January  13,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
33 
Weather  in  London. — -The  second  half  of  last  week  was  perfectly 
dry,  and  though  there  was  little  frost,  the  weather  was  decidedly  more 
seasonable.  On  each  day  the  sun  shone  brightly  at  intervals,  Friday 
proving  particularly  bright.  On  Saturday  morning  there  was  a  white 
frost  of  about  5°,  but  it  was  quite  warm  later.  Sunday  was  dull  through¬ 
out  the  day,  but  no  rain  fell.  Slight  frosts  occurred  on  Monday  and 
Tuesday  nights.  Wednesday  was  dull  and  mild  during  the  forenoon. 
-  Weather  in  the  North.— The  weather  of  the  past  week 
has  been  most  unseasonable,  dull  and  brightish  days  alternating,  while  a 
great  deal  of  rain  has  fallen.  Sunday  was  a  sunny  springlike  day; 
Monday  very  wet  and  gusty  in  the  former  part  ;  and  Tuesday  morning, 
while  fair,  was  dull,  with  the  thermometer  at  43°. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
—  Royal  Horticultural  Society  and  the  Victoria 
Medal. — The  Council  having  been  consulted  as  to  a  proper  mode  of 
the  use  of  the  Victoria  medal  by  members  of  the  trade,  have  decided 
that  the  only  permissible  method  is  by  the  letters  V.M.H.  following 
the  name  of  the  holder  of  a  medal.  No  other  mention  of  the  medal 
can  be  properly  made  in  any  publication  pertaining  to  horticultural 
trade,  or  relating  thereto.— W.  Wilks,  Sec.  By  order  of  Council. 
-  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  —  On 
Thursday,  January  20th,  the  above  Institution  will  hold  a  special  general 
meeting  to  appoint  two  trustees,  in  succession  to  the  late  Dr.  Hogg  and 
Mr.  J.  Lee,  who  has  resigned.  At  the  same  time  the  ordinary  general 
meeting  will  be  held,  to  elect  pensioners  to  the  fund,  to  transact  the 
customary  business,  and  to  elect  officers  for  the  ensuing  year.  As  usual 
the  meeting  will  take  place  at  Simpson’s  Hotel,  Strand,  at  three  o’clock 
precisely,  under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch.  The  Duke  of 
Portland  has  fixed  Wednesday,  June  8th,  as  the  date  of  the  fifty-ninth 
anniversary  festival  dinner  (sixtieth  year),  at  the  Hotel  Metropole,  of 
this  Institution. 
-  Hardy  Fruit  Culture  in  Hungary.— The  cultivation  of 
hardy  fruits  in  Hungary  has  so  greatly  developed  of  late  years  that  an 
official  inquiry  has  been  instituted  with  a  view  to  ascertaining  the  number 
of  trees  and  the  number  of  varieties  of  the  several  kinds  grown  in  the 
kingdom.  But  in  consequence  of  a  rumour  having  been  circulated  to  the 
effect  that  the  inquiry  was  being  made  for  the  purpose  of  taxing  the  trees, 
those  engaged  in  the  investigation  experienced  considerable  difficulty  in 
verifying  the  returns  furnished  them.  According  to  a  contemporary  the 
statistical  details  are  therefore  hardly  so  trustworthy  as  could  be  desired. 
Subject  to  this  qualification,  the  number  of  fruit  trees  enumerated  in 
Hungary  was  65  millions,  of  which  32  millions  were  Plum,  and  14  million 
Apple  and  Pear  trees.  In  Croatia  and  Slavonia  8,500,000  Plum  trees, 
and  2  million  Apple  and  Pear  trees  were  scheduled. 
-  Employes’  Dinner  and  Presentation  at  Cheltenham. 
— On  Friday  night  about  seventy  of  the  employes  of  Mr.  J.  Cypher,  of  the 
Queen’s  Nurseries,  were  entertained  by  him  to  a  sumptuous  dinner,  pre¬ 
pared  on  the  premises  and  served  in  one  of  the  glass  houses,  which  had 
been  transformed  into  a  dining-room  for  the  time  being.  Mr.  J.  Cypher 
presided,  and  there  were  also  present  Mrs,  and  Miss  Cypher,  Mr.  W.  J. 
Cypher  (Vice-Chairman),  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Cypher,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank 
Cypher.  The  dinner  was  partly  in  celebration  of  Mr.  .J.  Cypher’s  seventieth 
birthday,  and  two  presentations  were  made.  These  were  to  Mrs.  Cypher 
and  Miss  Cypher,  The  former  consisted  of  a  silver-plated  cheese  dish  and 
cover,  bearing  the  inscription,  “  Presented  to  Mrs.  J.  Cypher  by  the  indoor 
staff  of  the  Nursery,  January  7th,  1898,”  and  that  to  Miss  Cypher  was  a 
pair  of  massive  alabaster  vases,  accompanied  with  a  c/ard  on  which  was 
inscribed,  “Presented  to  Miss  Cypher  as  a  mark  of  respect  by  the  outside 
staff,  January  7th,  1898,”  Mr.  W.  J.  Cypher  made  the  presentations  on 
behalf  of  the  men,  Mr.  Cypher  responded  for  Mrs.  and  Miss  Cypher,  and 
assured  them  that  as  long  as  they  lived  they  would  appreciate  and 
remember  the  kindness  shown  them.  He  further  alluded  to  a  present  to 
himself  some  time  ago  of  an  easy  chair,  which  he  also  appreciated  and  was 
very  thankful  for.  During  the  evening  harmony  and  recitations  enlivened 
the  proceedings,  and  amongst  those  who  contributed  to  the  pleasure 
were  Messrs.  Booth,  Weaving,  Radcliffe,  Tilling,  Jones,  Clement, 
and  Joyner. 
- Croydon  Horticultural  Society. — We  are  informed  that 
the  summer  exhibition  of  this  Society  will  be  held  on  Wednesday, 
June  29th. 
-  Death  of  Mr.  J.  Kent. — I  regret  to  inform  you  of  the 
death,  on  Friday  last,  after  many  weeks’  suffering,  of  Mr.  .John  Kent, 
who  for  several  years  had  been  gardener  to  Mr.  Francis  Tagart.  There 
were  many  beautiful  wreaths  and  other  devices,  and  much  sympathy 
was  shown  for  the  widow  and  children.— W.  Staddon,  Cote  House 
Gardens,  '\\esthury-on-  Trym. 
-  Chester  Paxton  Society. — The  opening  meeting  of  the 
altove  Society’s  winter  session  was  held  in  the  Grosvenor  Museum  on 
Saturday  evening  last,  under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  Barnes,  when  the 
opportunity  was  embraced  of  presenting  Mr.  G.  P.  Miln,  the  Hon.  Sec. 
for  the  past  eight  years,  with  a  gold  watch  and  chain,  as  a  grateful 
expression  of  thanks  for  the  services  he  has  rendered  the  Society  during 
this  time. 
-  Devon  and  Exeter  Gardeners’  Association.  — 
Mr.  W.  Charley  presided  and  Mr.  C.  H.  Clark  occupied  the  vice-chair 
at  the  annual  supper  last  Friday  evening  at  the  Castle  Hotel  of  the 
members  and  friends  of  the  Devon  and  Exeter  Gardeners’  Association. 
■The  Chairman  said  the  Society  was  established  to  promote  the  mutual 
improvement  of  its  members,  and  to  advance  horticulture.  The  Society 
had  succeeded  in  a  remarkable  degree.  It  had  not  only  made  a  good 
name  for  itself  in  this  city  and  county,  but  its  good  work  had  been 
recognised  by  competent  authorities  elsewhere.  Nearly  every  branch 
of  gardening  and  its  allied  subjects  had  been  touched  on  at  the  fortnightly 
meetings,  and  many  of  the  papers  read  bore  the  hall-mark  of  excellence, 
and  must  have  been  of  benefit  to  the  members. 
-  Wall  Trees. —  When  I  looked  in  upon  Mr.  J.  Miller  at  Ruxley 
Lodge  Gardens  on  a  mild  afternoon  of  last  week  I  found  him  busily 
engaged  in  drawing  nails  from  his  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees,  that  the 
young  wood  might  largely  fall  away  from  the  wall,  the  buds  already 
showing  too  much  evidence  of  excitement.  Mr.  Miller,  who  is  one  of  our 
oldest  gardeners  in  harness,  remarked  that  very  likely  many  gardeners 
were  busy  nailing  their  trees  up.  He,  however,  saw  that  if  the  mild,  open 
weather  continued  there  was  every  probability  that  bloom  would  expand 
fully  a  month  too  soon,  and  he  regarded  unnailing  as  far  more  effectual 
in  checking  early  expansion  than  any  other  course.  Some  may  let  down 
their  canvas  shelters,  or  clothe  the  trees  with  Fir  or  Laurel  boughs,  but 
these  things  often  in  weakening  the  buds  do  more  of  harm  than  good. 
He  thought  nothing  was  so  likely  to  retard  development  as  the  simple 
plan  of  unnailing  the  wood.— A.  D. 
-  Grand  Yorkshire  Gala. — Last  Friday  night  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  guarantors  and  life  members  of  the  Grand  Yorkshire  Gala 
was  held  at  Harker’s  Hotel,  York.  Alderman  Sir  Joseph  Terry  occupying 
the  chair.  There  was  a  good  attendance.  The  Chairman,  alluding  to  the 
Gala  in  June,  said  that  circumstances  had  prevented  the  public  witnessing 
the  usual  beautiful  fioral  exhibition.  He  believed  the  flower  show  would 
have  been  of  an  exceptional  character,  and  one  which  would  have  been 
immensely  appreciated.  A  strong  wind,  however,  on  the  morning  of  the 
f&te  wrecked  the  flower  tents,  and  rendered  all  the  perfected  arrange¬ 
ments  but  work  in  vain.  The  damage  done  amounted  to  about  £600,  a 
catastrophe  which  had  never  been  previously  experienced.  On  every 
hand  the  circumstances  had  created  regret.  Expressions  of  sympathy 
had  been  received  from  several  of  the  exhibitors,  and  one  gentleman — 
Mr,  Atkinson  of  Sheffield— had  sent  a 'donation  of  five  guineas  to  the 
Society.  As  regarded  the  coming  fete,  they  had  again  made  satisfactory 
arrangements  with  the  Bootham  Asylum  authorities.  Other  pleasing 
circumstances  were  that  the  Lord  Mayor  (Mr.  Edwin  Gray)  and  the  City 
Sheriff  (Mr.  Harold  Copperthwaite)  had  been  elected  life  members,  and 
the  Lord  Mayor  had  consented  to  become  President  for  the  current  year. 
Sir  Joseph  Terry  was  unanimously  elected  Chairman  of  the  Council,  and 
Mr.  Border  re-appointed  Vice-chairman.  The  other  officers  appointed 
were : — Treasurer,  Mr.  Joseph  Wilkinson  ;  Secretary,  Mr.  C.  W.  Sim¬ 
mons  ;  and  Auditors,  Messrs. Pearson  and  Taylor.  The  following  members 
were  elected  on  the  Council Alderman  Sir  Christopher  A.  Milward, 
Messrs.  R.  Anderson,  G.  Balmford,  J.  BlenHn,  J.  Biscomb,  J.  W. 
Craven,  M.  Cooper,  H.  C.  Day,  Alderman  Dale,  G.  Garbutt,  T.  G. 
Hodgson,  J.  J.  Hunt,  A.  Jones,  G.  Potter-Kirby,  E.  B.  Kendall, 
T.  M.  Lambert,  Alderman  Purnell,  E,  S.  Robinson,  H.  Scott,  W .  S.  Sharp, 
and  J.  B.  Sampson,  with  Alderman  Clayton  and  Councillor  Foster.  The 
following  grants  were  made  for  the  ensuing  Gala  : — Floral  arrange¬ 
ments,  £650  (including  £50  as  a  Victorian  commemoration  prize,  offered 
last  year,  but  not  awarded)  ;  music,  £200  ;  fireworks,  £100  ;  amusements, 
£150  ;  balloons,  £60. 
