10 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  6,  1898. 
Weather  in  London. — On  Wednesday  night  last  a  heavy  gale  of 
rain  and  wind  passed  over  the  metropolis.  On  Thursday  morning 
it  was  very  showery,  as  were  both  Friday  and  Saturday.  Sunday, 
though  dull  in  the  morning,  cleared  later,  and  the  sun  shone  brightly. 
Monday  and  Tuesday  were  both  foggy  in  the  morning,  but  clear  during 
the  afternoon.  Kain  fell  heavily  on  Wednesday, 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — The  close  of  the  year  past  and 
the  beginning  of  the  opening  one  have  been  marked  by  almost  uniformly 
dull  weather,  with  a  good  deal  of  rain.  There  were  6°  of  frost  on  the 
morning  of  the  3rd,  but  thaw  followed  by  midday,  and  the  evening  was 
raw  and  cold,  and  Tuesday  morning  very  wet. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
-  Koyal  Horticultural  Society.— The  first  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  in  1898  will  be  held  as  usual  in  the  Drill 
Hall,  James  Street,  Westminster,  on  January  nth,  1  to  4  p.m.  The 
four  following  notifications  are  also  issued  by  the  R.H.S.  -.—Examination. 
— The  Society’s  annual  examination  in  the  principles  and  practice  of 
horticulture  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  April  5th,  1898.  Candidates  should 
send  in  their  names  not  later  than  the  1st  of  March.  A  scholarship  of 
£25  a  year  for  two  years  is  presented  by  G.  W.  Burrows,  Esq.,  F.R.H.S., 
member  of  the  Court  of  the  Worshipful  Company  of  Gardeners.  Meetings 
and  Shows,  1898. — The  following  are  the  dates  fixed  January  11th, 
February  8th,  March  8th,  22nd,  April  12th,  26th,  May  lOth,  25th,  26th, 
27th  (Temple  Show),  June  14th,  28th,  July  12th,  26th,  August  9th,  23rd, 
September  6th,  20th,  29th,  30th,  October  1st  (Fruit  Show),  October  11th, 
25th,  November  8th,  22nd,  December  13th.  Notice  of  Meetings  and  Shows. 
— A  reminder  of  every  show  will  be  sent,  in  the  week  preceding,  to  any 
Fellow  who  will  send  to  the  R.H.S.  Office,  117,  Victoria  Street,  West¬ 
minster,  S.W.,  twenty-two  halfpenny  postcards,  ready  addressed  to  him¬ 
self.  Journal,  Vol  XX.,  Ft.  3,  published  March,  1897.— Any  Fellow  no 
longer  requiring  this  number  of  the  Journal  would  very  greatly  oblige 
by  sending  it  to  the  Secretary,  as  it  is  already  out  of  print. 
- “The  Horticultural  Directory  and  Year  Book.” — As 
the  contents  of  the  thirty-ninth  issue  of  this  annual  are  clearly  set  forth 
in  advertisements,  it  is  not  necessary  to  repeat  them  here.  A  glance 
suffices  to  perceive  their  variety  and  usefulness.  The  changes  of  gardeners 
during  the  past  year  have  been  very  numerous,  and  all  that  could  be 
obtained  in  time  for  publication  were  inserted.  The  work  consists  of 
about  530  pages,  and  every  gardener  will  like  to  have  it  handy  for 
reference  to  various  matters,  including  advertisements,  and  practically 
everything  in  demand  in  gardens.  The  price  is  the  same  as  before.  Is., 
or  by  post  Is.  3d. 
Pear  Beurre  Rance. — “A  very  excellent  late  variety,  good 
bearer,  fine  for  walls,”  is  what  I  read  of  this  variety  in  a  catalogue  to 
hand,  and  certainly'  no  better  description  need  be  given,  for  of  all  late 
Pears  none  gives  us  such  all-round  satisfaction.  An  old  espalier- trained 
tree  on  a  south  aspect  never  fails  to  crop,  and  if  the  fruit  is  left  on  the 
tree  to  thoroughly  develop,  and  not  gathered  (as  is  often  the  case,  in 
stormy  autumn  weather)  before  it  reaches  that  stage  almost  every  fruit 
will  ripen  perfectly.  A  few  introduced  into  slight  warmth  at  intervals 
will  keep  up  a  supply,  the  flavour  also  being  much  improved  by  so  doing. 
Its  appearance,  a  dark  green  and  russet,  is  sometimes  against  it,  but 
where  late  Pears  are  appreciated  this  is  easily  overlooked.— R.  P.  R., 
Liverpool. 
-  The  Hessle  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society. 
— A  meeting  of  the  above  Society  was  held  in  the  Parish  Hall  on  the 
28th  ult.,  Mr.  Geo.  Picker  in  the  chair.  Mr.  Geo.  Giles,  Hesslewood 
Gardens,  read  an  interesting  and  practical  paper  on  “  Variegated  Foliage 
Plants.”  The  essayist  described  the  methods  of  propagation  and  suitable 
modes  of  cultivation.  There  was  a  moderate  attendance  of  members,  and 
a  good  discussion  followed.  Mr.  Blakey  showed  well  flowered  plants  of 
Cattleya  Trianae  and  Cypripedium  insigne  var.,  and  Mr.  Barker,  gardener 
to  AV.  P.  Birkenshaw,  Lsq.,  brought  a  fine  plant  of  Lmlia  autumnalis  alba 
with  twenty -two  flowers,  which  received  the  Society’s  cultural  certificate, 
also  Lselia  anceps  Ashworthae,  L.  anceps  Protheroiana,  tastefully  arranged 
on  the  table  with  good  Roman  Hyacinths  and  Ferns.  A  vote  of  thanks  to 
the  essayist  and  Chairman  terminated  the  meeting. 
-  Botanist  of  Victoria.— Mr.  J.  G.  Luehman,  for  twenty- 
eight  years  the  assistant  of  the  late  Baron  von  Mueller,  succeeds  him  as 
Government  Botanist  of  Victoria,  and  has  now  been  placed  in  charge  of 
the  National  Herbarium  of  Melbourne,  with  the  title  of  Curator. 
-  Liverpool  Horticultural  Association. — The  Committee 
of  the  above  Association  has  arranged  to  hold  the  annual  dinner  and 
social  evening  for  members  and  friends  at  the  Adelphi  Hotel,  Lime  Street, 
Liverpool,  on  Saturday,  January  15th,  at  seven  o’clock.  Owing  to  the 
arrangements  made  for  the  dinner  and  excellent  musical  programme 
afterwards  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  early  application  will  be  made  for  tickets  • 
-  A  Plea  for  the  Parks. — We  are  accustomed  to  speak  ot 
urban  parks  as  the  lungs  of  cities,  but  the  ideal  park  is  more  than  a 
laboratory  for  purifying  the  air.  It  does  more  than  offer  an  invitation  to 
agreeable  physical  exercise  and  a  change  of  mental  occupation.  Contact 
with  and  contemplation  of  natural  scenery,  especially  of  pastoral  scenery, 
brings  positive  refreshment  to  the  mind.  Green  pastures  and  still  waters 
now,  as  in  the  days  of  the  Hebrew  poet,  restore  the  soul.  This,  says  an 
American  writer,  is  a  fundamental  truth,  and,  therefore,  it  has  profound 
practical  importance. 
-  Gardening  Appointments. — Mr.  C.  Nicholson,  for  the  past 
four  years  foreman  at  Rokeby  Park  Gardens,  Barnard  Castle,  has  been 
engaged  as  head  gardener  to  Major  Chichester  Constable.  Wycliffe  Hall, 
Winston,  Darlington.  Mr.  Charles  Foster,  who  has  been  for  some  years 
gardener  to  M.  S.  Williams,  Esq.,  Aberpergwm,  has  been  appointed 
gardener  to  G.  E.  Jarvis,  Esq.,  Doddington  Hall,  Lincolnshire.  Mr. 
R.  Bellerby,  four  and  a  half  years  foreman,  Askham  Grange 
Gardens,  York,  is  appointed  head  gardener  to  Sir  Theophilus  Peel,  Bart., 
Potterton  Hall,  Barwick-in-Elmet,  Leeds.  Mr.  Richard  Morse,  late  ol 
Berkley  House  Gardens,  Frome,  has  been  appointed  gardener  to  Captain 
Knatchbull,  Babington,  Bath. 
-  United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident 
Society. — At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Beckenham  Horticultural  Society 
a  paper  was  read  on  the  above  subject  which  created  considerable  interest* 
A  number  of  the  members  present,  belonging  to  various  sick  and  benefit 
societies,  expressed  regret  that  they  were  unaware  of  the  special 
advantages  of  the  Society  before.  It  is  to  be  regretted  the  working  of  a 
Society  “by  gardeners  for  gardeners”  is  not  much  more  generally  known. 
Anyone  seeking  information  may  obtain  it  from  the  Secretary,  Mr.  W. 
Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  S.W.  The  question  of  admitting 
members  to  the  benefits  of  the  funds  on  one  year’s  payment  of  subscrip¬ 
tions  was  discussed,  and  might  advantageously  receive  the  careful 
consideration  of  the  Committee.  The  question  was  no  doubt  prompted  by 
a  desire  to  transfer,  without  fear  of  loss  of  sick  benefit  in  the  meantime. 
Gardeners  desirous  of  making  provision  for  old  age*  sickness,  and  death 
could  not  do  better  than  transfer  at  once,  especially  if  young,  as  the  whole 
sum  contributed  (less  actual  annual  working  expenses)  can  be  with¬ 
drawn  at  seventy  years  of  age,  or  is  paid  out  in  full  to  the  person 
nominated  in  case  of  death.  Mr.  E.  Burge  of  Oakwood  Gardens  was 
accorded  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  for  his  interesting  and  profitable 
paper.— M.  Webster. 
-  Churchyard  Bottom  Woob. — The  Parks  and  Open  Spaces 
Committee  of  the  London  County  Council,  in  a  report  which  they  have 
just  issued,  state  that  at  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1895  they  had  before 
them  an  application  from  the  Hornsey  Urban  District  Council  for  a  con¬ 
tribution  of  £5000  towards  the  purchase  money  required  for  the  acquisi¬ 
tion  of  Churchyard  Bottom  Wood.  At  that  time  the  Council  could  not 
legally  make  the  contribution.  Since  then  authority  had  been  given  by 
Parliament  by  the  Highgate  Woods  Preservation  Act,  1897,  for  the 
Council  to  assist  in  securing  this  land  as  a  place  of  public  recreation . 
They  had  been  urged  by  the  Commons  Preservation  Society,  the  Kyrle 
Society,  the  Metropolitan  Public  Gardens  Association,  and  many  residents 
in  the  district  to  recommend  the  Council  to  make  a  contribution  of  money 
towards  acquiring  the  land,  and,  after  mature  consideration,  they  were  of 
opinion  that  the  Council  should  assist  in  the  preservation  of  this  desirable 
open  space.  It  was  true  that  the  wood  was  outside  the  county  of  London, 
but  it  was  so  near  as  to  be  readily  accessible  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
northern  districts.  And  it  was  right  that  they  should  draw  attention  to 
the  fact  that,  owing  to  the  rapidity  with  which  the  area  of  the  county  was 
being  covered  with  houses,  it  was  already  practically  impossible  to  provide 
any  more  large  open  spaces  in  the  central,  northern,  or  eastern  districts, 
except  by  the  purchase  of  property  at  enormous  cost ;  and  it  therefore 
seemed  to  them  advisable  that  the  Council  should  join  with  the  other 
public  bodies  in  preserving  this  wood  for  the  public  benefit.  The  Committee 
recommend  a  contribution  by  the  Council  of  £2500. — (“  Garden.”) 
