July  11,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTUhE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
33 
-  New  Violas. — Mr.  George  Steel  sends  us  specimens  of  new 
Violas,  chiefly  of  the  miniature  type,  and  neat,  clean,  fragrant  flowers. 
Most  of  them  are  in  their  respective  colours — some  rich,  others  chaste, 
sand  all  attractive. 
-  Lord  Herschell,  before  giving  up  the  seals  of  ofiBce, 
appointed  Mr.  E.  J.  Beale  on  the  Commission  of  the  Peace  for  the 
county  of  Middlesex.  Mr.  Beale,  as  is  generally  known,  is  one  of 
the  chief  proprietors  of  the  firm  of  Messrs.  James  Carter  &  Co.,  High 
Holbom. 
-  Appointments  from  Kew. — Mr.  Charles  Henry  Humphries, 
in  the  employ  of  the  Royal  Gardens,  has  been  appointed,  by  the  Secretary 
of  State  for  the  Colonies,  Curator  of  the  Botanic  Station  at  Aburi,  on 
the  Gold  Coast,  in  succession  to  the  late  Mr.  William  Crowther.  Mr. 
'Hugh  McMillan,  in  the  employ  of  the  Royal  Gardens,  has  been  appointed 
by  the  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies,  on  the  recommendation  of 
'Kew,  head  gardener  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Gardens  at  Peradeniya, 
Ceylon. — (“  Kew  Bulletin.”) 
- Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — The  usual  “  Rose  fair  ” 
dn  aid  of  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund  was  held  in  connection 
with  the  Croydon  Horticultural  Society’s  show  on  July  3rd,  and  the 
amount  taken  for  the  sale  of  flowers  was  £7  163.  Among  the  con¬ 
tributors  of  blooms  were  Messrs.  F,  Sander  &  Co.,  Hugh  Low  &  Co.» 
J.  Laing  &  Sons,  B.  R.  Cant,  T.  B.  Haywood,  H.  V.  Machin,  M.  Hodgson» 
E.  M.  Bethune,  W.  Mease,  C.  J.  Salter,  J.  Slater,  C.  Lane,  and  Rev.  J.  H. 
Pemberton.  Mrs.  W.  Gunner  again  kindly  undertook  the  sale  of  the 
■Rowers.— G.  W.  Cummins,  Eon.  Local  Secretary. 
-  Brockwell  Park.— The  Parks  Committee  of  the  London 
•County  Council  recommended  that  £1470  should  be  expended  in  the 
oonstruction  and  drainage  of  footpaths,  the  formation  of  two  orna- 
'Baental  ponds,  shrubberies,  and  a  rivulet,  the  erection  of  rustic  bridges 
and  wire  fencing  to  the  paths,  and  boundary  fencing  and  gates  at 
-Arlingford  Road.  The  land  on  which  this  new  entrance  is  to  be 
erected  will  shortly  be  in  possession  of  the  Council,  and  the  work 
•will  be  commenced  without  delay.  The  Council  adopted  the  Parks 
'Committee’s  recommendation  by  a  substantial  majority. 
-  Ramie  Fibre.  —  Some  years  ago  there  was  great  hope  of 
bringing  this  into  successful  culture  in  the  Southern  States.  There  is 
^no  question  about  the  strength  and  beauty  of  the  material  that  can 
be  manufactured  from  it.  It  is  almost  a  rival  of  silk  in  this  respect. 
The  conductors  have  seen  some  admirable  productions  made  from  it. 
The  chief  diSiculty  has  been  in  the  manufacture  of  machinery  to  prepare 
the  fibre  cheaply.  This  ought  not  to  be  an  insuperable  difficulty.  If  the 
matter  were  taken  up  in  earnest  by  some  State  authorities  or  Association, 
improved  machinery  would  no  doubt  soon  be  forthcoming.  It  is  said 
that  the  authorities  of  Jamaica  are  entering  into  Ramie  culture  with 
some  enthusiasm  ;  but,  as  before  noted,  it  is  not  so  much  the  culture  as 
'the  cost  of  preparing  the  article  which  has  been  the  trouble.— 
(“  Meehans’  Monthly.”) 
- “  Hand-list  of  Kew  Herbaceous  Plants.”— The  Director 
of  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  has  favoured  us  with  a  copy  of  the  above 
publication,  which  has  just  been  issued  at  the  price  of  Is.  According 
to  the  preface  “  The  object  of  the  present  ‘  Hand-list  ’  is  to  show  what 
^species  are  actually  grown  at  Kew,  and  in  the  next  to  reduce,  if 
possible,  the  nomenclature  in  use  in  gardens  to  something  like  a 
'Standard.  The  cultivation  of  herbaceous  plants  in  the  open  air,  or  with 
merely  winter  shelter  in  frames,  still  remains  one  of  the  most  important 
•features  of  Botanic  Garden  work.  Of  the  total  number  of  species 
•cultivated  at  Kew  probably  not  less  than  a  quarter  are  grown  in  this 
way.  The  first  collection  of  herbaceous  plants  at  Kew  was  formed  by 
'William  Aiton  in  1750,  and  occupied  about  an  acre  of  the  southern 
.part  of  the  original  Botanic  Garden.  According  to  an  enumeration 
made  by  Mr.  John  Smith  the  number  of  the  Kew  collection  of 
herbaceous  plants  was  2712  in  1768,  while  Alton,  in  his  ‘  Hortus 
Kewensis,’  published  in  1787,  enumerates  2824  species.  A  sum  of  £500  was 
granted  by  the  Treasury  for  the  formation  of  the  present  Rock  Garden, 
which  was  constructed  on  the  vacant  piece  of  ground  adjacent  to  the 
herbaceous  ground.  The  collection  of  herbaceous  plants  is  intended 
for  inspection,  and  it  is  not  permitted  to  gather  specimens.  The  total 
number  of  herbaceous  flowering  plants  now  in  cultivation  at  Kew  is 
approximately  6000,  including  1000  well-marked  varieties.”  The  work 
is  printed  on  good  paper,  with  fine  bold  type,  every  other  page  having 
been  left  blank  for  the  convenience  of  those  who  are  desirous  of  taking 
notes.  The  arrangement  is  alphabetical,  and  the  list  will  doubtless 
prove  a  great  boon  to  lovers  of  herbaceous  flowers. 
- Grapes  at  the  York  Show. — I  shall  be  very  mu  ffi  obliged 
if  you  will  kindly  correct  an  error  in  your  paper  of  June  27th  re 
“York  Gala”  in  the  class  for  black  Grapes.  I  won  the  second  prize, 
not  Mr.  J.  Johnson.  —  J.  C.  McPherson,  Gardener  to  the  Earl  of 
Londesborough. 
- June  Weather  at  Driffield.  —  Mean  temperature  at 
8  A.M.  (corrected),  59-83'^.  Mean  maximum,  65'76°;  mean  minimum, 
45'16°.  Highest,  73'8°  on  the  22nd  ;  lowest,  35°  on  the  15th.  Mean 
radiation  temperature  on  grass,  41  30°;  lowest,  29'2°  on  the  15th. 
Rainfall,  3‘60.  Number  of  rainy  days,  thirteen  ;  greatest  amount  on 
one  day,  I'Ol  on  the  26th.  Mean  amount  of  cloud  at  9  a.m.  (estimated), 
5'4. — W.  E.  Lovel,  Observer,  York  Road,  Driffield. 
- June  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory,  Worksop,  Notts. — 
Mean  temperature  of  the  month,  57-4°.  Maximum  on  the  26th,  84-5°  ; 
minimum  on  the  15th,  32'3°.  Maximum  in  the  sun  on  the  28tb,  131*6'’ ; 
minimum  on  the  grass  on  the  15th,  24  1°.  Mean  temperature  of  the  air 
at  9  A.M.,  60'3°  ;  mean  temperature  of  the  soil  1  foot  deep,  58-5°.  Nights 
below  32°,  on  the  grass  five.  Total  sunshine  in  the  month,  173  hours. 
Total  rainfall,  1  93  inch.  Rain  fell  on  nine  days.  Approximate  averages 
for  June: — Mean  temperature,  57*4°;  sunshine,  157  hours;  rainfall, 
2*01  inches.  A  fine  month,  but  with  heavy  rains  at  the  beginning  and 
end.  The  frost  on  the  15th  was  the  sharpest  we  have  ever  had  in  June, 
while  the  maximum  temperature  is  the  highest  we  have  had  in  June 
since  1878. — J.  Mallender. 
-  Weybridge  Show.  —  The  thirtieth  annual  summer  exhibi¬ 
tion  of  the  Chertsey,  Walton,  and  Weybridge  Society  was  held  in  the 
grounds  attached  to  Oatlands  Lodge  on  July  4th,  the  residence  of 
C.  Swinfen  Eady,  Esq.,  Q.C.,  and  was  much  the  best  of  the  many  good 
shows  held  by  the  Society.  Specimen  plants  were  perhaps  not  so 
numerous  as  in  some  seasons,  but  the  general  excellence  of  the  show  was 
more  than  maintained,  while  the  competition  was  keen  in  most  of  the 
classes.  Unfortunately  the  afternoon  turned  out  wet,  which  no  doubt 
affected  the  takings  considerably.  The  arrangements,  as  usual,  were 
quite  perfect  under  the  able  guidance  of  the  courteous  and  energetic 
Secretary,  Mr.  T.  J.  Rawlings,  ably  backed  up  by  an  efficient  Committee. 
Groups  of  plants  arranged  for  effect  were  perhaps  the  leading  feature,  a 
tent  being  set  apart  for  them  entirely.  Roses  especially  were  bright  and 
well  staged.  For  twenty-four  distinct  blooms  Mr.  Will  Taylor,  Osborn 
Nursery,  Hampton,  Middlesex,  won  leading  position  with  medium-sized 
well-formed  flowers.  The  same  exhibitor  won  also  for  twelve  Teas  with 
somewhat  smalt  but  fresh  blooms.  For  twelve  trusses  of  three  each 
Mr.  W.  Goodhill,  gardener  to  G.  Ferguson,  Esq.,  The  Hollies, 
Weybridge,  secured  first  place  ;  Mr.  H.  Prothero  first  for  twelve  single 
blooms.  Cut  flowers,  any  kind. — Mr.  H.  Jacques  won  for  twelve, 
closely  followed  by  Mr.  T.  Osman.  Mr.  G.  Vigors,  Mole  House, 
Hersham,  won  for  twelve  bunches  herbaceous  flowers  with  a  creditable 
stand  ;  Mr.  W.  C.  Pagram  second. 
-  The  Strawberry  Crop. — “  We  have  been  wonderfully  busy 
and  have  had  a  splendid  Strawberry  crop,”  wrote  a  friend  to  me  from 
North  Kent  the  other  day.  We  have  been  reading  with  exceeding  interest 
all  that  Mr.  Molyneux  has  written  about  the  wonderful  Strawberry 
consignments  from  South  Hants.  We  have  seen  a  grand  crop  in  gardens 
locally,  and  we  hear,  too,  of  an  abundant  supply  generally.  That  is 
indeed  good  news  when  the  nature  of  the  season  is  realised,  and 
especially  the  earlier  anticipations  formed  that  the  Strawberry  crop 
would  be  largely  discounted  by  the  drought.  No  doubt  the  moral  of 
the  tale  is  if  you  would  grow  largely  for  market  plant  only  on  good 
holding  soil,  but  in  thousands  of  gardens  the  soil  has  to  be  taken  as  it 
is  found,  therefore  the  recent  grand  crop  speaks  volumes  for  Strawberry 
culture  even  under  difficulties,  and  will  spur  and  stimulate  the  fruit 
growing  industry  to  greater  exertions  in  a  remarkable  way.  It  is  odd 
that  such  fine  crops  should  follow  after  so  severe  a  winter,  but  then  it 
shows  how  very  hardy  Strawberry  crowns  and  roots  are,  even  if  the  old 
leafage  be  killed  wholesale.  And  yet,  in  spite  of  the  abundant  crop, 
Strawberries  have  not  been  very  cheap.  The  lowest  price  for  decent 
fruit  in  punnets  has  been  4d.  Those  shot  out  into  heaps  have  been 
3d.  per  lb.,  but  it  is  indeed  hard  to  tackle  them.  There  is  less  of  self- 
denial  needed  in  their  case  than  is  found  in  walking  round  a  garden 
where  Strawberries  are  lying  by  bushels  and  yet  not  be  invited  to  taste 
one.  That  is  indeed  hard  experience.  However,  the  great  thing  to 
rejoice  over  is  the  undoubted  fact  that  a  great  fruit  industry  has,  so  far, 
done  well.  Judging  by  what  I  see  in  all  directions  of  Raspberries, 
Gooseberries,  Currants,  and  tree  fruits,  there  is  good  reason  to  find  1895 
to  be  one  of  the  best  fruit  seasons  of  the  past  decade. — D. 
