January  6,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
11 
-  December  Weather  at  Driffield.— Mean  temperature  at 
9  A.M.  (corrected),  38‘53°.  Wet  bulb,  37'3°.  Mean  maximum,  44'26°  ; 
mean  minimum,  3o‘63°.  Highest,  55'8°  on  the  16th  ;  lowest,  21'0°  on  the 
25th.  Mean  of  maxima  and  minima,  38  94°.  Mean  radiation  temperature 
on  the  grass,  29'03°  ;  lowest,  19  0’  on  the  25th.  Kainfall,  2’385  inches. 
Number  of  rainy  days,  fifteen.  Greatest  amount  on  one  day,  0‘83  inch 
on  the  7th. — W.  E.  Lovel,  Observer,  York  Eoad,  Driffield. 
-  The  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory  in  December.— Mean 
temperature,  39’7°.  Maximum  in  screen,  58°  on  the  16th  ;  minimum 
in  screen,  21°  on  the  24th.  Minimum  on  grass,  14'3°  on  the  25th.  Sun¬ 
shine  twenty-four  hours,  or  10  per  cent,  of  possible  duration.  Kainfall, 
2‘02  inches.  Rain  fell  on  seventeen  days.  Rainfall  since  1st  January, 
22’55  inches  ;  deficiency  from  average,  2'73.  A  mild  month,  with  very 
little  frost  ;  rainfall  normal  ;  no  snow.  J.  Mallender,  Worksop,  Notts, 
-  Sussex  December  Rainfall.— The  total  rainfall  at  Stone- 
hurst,  Ardingly,  for  December  was  4-28  inches,  being  1*54  inch  above 
the  average.  The  heaviest  fall  was  I'll  inch  on  the  7th  (the  only  day 
an  inch  has  been  registered).  Rain  fell  on  fourteen  days.  The  total  for 
the  year  was  29'06  inches,  which  is  just  an  inch  short  of  the  average. 
The  maximum  temperature  was  53’  on  the  16th;  the  minimum,  25°  on 
the  4th.  Mean  maximum,  44*07°;  mean  minimum,  34‘27°.  Mean  tem¬ 
perature  39’17°,  which  is  P36°  above  the  average.  A  wet,  stormy  month. 
The  new  year  has  come  in  mild  and  more  settled.  —  R.  I. 
-  The  Weather  Last  Month. — December  gave  little  frost, 
although  the  temperature  varied  considerably.  The  wind  was  in  a 
southerly  direction  on  twenty-eight  days.  The  total  rainfall  was  2'43 
inches,  which  fell  on  nineteen  days,  and  is  0.35  inch  above  the  average 
for  the  month.  The  greatest  daily  fall  was  0'58  inch  on  the  4th. 
Barometer  (corrected  and  reduced),  highest  reading  30*690  inches  on  the 
22nd  at  9  A.M.  *,  lowest,  28*916  inches  at  9  P.M.  on  the  10th.  Ther¬ 
mometers,  highest  in  the  shade  57°  on  the  16th  and  l7th,  lowest  19°  on 
the  23rd.  Mean  of  daily  maxima,  44*64°;  mean  of  daily  minima,  34*35°. 
Mean  temperature  of  the  month,  39*49°.  Lowest  on  the  grass,  16°  on  the 
23rd  ;  highest  in  the  sun,  78°  on  the  30th.  Mean  of  the  earth  at  3  feet, 
42*58°.  Total  sunshine,  61  hours  25  minutes.  There  were  eleven  sunless 
days.— W.  H.  Divers,  Belvoir  Castle  Gardens,  Grantham. 
-  The  ROvSARIAn's  Year  Book.— The  very  neat  and  e.xcellently 
printed  annual  for  1898  is  received.  It  is  edited  by  the  veteran  Rev. 
H.  Honeywood  D’Ombrain,  B.A.,  V.M.H.,  and  contains  articles  on  “  The 
Rev,  Joseph  Pemberton  ”  (with  photograph),  by  the  Editor.  “  Rose 
Shows  ;  How  they  Strike  an  Observer,”  by  Miss  Muriel  Grahame  ; 
“  Yellow  Roses,”  by  the  Rev.  A.  Foster  Melliar  ;  “  The  Rose  and  the 
National  Rose  Society,  ’  by  the  Editor  ;  “A  Chat  about  Roses,”  by  Mr. 
A.  Piper  ;  “Roses  in  the  South-West  of  Scotland,’’  by  the  Rev.  D,  R, 
Williamson  ;  “  The  Abolition  of,  and  Substitutes  for,  the  Treble  Classes,’’ 
by  Mr.  George  Paul,  V.M.H, :  and  “  The  Rose  Weather  of  1897,’’  by  Mr. 
Edward  Mawley,  Pres.  R.M.S.,  and  Hon.  Sec.  N.R.S.  With  such  an 
array  of  talent  the  issue  ought  to^  be  a  good  one,  and  this  is  what  it 
seems  to  be.  We  hope  to  refer  to  it  again,  and  at  the  present  can  only 
say  the  work  is  published  by  Bemrose  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  London  and  Derby. 
-  Allotments  and  Cottage  Gardens  in  Surrey,— The 
success  which  has  attended  the  systematic  judging  of  several  allotments, 
cottage  gardens,  and  local  shows  in  Surrey,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
County  Council,  has  led  the  Tetjhnical  Education  Committee  to  issue  a 
circular,  of  which  we  give  the  purport,  as  follows  : — ”  This  Committee 
feels  that  this  system  of  judging  ‘is  based  on  definite  principles,  under 
which  every  crop  is  appraised  by  independent  officials.’  and  knows  from 
several  years’  experience  that  it  is  thoroughly  trusted  by  the  workers. 
It  has  the  further  effect  of  not  only  stimulating  to  better  work  those  who 
take  part  in  the  competition,  but  of  eventually  bringing  them  to  compete 
with  workers  in  other  districts  ;  hence  the  <^ommittee  is  now  prepared  to 
offer  the  same  advantages  to  every  group  of  allotments,  cottage  gardens, 
and  cottagers’  shows  in  the  county.  Not  only  will  the  whole  cost  of 
judging  be  defrayed  by  this  Committee  without  any  expense  to  the 
Society,  but  certificates  and  prizes  of  books  on  gardening  for  special 
excellence  will  be  awarded,  and  a  lecture,  discussion,  or  conference  held 
in  connection  with  the  shows  for  the  instruction  of  exhibitors.  It  is 
hoped  that  general  county  conferences  will  be  held  at  intervals,  and 
ultimately  that  a  federation  of  horticultural  societies  for  the  industrial 
classes  may  be  formed,  working  a  general  scheme  approved  by  the  best 
authorities  on  the  subject,  and  aiming  at  a  common  standard  of 
excellence.”  .The  oflScials  of  local  societies  that  may  be  desirous  of 
joining  in  the  proposals  are  invited  to  communicate  as  soon  as  possible 
with  H.  Macan,  Esq.,  M.A.,  County  Hall,  Kingston-on-Thames. 
— —  Altrincham  Gardeners'  Society.— We  are  informed  that 
the  result  of  two  concerts  held  in  Altrincham  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Gardeners’  Improvement  Society  showed  a  balance  in  hand  of  £39  5s., 
which  sum  has  been  divided  between  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent 
Institution  and  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. 
-  La  Semaine  Horticole. — With  the  issue  of  December  25th 
our  Belgian  contemporary  reaches  to  the  end  of  its  first  volume. 
Throughout  the  various  numbers  the  pages  have  been  (occupied  by 
brightly  written  notes  and  articles  on  all  phases  of  horticulture  as  well 
as  embellished  with  many  illustrations.  As  might  naturally  be  expected, 
considering  the  source  whence  our  contemporary  springs,  the  Orchid 
department  is  admirably  conducted,  and  of  never  failing  interest.  To 
those  of  our  readers  who  read  French  we  commend  “  La  Semaine 
Horticole.” 
-  Essays  on  Practical  Forestry.— We  learn  that  the  English 
Arboricultural  Society  offers  medals  for  essays  on  the  following  subjects  : 
—  (1)  The  planting,  maintenance,  and  management  of  a  plantation  for  the 
first  twenty-five  years  on  (a)  maiden  land,  (6)  land  previously  planted. 
(2)  The  felling  and  barking  of  Oak  or  Larch  timber,  and  the  best  modes 
of  drying,  housing  and  stacking,  and  preparing  the  bark  for  delivery 
to  the  tanneries.  (3)  The  different  methods  adopted  in  the  measure¬ 
ment  of  standing  and  felled  timber,  with  diagrams  if  possible. 
(4)  Original  observations  on  any  diseases  attacking  forest  trees  not  yet 
thoroughly  investigated.  (5)  The  destruction  of  insects  most  injurious 
to  forest  trees  not  yet  reported  on,  and  coming  under  the  notice  of  any 
individual  member  in  England.  (6)  The  results  of  any  expei’iments 
having  a  practical  bearing  upon  forestry.  (7)  The  best  method  of 
reclaiming,  draining,  and  replanting  bog  land,  and  the  most  suitable 
variety  of  trees  to  plant.  The  competition  for  the  medals  for  the  first 
two  essays  is  limited  to  assistant  foresters,  but  for  the  remaining  essays 
the  competition  is  open. 
- An  American  Catalogue  of  Fruits.  —  A  catalogue  ol 
fruits  has  recently  been  published  by  the  Division  of  Pomology  of  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  This  useful  and  valuable  bulletin 
is  the  work  of  a  committee  of  the  American  Pomological  Society,  of  which 
Mr.  T.  T.  Lyon  was  the  chairman.  Such  species  and  varieties  of  fruits 
and  nuts  as  are  recommended  for  cultivation  in  the  United  States  and  in 
British  America  are  arranged  in  three  divisions  : — Fruits  mainly  adapted 
to  northern  localities  ;  sub-tropical  and  tropical  fruits  ;  native  and 
introduced  fruits  and  nuts  grown  in  the  open  air.  The  entire  region  is, 
says  a  contemporary,  divided  into  fifteen  pomological  districts,  with 
primary  reference  to  the  influence  of  latitude,  elevation,  prevailing  winds 
and  oceanic  and  lacustrine  exposures  upon  their  adaptation  to  pomological 
pursuits.  Comprehensive  and  carefully  arranged  tables  show  the  size, 
form,  colour,  texture,  flavour,  quality,  season,  use  and  origin,  besides  the 
districts  in  which  a  particular  fruit  succeeds. 
-  Emigrants’  Information. -The  January  Circulars  of  the 
Emigrants’  Information  Office  and  the  annual  Id.  Handbooks  show  the 
present  prospects  of  emigration.  There  is  no  demand  for  anyone  in 
Canada  at  this  season  of  the  year,  except  domestic  servants.  In  New 
South  Wales  there  is  no  demand  for  more  labour,  and  many  workmen  at 
Sydney  are  unable  to  find  employment.  Reports  from  Melbourne, 
Ballarat,  and  other  towns  and  districts  in  Victoria  state  that  there  is  no 
demand  for  more  labour.  The  Vine-growing  industry,  for  which  Victoria 
is  admirably  suited  by  Nature,  is  now  in  a  very  depressed  condition’ 
owing  to  the  low  prices  offered  for  the  wine  and  the  general  want  of 
co-operation  among  the  wine  producers.  In  South  Australia  there  is  no 
demand  for  farm  labourers.  Queensland  has  been  suffering  for  some  time 
past  from  the  tick  plague,  which  has  seriously  damaged  the  cattle 
industry,  and  from  drought,  which  has  been  prevalent  throughout 
Australia.  From  these  causes  the  demand  for  labour  has  been  small, 
but  the  numerous  railway  and  other  works,  which  are  now  in  progress, 
are  helping  to  provide  labourers  with  work.  An  agricultural  college  has 
been  recently  established  under  Government  at  Gatton,  where  students 
may  learn  farming  for  a  small  fee,  and  other  steps  are  being  taken  to 
promote  agricultural  settlement.  In  agricultural  districts  there  is  a 
demand  for  good  ploughmen  and  farm  hands.  The  sugar  industry  is  in 
a  prosperous  condition,  and  there  ai’e  excellent  openings  for  farmers  with 
a  little  capital,  after  they  have  acquired  some  experience  of  the  country. 
Large  numbers  of  persons  continue  to  arrive  in  Cape  Colony  from 
England  and  Australia,  and  many  find  much  difficulty  in  getting  work. 
In  the  case  of  any  local  demand  arising,  it  is  supplied  by  men  from 
Johannesburg  (Transvaal)  and  other  parts  of  South  Africa,  where  the 
labour  market  is  overstocked.  Speaking  generally,  there  is  at  the  present 
time  no  demand  for  anyone  in  the  Colony  except  skilled  mechanics. 
