  and  in  the  N.  and  N.E.  on  eleven 
days,  and  until  the  22nd  was  very  strong  aDd  bitterly  cold  the  whole 
of  the  time,  with  regular  blinding  strrms  of  snow  on  the  12th.  There 
were  five  sunless  days. — Wm  Mabbott,  Dowlais ,  N.  Wales. 
-  Pyrus  Maulei. — This  is  one  of  the  most  showy  of  the  early 
spring-flowering  shrubs,  and  being  a  native  of  Japan  (whence  the  late 
Mr.  Maule  of  Bristol  imported  it)  is  perfectly  hardy.  We  have  several 
plants  in  the  pleasure  grounds  growing  naturally.  They  are  4  or  5  feet 
in  diameter,  and  beine  wreathed  with  thousands  of  blooms  for  several 
weeks  in  succession  have  been  much  admired.  This  variety  has  the 
advantage  of  fruiting  freely  in  the  autumn,  which  gives  it  a  very  hand* 
some  appearance.  It  is  easily  propagated,  either  from  Beeds  or  divisions 
— S ,  Yorks. 
-  Presentation  to  Mr.  Inglis  of  Howick.— We  receive  on 
Wednesday,  when  preparing  for  press,  a  lengthy  report  of  an  interesting 
meeting,  but  all  we  can  do  is  to  give  the  purport  of  it — namely,  that 
Mr.  D.  Inglis,  who  for  the  last  twenty-two  years  has  acted  in  the  capacity 
of  head  gardener  to  Earl  Grey  of  Howick,  and  who  during  that  time  has 
made  himself  extremely  popular,  not  only  at  Howick,  but  in  the 
district  generally,  was  made  the  recipient  of  a  handsome  inlaid  rose¬ 
wood  cabinet  by  the  parishioners  of  Howick  and  other  friends  on  his 
leaving  the  district  to  take  up  the  duties  of  head  gardener  to  his  Grace 
the  Duke  of  Buccleuch  at  Drumlanrig  Castle.  A  silver  plate  bearing 
the  following  iDSciiption  has  been  let  into  the  cabinet: — “Presented 
to  Mr.  Inglis  as  a  t  ken  of  esteem  and  regard  by  parishioners  and  friends 
on  leaving  Howick.  May,  1897.” 
-  Isle  of  Wight  Horticultural  Improvement  Associa¬ 
tion  — The  last  monthly  meeting  of  the  above  Association  was  held  at 
Sandown  on  Saturday  last,  when  a  very  enthusiastic  meeting  was 
presided  over  by  Dr.  J.  Groves,  B  A.,  J.P.  Mr.  Alfred  Outram’s 
admirable  paper  on  “  The  Progress  of  Horticulture  in  America,”  read  by 
Mr.  C.  Orchard,  afforded  much  scope  for  discussion,  and  finally  it  was 
agreed  that  Englishmen  bad  played  an  important  part  in  the  develop¬ 
ment  and  progress  of  horticulture  in  the  United  States.  The  Chairman 
gave  a  very  interesting  account  of  his  many  visits  to  America  ;  whilst 
Mr.  C.  Orchard  spoke  of  his  experiences  when  gardener  to  an  American 
family  of  note.  The  platform  and  table  contained  horticultural  exhibits. 
Mr.  Jos.  Perkins,  gardener  to  G.  W.  Drabble,  Esq.,  Los  Altos,  Sandown, 
staged  Crotons,  Palms,  and  Dracaenas  ;  Mr.  James  Mackett,  Bembridge, 
a  dish  of  Sutton’s  Ringleader  Potatoes ;  Mr.  Hy.  Love,  Sandown,  blooms 
of  Duchess  of  York  and  Lasgo  Maggiore  Chrysanthemums,  the  former 
from  a  cut-down  plant  last  November,  and  the  latter  from  an  autumn- 
rooted  cutting;  and  Mr.  C.  O  chard  staged  blooms  of  Duchess  of  York 
Pink,  a  sport  from  Mrs.  Sinkins,  which  was  pure  white  with  crimson 
baEe.  A  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  the  writer  and  reader 
of  the  paper,  and  also  to  those  who  had  forwarded  exhibits.  Mr.  S. 
Gibbs,  C.C.,  who  is  an  enthusiastic  educationalist,  spoke  on  the  impor¬ 
tance  of  hcrticulture  in  the  Garden  Isle,  and  of  its  development  during 
the  existence  of  the  County  Council,  and  the  scope  that  still  exists  for 
further  development.  Several  new  members  were  elected. 
-  Flowers  in  New  Yore. — The  prices  of  flowers  were,  perhaps, 
never  so  low  in  this  city  as  they  were  one  week  in  May,  when  Carnations 
brought  as  little  as  1  dol.  a  thousand,  and  a  regular  rate  for  Roses 
was  5  dols.  a  thousand.  Indeed,  many  of  the  highest-grade  flowers 
could  not  be  disposed  of  at  any  price.  Besides  the  close  of  the  social 
season,  another  reason  for  the  slow  sales,  says  an  American  journal,  is 
the  abundant  use  of  sprays  of  Lilac  and  other  early  spring  flowers,  both 
wild  and  cultivated,  and  flowering  branches  of  trees  and  native  shrubs 
for  church  and  other  decorations.  These  flowers  are  for  sale  by  the 
armful  on  the  street  corners,  dr  they  can  be  had  for  the  picking  almost 
anywhere  in  the  suburbs. 
-  A  Double  White  Anemone  coronaria. — Notwithstanding 
the  number  of  white  flowers  which  we  now  have  to  choose  from,  any 
new  one  is  welcome  if  it  be  of  distinct  merit.  For  this  reason  we 
anticipate  that  the  new  double  white  Anemcne,  of  Messrs.  E.  H. 
Krelage  &  Sons,  Haarlem,  Holland,  will  be  well  received.  The  variety 
is  named  The  Bride,  flore  pleno,  having  originated  from  the  well-known 
single  variety  of  the  same  name  in  the  nursery  of  the  above  named  firm. 
The  flowers  are  of  good  size  and  substance,  travelling  well  through  the 
post.  The  colour  is  silvery  white  tinged  with  green  when  the  flowers 
are  young,  this  giving  pla:e  to  cream  as  age  is  gained.  We  understand 
that  Messrs.  Krelage  &  Sons  will  offer  bulbs  this  autumn. 
-  Tomato  Hepper's  Goliath. — This  is  an  old  variety;  indeed, 
having  regard  to  the  average  existence  of  varieties,  it  is  a  very  old  one. 
Mr.  Hepper  raised  it  when  gardener  at  The  Elms,  Acton,  some  twenty 
years  since  at  least.  It  is  of  the  Trophy  type.  I  saw  it  growing  recently 
in  a  low  lean-to  house  at  Woodhatch,  Reigate.  Mr.  Salter  mentioned 
that  he  found  it  there  when  he  went  to  Woodhatch,  and  he  has  grown 
it  ever  since.  Howsoever  old,  it  is  there  at  least  a  wonderfully  prolific 
variety,  cropping  enormously.  The  plants  are  throughout  full  of 
racemes  of  flowers  of  immense  size,  and  the  ripe  fruits  are  large,  very 
solid,  rich  in  colour,  and  handsome.  No  doubt  it  has  been  improved  by 
yearly  selection  from  the  best  fruits,  but  no  new  variety  could  possibly 
excel  this  old  one  in  productiveness.  The  plants  are  growing  in  a  long 
wooden  trough  16  inches  wide  and  8  inches  deep,  and  are  planted  at 
15  inches  apart.  In  spite  of  this  restriction  of  root  area  they  promise  to 
go  on  fruiting  for  several  months. 
-  Wakefield  Paxton  Society. — Programme  of  meetings  for 
the  second  quarter,  session  1897  : — Meetings  are  held  at  the  Paxton 
Room,  Woolpacks  Hotel,  Corn  Market,  Westgate,  each  Saturday  evening, 
at  8  o’clock  prompt.  June  12th,  Wild  Flower  Exhibition,  essay*by  Mr. 
G.  Bott ;  June  19th,  “  Wild  Birds:  Useful  and  Injurious,”  Mr.  C.  F. 
Archibald,  Yorkshire  College;  June  26th,  “A  Talk  about  Hardy 
Flowers  ”  (specimens  of  alpine  or  herbaceous  plants  may  be  brought 
for  naming),  Mr.  John  Wood,  Kirkstall  ;  July  3rd,  “  Heating  and 
Ventilation,”  Mr.  J.  Thomas  ;  July  10th,  The  Pelargonium  Exhibition, 
essay  by  Mr.  W.  E/Corden  ;  July  17ch,  “Room  and  Window  Decora¬ 
tions,”  Mr.  L.  Twigge  ;  July  24th,  The  Rose  Exhibition,  essay  by  Mr.  T. 
Wilson  ;  July  31st,  The  Carnation  and  Picotee  Exhibition,  essay  by 
Mr.  Allison;  Aug.  7th,  Afternoon  Visit  to  Woolley  Park;  Aug.  14th, 
“Our  Apple  Trees,”  Mr.  J.  L.  Pickard,  Leeds;  Aug.  21st,  “The 
Begonia”  (with  specimens),  Mr.  W.  H.  Vere ;  Aug.  "28th,  “The 
Gladiolus,”  Mr.  W.  Hudson. 
-  Another  Presentation  to  Mr.  David  Thomson.  —  We 
have  previously  recorded  the  presentation  of  a  marble  timepiece  to  Mr, 
Thomson  and  silver  plate  to  his  daughter  by  the  working  staff  of 
Drumlanrig  Gardens.  As  we  are  going  to  press  we  are  apprised  of  other 
presentations,  to  which  we  can  only  very  briefly  refer.  La9t  week  the 
Rev.  David  Black  headed  a  deputation,  and  in  well-chosen  expressions 
of  the  appreciation  of  the  high  character  of  Mr.  Thomson,  his  devotion 
to  and  punctuality  in  duty,  his  modesty  of  demeanour,  and  natural 
kindness,  asked  his  acceptance  of  an  ornate  clock,  also  a  binocular  glass, 
and  of  Miss  Thomson  the  acceptance  of  a  gold  bracelet,  set  with 
brilliants.  The  clock,  with  four  gongs  and  eight  bells,  bears  the 
inscription,  “Presented  by  some  friends  and  acquaintances  in  Nithsdale 
to  Mr.  David  Thomson,  Drumlanrig  Gardens,  ih  token  of  their  esteem 
for  his  personal  character  and  professional  eminence,  1897.”  In  accept¬ 
ing  the  gifts  Mr.  Thomson  referred  to  the  sore  wrench,  enforced  by 
time,  of  leaving  his  beautiful  home  and  the  superintendence  of  the 
premier  gardens  of  Scotland,  as  well  as  of  valued  friends  and  fellow 
servants,  with  not  one  of  whom  he  had  ever  had  the  shadow  of  an 
unpleasant  word,  concluding  with  what  Naomi  said  when  parting  with 
her  daughter-in-law — “  May  the  Lord  deal  kindly  with  you  as  ye  have 
dealt  with  mine  and  with  me.”  Mr.  Thomson  will,  we  understand, 
'  reside  in  future  at  Eskhank,  near  Dalkeith. 
