December  5, 1835.} 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
531 
- E.H.S,  Votes  of  Thanks. — A  very  pleasing  and  courteous 
custom  prevails  with  the  Fruit  Committee  of  awarding  to  all  persons 
who  send  products  to  the  Drill  Hall  meetings  to  come  before  that  body, 
and  which  are  not  sent  for  certificate,  or  have  no  other  award  made  to 
them,  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  for  their  kindness  in  sending  such 
exhibits,  many  of  which  are  very  meritorious  or  interesting.  I  learned 
on  Tuesday  of  last  week  for  the  first  time,  in  staging  some  flowers  for  a 
friend,  that  this  same  courteous  custom  does  not  prevail  with  the  Floral 
Committee.  Is  it  too  much  to  ask  that  in  future  it  may  do  soi? — D. 
-  Weather  at  Driffield. — Mean  temperature  at  9  a.m. 
■(corrected),  44’46°  ;  wet  bulb,  43-31°.  Mean  maximum,  49*61°  ;  mean 
minimum,  38-66°.  Highest,  62  0°  on  the  16th  ;  lowest,  27  8°  on  the  19th. 
Mean  of  maxima  and  minima,  44-13°.  Mean  radiation  temperature  on 
the  grass,  33-38°;  lowest,  22-8°  on  the  19  th.  Rainfall,  2-76  inches. 
Number  of  rainy  days,  twenty.  Greatest  amount  on  one  day,  0  42  inch,  on 
the  5th, — W.  E .  Lovel,  Observer,  York  Road,  Driffield. 
-  Weather  in  South  Wales. — The  following  is  a  summary 
of  the  weather  here  for  the  past  month.  Total  amount  of  sunshine, 
forty-nine  three-quarter  hours  ;  there  were  thirteen  sunless  days.  The 
wind  was  in  an  easterly  direction  on  fifteen  days,  and  in  a  westerly  direc¬ 
tion  on  thirteen  days.  Rain  fell  on  twenty-three  days ;  total  amount, 
11-56  inches,  maximum  3-18  inches  on  the  10th;  minimum  0-01  on  the 
1st.  From  the  4th  to  the  17th  inclusive,  there  was  rain  every  day,  with 
a  total  amount  of  9-80  inches,  accompanied  for  the  most  of  the  time 
with  very  strong  winds.  Total  for  November,  1894,  7-55  inches. — 
W.  Mabbott,  Gwernllioyn  House,  Dowlais. 
-  The  Allotment  “Labourer.”  —  It  is  difficult  to  avoid  a 
strong  sense  of  contempt  for  the  wisdom  of  Parliament,  which  in  its 
lack  of  wisdom,  inserted  reference  in  the  Parish  Councils  Act  of  last 
year,  instructions  as  to  the  provision  of  allotments  for  “labourers.”  It 
was  right  to  insist  on  the  provision  of  allotments  by  local  authorities 
but  why  insert  reference  to  labourers  1  Recently  it  has  been  found 
needful  to  invoke  the  aid  of  high  legal  luminaries  to  define  the  practical 
meaning  of  the  word  “labourer,”  and  that  definition  is  the  utterly 
absurd  one  that  it  excludes  all  who  are  classed  as  mechanics,  artisans, 
policemen,  foremen,  and  clerks,  all  of  whom  need  allotments  just  as 
badly  as  the  bona  fide  labourer,  and  as  both  tax  and  ratepayers  are  just 
as  much  entitled  to  them.  No  doubt  this  pious  legal  definition  will  be 
allowed  to  remain  a  dead  letter.  It  is  hoped  so,  but  the  matter  serves 
to  show  what  stupid  things  even  a  British  Parliament  can  do. — A;  D, 
-  The  Journal  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — 
Part  2  of  vol.  xix.  of  this  official  publication  just  issued  contains 
matter  of  unusual  interest  on  the  subject  of  hardy  fruit.  Mr.  Charles 
Baltet  has  an  exhaustive  paper  on  “  Fruit  Growing  in  France,”  and  the 
papers  read  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Show  by  Mr.  G.  Bunyard  on  “  Fruits 
of  Recent  Introduction,”  and  by  Mr.  A.  H.  Pearson  are  also  included; 
In  addition  are  given  the  two  prize  essays  on  “  The  Commercial  Aspect 
of  Hardy  Fruit  Growing,”  by  Mr.  L.  Castle  and  Mr.  S.  T.  Wright,  both 
of  which  contain  valuable  matter,  in  some  points  very  similar,  in  others 
different,  but  all  worthy  of  attention,  and  together  the  essays  form 
a  valuable  contribution  on  the  important  subject  to  which  they  refer. 
The  issue  contains  a  scientific  paper  on  “  Manures,  and  Their  Uses,”  by 
Mr.  G.  W.  Watson,  as  well  as  a  good  deal  of  other  appropriate  matter. 
The  price  of  the  part  to  non-Fellows  of  the  Society  is  53.,  and  the  prize 
papers  alone  will  be  found  worth  the  money  by  persons  who  are 
contemplating  the  cultivation  of  hardy  fruits  for  the  supply  of  our 
markets. 
-  Elderberries  and  Strawberries. — I  claim  the  privilege 
of  my  country — viz.,  to  speak  twice  in  order  to  clear  the  haze  off  the 
mind  of  “  T.  S.”  re  the  matter  of  Elderberries  and  Strawberries  (p.  507). 
He  will  doubtless  recollect  the  call  at  the  Wren’s  Nest,  where 
(figuratively)  he  was  good  enough  to  accompany  me,  and,  probably,  he 
has  not  forgotten  that  the  call  was  made  under  mild  protest ;  the  said 
Wren’s  Nest  having  the  same  local  standing  here  as  the  Blue  Dragon  or 
Bed  Lion  of  England.  Well,  I  wonder  had  the  wine  of  the  country 
(not  brewed  from  Elderberries)  aught  to  do  with  us  getting  a  little 
mixed  on  the  matter  of  Strawberries — “  ripe  early  Strawberries  ?  ’’ 
Certainly  we  did  not  see  any  that  early  autumn  day,  but  as  we  bowled 
along  I  told  him  all  I  knew  of  the  matter  from  past  experience.  We 
Dubliners  are  not  drawn  thither  by  gastronomic  influence  solely.  Such, 
indeed,  has  but  little  to  do  with  it,  for  it  is  the  “  darlingest  drive  ”  this 
side  of  the  City,  at  least,  by  the  route  pointed  out  by  an — Old 
Traveller. 
-  Daffodils  in  France. — Daffodils  from  Bordeaux  to  the 
borders  of  Galicia  are  all  of  a  sulphurous  yellow,  while  from  the  confines 
of  Galicia  their  colour  is  a  golden  yellow.  This  is  attributed  to  the 
formation  of  the  soil,  which  from  Bordeaux  in  a  south-west  direction  to 
Galicia  is  cretaceous,  w’uile  farther  down  it  is  of  a  hard  granitic  rock. 
-  Removal. — Messrs.  Messenger  &  Co.,  the  well-known  horti¬ 
cultural  builders  and  heating  engineers,  have  removed  their  business 
operations  to  extensive  new  premises  recently  erected  by  them  in 
connection  with  their  foundry,  close  to  the  station  of  the  London  and 
North-Western  Railway  at  Loughborough.  The  new  buildings  occupy 
a  site  two  acres  in  extent,  and  comprise  spacious  shops,  show-room,  and 
offices. 
-  Correction, — Mr.  E.  H.  Jenkins,  Queen-’s  Road  Nursery, 
Hampton  Hill,  writes  : — “  Will  you  kindly  correct  an  error,  and  supply 
an  omission  at  the  same  time  i  My  seedling  Chrysanthemum  is 
‘  Golden  Dart,’  not  ‘  Golden  Dust,’  as  cited  in  last  week’s  Journal. 
‘  Golden  Dart  ’  also  received  the  ‘  award  of  merit,’  as  a  decorative 
market  variety,  on  Tuesday,  November  26th,  1895,  from  Royal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society.”  [No  award  of  merit  card  was  shown  on  Golden 
Dart  at  the  Drill  Hall  at  the  time  of  taking  our  report.] 
-  Brudder  Joe.  —  It  is  more  than  possible  that  some  fellow 
readers  and  writers  have  met  with  that  genial  enthusiast  Brother 
Joseph,  late  of  the  Dominican  Priory,  Tallaght,  Co.  Dublin.  If  so  they 
will,  I  am  sure,  be  interested  to  hear  of  him,  and  will,  too,  share  in  the 
regret  that  for  some  few  years  probably  his  home  will  be  under  the 
burning  West  Indian  sun.  Considering  how  few,  very  few,  years  he 
has  been  engrossed  in  gardening  matters,  there  are  not  many,  I  think, 
who  have  laboured  more  diligently  or  profitably  in  the  field  of  horti¬ 
culture.  “  Mushrooms  for  the  Million  ”  was  one  of  his  favourite  text 
books,  and  on  the  lines  laid  down  therein  he  was  a  most  successful 
grower.  Any  eulogistic  analysis  of  his  good  works  would,  I  know,  be 
rather  distasteful  than  otherwise  to  him.  From  a  brief  letter  bearing 
the  postmark  Port  of  Spain,  Trinidad,  I  glean  that  he  had  a  pleasant 
voyage,  and  is  enjoying,  as  only  a  true  gardener  can,  the  wonderful 
vegetation  of  the  tropics.  Later  on  I  hope  to  have  some  notes  from  him 
on  the  subject  to  share  with  fellow  readers. — K.,  Dublin. 
-  Outdoor  Peach  Culture. — It  is  very  satisfactory  to  find  so 
able  a  gardener  as  is  Mr.  A.  Young  running  amuck  at  the  too  common 
suggestion  that  change  of  climate  has  made  Peach  culture  on  open  walls 
more  difficult  than  it  used  to  be.  \Yhen  he  can  accomplish  such  capital 
work  at  Abberley  Hall,  relatively  a  good  way  north,  it  is  evident  that 
whilst  skill  and  knowledge  can  perform  good  work  under  such  conditions, 
it  is  the  lack  of  these  qualities,  and  not  change  of  climate  that  leads  to 
failures.  Still  we  have  plenty  of  good  outdoor  Peach  growers.  I  see 
evidences  of  this  capacity  continually  in  gardens,  though  so  many  are 
handicapped  through  poor  means,  and  cannot  obtain  strong  young  trees 
and  fresh  loam  so  readily  as  they  desire.  Probably  Peach  trees  have 
suffered  more  from  over-culture  or  gross  feeding,  and  growing  in  light 
soft  porous  soils,  rather  than  in  poorer  and  firmer  ones.  A  remarkable 
example  of  firm  border  is  seen  at  Swanmore  Park,  where  there  are 
capital  trees,  yet  they  have  some  4  feet  of  hard  paths  over  the  roots,  and 
beyond  that  some  6  feet  of  hardy  plant  borders. — A. 
-  Growing  Sugar  Beet  in  Scotland. — The  Greenock  Beet¬ 
root  Sugar  Association  recently  held  its  third  annual  competition  for 
the  encouragement  and  cultivation  of  Beetroot  in  Scotland.  Prizes  to  the 
value  of  £25  were  offered,  aa  formerly,  by  the  Association  to  farmers  in 
Scotland  for  the  growth  of  a  plot  of  Beetroots,  and  seeds  of  two 
varieties,  French  and  German,  had  been  distributed  amongst  intending 
competitors.  Thirty  farmers  received  these  seeds  ;  but  in  consequence 
of  the  dry  weather  in  May  and  June  many  of  the  plots  were  failures,  or 
partial  failures,  so  that  only  seventeen  competitors  came  forward  for 
judgment.  The  exhibitors  show  in  most  cases  six  red-top  roots  from 
French  seed,  which  are  earlier  and  larger  than  the  white  roots  from 
German  seed,  but  these  are  expected  to  be  richer  in  sugar.  The  weight 
of  the  half-pole  of  roots  without  leaves,  lifted  and  weighed  by  the 
judges,  was  also  exhibited,  and  it  is  from  this  the  undressed  weight  per 
acre  is  taken.  Last  year  the  weight  per  half-pole  was  139  lbs.,  while 
this  year  it  is  no  less  than  242  lbs.  ;  while  the  lightest  last  year  was 
50  lbs.  against  59  lbs.  now.  The  roots  are  generally  of  good  shape. 
The  analyses  will  proceed  during  this  week,  and  thereafter  the  prizes 
awarded.  The  competitors  are  from  nearly  every  district  in  Scotland, 
including  the  counties  of  Ayr,  Renfrew,  Bute,  Dumfries,  Wigtown, 
Selkirk,  Dumbarton,  and  Mid-Lothian.— (“  North  British  Agriculturist.”) 
