August  S,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
129 
.  -  Do  Leaves  Absorb  Water  ?  —  CoRRECTioif.  —  “  W.  D  , 
Turnford,"  writes  : — “  Please  read  the  first  two  lines  of  the  second 
paragraph  on  page  100  as  follows — ‘  The  leaves  of  some  plants  do  not 
develop  cutin  or  wax ;  others  which  do,  have  cells  in  the  epidermis 
where  water  can  pass  through,  &c.’  ” 
-  Mr.  W.  Mabbott,  Dowlais,  Glamorgan,  writes  i — “  The 
following  is  a  summary  of  the  weather  here  for  the  past  month  : — 
Total  rainfall,  6'95  inches.  Number  of  days  on  which  rain  fell,  fifteen. 
Maximum,  1'80  inch,  on  the  Ist ;  minimum,  0  01,  on  the  15th.  Total 
amount  of  sunshine,  135  hours,  40  minutes.  Sunless  days,  three.  Very 
strong  wind  at  intervals  throughout  the  month.  The  wind  was  N.W. 
and  N.  on  twenty-five  days.  There  has  been  more  rain  for  this 
month  than  for  the  previous  three  ;  the  total  for  that  time  only  being 
5-85  inches.” 
-  Hemerocallis  mixor. — This  plant,  which  appears  in  gardens 
under  several  names,  is  a  native  of  Eastern  Siberia  and  Japan.  It  is  less 
stately,  perhaps,  than  H.  flava,  which  flowers  early  in  June,  but  it  is 
a  very  beautiful  plant,  with  its  long,  grass-like  leaves  and  pale  yellow 
fragrant  flowers  clustered  on  slender  stems  2  feet  or  more  in  height.  It 
has  been  in  bloom  now,  says  the  ‘‘  Garden  and  Forest,”  for  the  last  two 
weeks,  and  is  one  of  the  best  and  hardiest  of  summer  flowering  herba¬ 
ceous  plants,  alike  suitable  to  decorate  a  border  in  the  flower  garden  or 
to  naturalise  in  some  half-wild  woody  glade.  The  flowers,  when  cut, 
last  a  long  time,  and  are  well  suited  to  arrange  in  large  vases  for  the 
decoration  of  the  house. 
-  Disqtjalieyixg  at  Shows. — I  should  like  to  ascertain  from 
experienced  readers  what  is  their  view  in  relation  to  disqualifying 
exhibitors  at  shows,  when  it  is  most  evident  mistakes  are  purely  unin¬ 
tentional,  done,  perhaps,  in  the  hurry  of  staging.  Recently  taking  part 
with  two  very  estimable  gardeners  as  judges  at  a  show,  we  came  to  a 
good  dish  of  Dwarf  Beans  which  contained  twenty-two,  the  schedule 
asking  for  twenty  only.  I  contended  that  as  a  matter  of  charity  in 
such  a  case  the  odd  two  Beans  should  have  been  taken  out  to  enable  the 
exhibitor  to  compete.  My  colleagues  elected  to  punish  the  exhibitor  for 
his  unintentional  error  by  disqualifying.  I  do  not  complain  that  they 
exceeded  their  duty,  but  I  thought  it  was  harsh  punishment  for  so 
trivial  a  mistake.  I  have,  with  other  judges’  approval,  often  corrected 
such  blunders  or  called  the  exhibitor’s  attention  to  them  privately  to 
eave  the  humiliation  of  disqualifleation,  when  notoriously  a  mere  error 
in  counting.  May  I  ask  for  some  expression  of  opinion  on  this 
matter  ? — A.  D. 
-  Ashtead  Flower  Show. — The  usual  summer  exhibition  of 
the  local  society  was  held  in  Ashtead  Park,  Surrey,  on  August  2nd. 
Apart  from  the  show  the  park  and  grounds  were  a  great  attraction, 
being  in  the  greenest  and  most  beautiful  condition.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Pantia  Ralli,  who  placed  their  charming  park  at  the  Committee’s  disposal, 
were  not  only  very  hospitable,  but  did  all  in  their  power  to  render  the 
proceedings  very  enjoyable.  Mr.  Hunt,  the  esteemed  gardener,  may 
well  be  congratulated  on  the  keep  of  the  place,  and  also  of  the  very  fine 
groups  of  mixed  plants,  Caladiums,  and  cut  flowers  and  fruits  he  exhi¬ 
bited,  and  for  which  he  received  very  high  commendations.  His  noble 
centre  group  included  Palms,  Crotons,  Dracaenas,  Cape  Hyacinths, 
Francoas,  Campanula  pyramidalis,  Ixoras,  Crinums,  Achimenes,  and 
Ferns.  Caladiums  are  all  first-rate,  and  of  fruit  he  showed  good 
black  and  white  Grapes,  Hero  of  Lockinge  Melon,  Exquisite  Peaches, 
Elruge  Nectarines,  Bigarreau  Napoleon  Cherries,  splendid  Baumforth’s 
Seedling  Raspberries,  and  Red  Cherry  Currants.  Mr.  Goldsmith,  gar¬ 
dener  to  the  Rev.  F.  G.  L.  Lucas  ;  Mr.  Corbett,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Den- 
shaw,  and  Messrs.  E.  Morse  &  Sons,  Epsom,  also  also  had  groups  of 
mixed  plants.  There  were  also  some  pretty  table  decorations.  Miss 
Harradine  coming  first  with  a  combination  of  Gloriosa  superba 
flowers  and  Fern  only,  and  Miss  M.  Peake  second  with  soft  coloured 
drooping  Begonias  and  Fern.  The  cottagers’  productions  were  generally 
excellent,  W.  Merrit  taking  first  prize  in  the  champion  class  for  six 
vegetables,  and  J.  Matthews,  whose  products  were  better  in  the  ordinary 
class.  W.  Lisney  had  a  capital  dish  of  white  kidney  Potatoes,  name  not 
given,  and  J.  Matthews  with  Windsor  Castle,  very  handsome  white 
rounds.  He  also  had  the  best  red  rounds  with  pretty  Reading  Russet. 
Vicar  of  Laleham  was  good  in  this  class.  Canadian  Wonder  was  shown 
in  fine  form  for  a  Dwarf  Bean,  and  the  Runners,  though  fine,  rather 
lacked  the  better  quality  found  in  the  Ne  Plus  Ultra  type.  Onions  of 
both  classes  were  first  rate.  Flowers  also  were  very  pleasing  indeed. 
There  is,  however,  in  several  directions  much  room  for  expansion.  Some 
good  collections  of  vegetables  were  shown  by  the  boys’  or  continuation 
gardens. 
-  Aberdare  Show.  —  We  learn  that  at  this  show,  held  on 
Thursday  last,  Mr.  C.  Foster,  gardener  to  M.  C.  Williams,  Esq.,  Aber- 
pergwm,  Glyn-Neath,  Glamorgan,  received  a  gold  medal  for  the  best 
Grapes  in  the  show,  the  variety  staged  being  Black  Hamburgh.  Besides 
this,  the  same  exhibitor  secured  tea  other  prizes.  This  is  an  excellent 
record,  and  proves  Mr.  Foster  to  be  a  thorough  cultivator. 
-  July  Weather  at  Driffield.  —  Mean  temperature  at 
9  am.  (corrected),  60-3°;  wet  bulb,  56  0°.  Mean  maximum,  66  2°; 
mean  minimum,  49  36°.  Highest,  77'6°  on  the  8th  ;  lowest,  41'0°  on  the 
16th.  Mean  radiation  temperature  on  the  grass,  4519°  ;  lowest,  34‘0°oa 
the  16th.  Rainfall,  5  33  inches.  Number  of  rainy  days,  nineteen. 
Greatest  amount  on  one  day,  1-28  inch  on  the  18th. — W.  E.  Lovel, 
Observer,  York  Road,  Driffield, 
-  The  Weather  Last  Month.— July  was  a  wet  month,  the 
rainfall  exceeding  every  month  since  January,  and  has  proved  very 
acceptable  to  everything  in  the  garden.  The  wind  was  in  a  westerly 
direction  nineteen  days.  Total  rainfall  was  3  01  inches,  which  fell  on 
nineteen  days,  the  greatest  daily  fall  being  0  89  inch  on  the  18t’n. 
Barometer,  highest  reading  30T14  on  the  7th  at  9  A.M.  ;  lowest, 
29  230  on  the  21st  at  9  p.m.  Thermometer,  highest  in  the  shade  81°  on 
the  8th  ;  lowest,  45°  on  the  6th,  7th,  and  11th.  Mean  of  daily  maxima, 
69  70° ;  mean  of  daily  minima,  52  25°.  Mean  temperature  of  the 
month,  60  97°  ;  lowest  on  the  grass,  36°  on  the  16th  ;  highest  in  the 
sun,  141°  on  the  8tb.  Mean  temperature  of  the  earth  at  3\feet,  58'80°. 
Total  sunshine,  176  hours  40  minutes.  There  was  one  sunless  day. 
— W.  H.  Divers,  Belvoir  Castle  Gardens,  Grantham. 
-  Weather  in  July. — This  has  been  a  very  wet  month  in 
this  district,  rain  falling  on  no  less  than  twenty  days,  and  the  total 
registered  for  the  month  higher  than  has  been  the  case  for  a  long 
period — viz.,  6-23  inches  ;  1‘72  of  this  amount  fell  on  the  21st  in 
the  short  time  of  two  hours — from  6  to  8  o’clock  P.M.,  and  was  a 
storm  of  unusual  violence.  There  has  been  thirteen  wet  days  in  succes¬ 
sion  during  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  and  the  harvesting  of  the 
hay  crops  has  been  greatly  interfered  with.  Mildew  is  infesting  Peas, 
Onions,  and  other  crops.  Gooseberries  and  Red  Currants  are  also 
greatly  damaged  by  the  excessive  wet ;  the  former  are  dropping  in 
quantity.  Having  so  much  wet  there  has  been  an  absence  of  sunshine 
during  the  month,  but  on  the  whole  the  weather  has  been  warm. 
Herbaceous  plants  and  annuals  have  grown  very  fast,  the  latter  getting 
somewhat  drawn.  The  warm  moist  weather  also  seems  to  suit  a  number 
of  young  Conifers  growing  in  the  long  borders  in  the  kitchen  garden. 
Many  of  these  are  making  good  clean  growth.  There  has  been  a  few 
fine  days  this  week,  but  very  little  sunshine  ;  and  while  penning  these 
notes  (August  3rd)  it  has  been  raining  very  fast,  and  the  barometer  is 
very  low. — J.  S.  Upex,  Wigganthorjae,  York, 
-  The  Harborne  Gooseberry  Growers’  Society. — The 
eighty-first  annual  show  in  connection  with  this,  the  oldest  Gooseberry 
Society  in  the  kingdom,  was  held  at  Harborne  on  27th  ult.  and  three 
following  days.  The  berries  were  much  below  the  average  weight,  it 
being  eight  years  since  the  last  similar  average.  The  “  premier  ”  berry 
on  this  occasion  was  Leveller,  shown  by  Mr.  E.  Withers,  and  only 
weighed  21  dwts.  12  grains.  The  largest  ever  shown  at  the  Society’s 
gathering  was  34  dwts.  The  heaviest  twin  berries.  Ringer,  29  dwts., 
were  shown  by  Mr.  T.  Field.  In  the  various  sections  of  coloured 
berries  the  following  were  the  respective  winners : — Red,  Mr.  Withers, 
20  dwts.  20  grains;  green,  Mr.  T.  Richards,  19  dwts.  12  grains;  white, 
Mr.  G.  Newell,  18  dwts.  12  grains ;  and  yellow,  Mr.  Withers, 
20  dwts.  5  grains.  There  were  numerous  other  dishes  staged  by  several 
exhibitors.  Owing  to  the  wet  weather  previous  to  the  show  some  of 
the  heaviest  berries  had  burst,  and  for  which  there  is  a  special  class.  A 
somewhat  paculiar  feature  pertaining  to  the  rules  of  the  Society  is  the 
awarding  of  a  prize  to  every  exhibitor,  according  to  the  weight  of  the 
fruit,  and  the  prizes  include  such  as  bottles  of  spirits,  wine,  boxes  of 
cigars,  as  well  as  money.  Not  the  least  interesting  object  on  this 
occasion  was  a  plateful  of  “  baby  ”  Gooseberries,  about  the  size  of  Black 
Currants,  and  unripe,  being  the  produce  of  late  or  abnormal  flowering 
plants.  The  premier  berries  in  each  section  at  the  close  of  the  show 
are  put  into  a  wide-mouthed  glass  bottle,  in  whiskey  or  other  spirit,  to 
preserve  them  until  the  next  annual  show.  It  is  also  further  interesting 
to  remark  that  a  regular  record  of  this  octogenarian  Society’s  shows 
has  been  kept  ever  since  its  inauguration,  and  for  several  years  past  a 
dinner  has  been  held  by  the  subscribers  and  friends.  The  champion 
winner  for  several  years  past,  Mr.  E.  Boraston  (the  Secretary),  this 
season  occupied  a  minor  position,  owing  to  a  change  of  residence 
recently,  consequently  his  young  trees  are  not  fully  established. — W.  G. 
