JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Mav  5.  1898. 
38.S 
-  Death  op  Mb.  A.  W.  Blick. — We  learn  with  regret  of  the 
death  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Blick,  who  will  be  rememberi  d  as  taking  a  keen 
interest  in  horticultural  matters,  and  who  was  for  about  twenty-five  years 
intimately  connected  with  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  The  deceased 
passed  away  at  Brentford  on  Monday,  May  2nd,  at  the  ripe  age  of 
seventy-one  years. 
-  Pelargoniums  for  Winter  Flowering. — Valuable  as  are 
Zonal  Pelargoniums  for  winter  flowering,  it  is  comparatively  seldom  that 
one  sees  a  really  first-class  collection.  This  is  regrettable,  and  we  trust 
that  Mr.  C.  H.  Parker’s  endeavour  to  popularise  them  will  be  well 
rewarded.  On  page  390  we  give  in  abridged  form  a  paper  read  by  Mr. 
Parker,  who  is  an  ardent  amateur  horticulturist,  at  a  recent  meeting  of 
the  Barnsley  Paxton  Society,  and  we  commend  the  information  therein 
to  the  notice  of  our  readers. 
-  Steeping  Seeds  in  Water. — Some  persons  soak  Kidney 
Bean,  Beet,  and  other  seeds  in  water  previous  to  sowing,  but  the  practice 
is  not  to  be  recommended,  especially  at  this  early  period,  when  the  ground 
is  not  yet  thoroughly  warmed.  There  is  usually  enough  moisture  in  the 
soil  for  the  needs  of  the  seeds,  though  it  may  not  be  very  apparent.  The 
moisture  required  is  mainly  absorbed  in  the  form  of  watery  vapour,  and 
the  warmth  of  the  sun  acting  upon  the  surface  soil  will  cause  sufificient  for 
the  demands  of  the  seeds. — E.  D.  S. 
-  Primroses  Changing  Colour.  —  Can  anyone  tell  me  the 
reason  of  the  common  Primrose  changing  colour.  I  planted  three  years 
ago  a  clump  of  wild  Primroses  taken  from  a  wood.  The  first  year  they 
came  yellow,  the  second  year  there  were  two  or  three  blossoms  among 
the  yellow  ones  of  a  dark  colour.  This  year  they  have  come  all  dark, 
and  with  only  two  or  three  of  the  original  yellow  colour  in  the  centre  of 
the  clump.  The  foliage  remains  green,  as  when  in  the  wood  or  when 
first  planted.  There  are  no  coloured  Primroses  in  the  garden. — PI.  S. 
-  A  Study  in  Cucumbers. — It  is  a  matter  of  education  as 
well  as  of  interest  to  walk  through  the  Cucumber  houses  at  Rowledge 
when  Mr.  Mortimer  has  his  trials  on,  and  is  also  growing  large  stocks 
for  seed  production.  We  then  have  such  an  admirable  opportunity  to 
become  familiar  with  the  character  of  the  fruits  of  most  of  the  leading 
varieties  in  cultivation.  Thus  there  is  the  now  well  known  Lockie’s 
Perfection,  but  which  under  careful  yearly  selection  has  there  grown 
from  12  to  some  16  inches,  and  is  a  first-rate  stock.  Telegraph  Improved, 
or  otherwise,  is  yet  an  excellent  variety  as  a  cropper,  but  it  wants 
deeper  colour,  and  to  be  rid  of  the  long  heel  or  handle  which  characterises 
it.  Rochford’s  Market,  now  the  best  spine  Cucumber  in  cultivation,  is 
readily  recognised,  and  so,  too,  are  Sutton's  Progress,  Success,  Al,  and 
others.  In  spite  of  the  existence  of  the  greatly  improved  varieties  named, 
some  houses  still  cling  to  old  ones,  and  I  learned  that  Cuthell’s  Black 
Spine  was  in  particular  request.  Some  new  varieties  are  being  grown 
also,  as  with  all  the  advance  made  the  ideal  market  Cucumber  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  obtained.  So  far  Telegraph  and  Rochford’s  hold  the 
field. — A.  D. 
-  The  Popularity  of  the  Daffodil. —The  notes  on  “Daffodil 
Land,”  page  3.53,  remind  one  that  what  the  pioneers  in  the  culture  of 
the  nodding  flower  have  commenced,  general  lovers  of  the  family  are 
carrying  on  with  vigour.  Perhaps  no  flower  has  increased  more 
rapidly  in  popularity,  and  among  enthusiastic  amateurs  there  appears 
to  be  a  general  desire  to  become  possessors  of  the  novelties  as  they 
come  out.  Probably  this  accounts  for  the  fancy  prices  which  “Daff” 
quotes  in  his  notes.  Things  were  different  a  few  years  ago  when, 
with  the  exception  of  several  enthusiasts,  the  only  Daffodils  found  in 
private  gardens  were  the  Lent  Lilies,  and  later  on  the  Poet’s  Narciss. 
Lately  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  visit  gardens  of  no  great  pretensions, 
and  in  several  of  them  I  have  been  struck  with  the  varied  and  interesting 
collections  of  this  popular  flower.  Cne  amateur  has  instituted  a  Daffodil 
show  in  his  not  very  large  garden.  Last  season  the  first  exhibition 
was  held,  which  he  assured  me  was  a  great  success.  This  gentleman 
sends  out  invitations  to  his  friends  and  acquaintances  when  the  flowers 
are  at  their  best,  and  in  return  asks  for  a  subsciiption,  which  is  duly 
handed  over  to  a  local  charity.  The  show  does  more  than  help  a 
deserving  institution,  it  encourages  the  further  growth  of  the  flower, 
for  many  who  see  the  superb  little  collection  are  so  charmed  with  its 
interesting  beauty  that  they  become  Daffodil  growers  themselves.  The 
result  is  that  the  flower  is  grown  in  many  more  gardens  in  the  neighbour¬ 
hood.  Working  men  have  also  caught  the  fever,  and  nowadays  it  is 
no  uncommon  thing  to  see  Sir  Watkin,  Empress,  Golden  Spur,  and 
other  such  favourites  nodding  their  heads  in  the  little  front  gardens  of 
the  artizan  class. — G. 
-  April  Weather  at  Driffield.  —  Mean  temperature  at 
9  A.M.  (corrected),  46-80°.  Wet  bulb,  44-22°.  Mean  maximum,  52-68°  ; 
mean  minimum,  37-54°.  Highest,  66-5°  on  the  8th  ;  lowe.st,  27-2°  on 
the  Ist.  Mean  of  maxima  and  minima,  45-11°.  Mean  radiation  tempera¬ 
ture  on  the  grass,  33-54°  ;  lowest,  22  0°  on  the  Ist,  Rainfall,  3-655  inches. 
Number  of  rainy  days,  fourteen  ;  greatest  amount  on  one  day,  1-170 
on  the  11th. — W.  E.  Lovel,  Observer,  York  Road,  Driffield. 
-  Sussex  Rainfall.— The  total  rainfall  at  Stonehurst,  Ardingly, 
for  April  was  1-09  inch,  being  0-66  below  the  average.  The  heaviest  fall 
was  0-23  inch  on  the  14th.  Rain  fell  on  ten  days.  The  maximum 
temperature  was  65°  on  the  8th  ;  the  minimum,  32°  on  the  5th.  Mean 
maximum,  58-20°;  mean  minimum,  39-15°;  mean  temperature,  48-67°, 
which  is  1-31°  above  the  average.  The  month  has  been  dry,  with  a  good 
deal  of  sunshine,  and  cold  northern  winds.  There  has  been  no  frost  to 
hurt  fruit  bloom,  which  is  very  promising.  Some  welcome  showers  have 
fallen  since  the  26th. — R.  I, 
-  April  Weather  at  Dowlais. — The  total  rainfall  here  for 
the  past  month  was  3-62  inches,  which  fell  on  thirteen  days,  the  greatest 
fall  being  0-65  on  the  11th.  Average  maximum' temperature,  58-5°; 
highest  reading,  75°  on  the  25th  ;  mean  minimum,  32-5°  ;  lowest  reading, 
20°  on  the  4th ;  below  freezing  point  on  nine  days.  There  were  seven 
sunless  days.  The  wind  was  in  the  W.  and  S.W.  on  eighteen  days,  and 
in  the  E.  and  S.E,  on  ten  days.  Very  stormy,  with  strong  winds  in  the 
second  week.  The  last  two  days  were  very  rough  and  wet,  the  wind  at 
times  blowing  quite  a  gale. — Wm.  Mabbott. 
-  The  Weather  Last  Month.— The  wind  was  in  a  southerly 
direction  twenty-one  days.  Total  rainfall,  1-89  inch,  which  fell  on 
thirteen  days,  and  is  0-09  inch  above  the  average  for  the  month  ;  the 
greatest  daily  fall  was  0-38  inch  on  the  11th.  Barometer  (corrected  and 
reduced). — Highest  reading,  30-248  inches  on  the  21st  at  9  A.M. ;  lowest 
29-393  inches  on  the  11th  at  9  p.m.  Thermometers.— Highest  in  the 
shade,  66°  on  the  8th  ;  lowest,  23°  on  the  5th  ;  mean  of  daily  maxima 
54*76° ;  mean  of  daily  minima,  37-60°.  Mean  temperature  of  the  month’ 
46*18°  ;  lowest  on  the  grass,  17°  on  the  5th ;  highest  in  the  sun,  128°  on 
the  29th.  Mean  temperature  of  the  earth  at  3  feet,  45°.  Total  sunshine 
161  hours  45  minutes.  There  were  two  sunless  days. — W.  H.  Divers, 
Belvoir  Castle  Gardens,  Grantham. 
-  Potatoes  for  Irish  Peasants.  —  A  daily  contemporary 
states  that  the  Local  Government  Board  has  addressed  a  letter  to  the 
Guardians  of  several  Unions  in  the  west  of  Ireland,  saying  that  repre¬ 
sentations  having  been  made  to  the  effect  that  many  persons  employed  on 
the  relief  works  have  been  unable  to  avail  themselves  of  the  Seed  Supply 
Act  this  year  owing  to  poverty  and  the  high  price  of  seed,  the  Government 
will  give  a  bonus  in  the  shape  of  a  free  grant  of  Potato  sets  to  (amilies 
whose  members,  resident  on  the  holdings,  were  employed  oij  the  relief 
works  on  or  before  April  6th.  The  entire  cost  of  the  grant  will  be  borne 
by  the  Government,  and  is  to  be  regarded  as  an  additional  recompense  for 
the  labour  given.  All  the  Unions  to  which  the  letter  has  been  addressed 
have  accepted  the  offer. 
-  Kew  Gardens. — In  the  course  of  the  discussion  in  the  House 
of  Commons  on  the  vote  to  complete  the  sum  of  £115,000  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  Royal  Parks  and  Pleasure  Grounds,  IMr. 
Akers-Douglas  said  with  reference  to  his  decision  to  open  the  Gardens 
at  an  earlier  hour  in  June  next,  and  the  two  following  months,  there 
never  had  been  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  opening  the  Gardens  at  an 
earlier  hour  subject  to  two  conditions — that  the  Gardens  would  be  taken 
advantage  of  by  the  public  ;  and,  secondly,  that  it  would  be  safe  in  the 
interests  of  science  and  the  students  at  Kew  to  grant  an  extension.  It 
had  at  length  been  decided  to  open  on  .fune  1st  at  10  A.M.,  and  to  open 
them  at  that  hour  every  morning  for  the  following  three  months.  If  it 
were  found  that  the  public  appreciated  the  new  arrangement,  and 
visited  the  Gardens  to  the  extent  that  the  advocates  of  the  earlier  opening 
of  the  Gardens  said  they  would,  the  Office  of  Works  would  make  the 
extension  of  hours — as  far  as  the  summer  months  went — permanent. 
The  Queen’s  Cottage  would  be  handed  over  by  the  Lord  Chamberlain’s 
Department  to  the  Office  of  Works  on  June  Ist,  and,  as  soon  after  as  the 
Office  of  Works  could  make  the  necessary  arrangements,  the  grounds 
would  be  open  to  the  public.  It  was  the  intention  to  preserve  the  grounds 
as  far  as  possible  in  their  present  condition.  They  would  only  open  a 
path  from  Kew  Gardens  to  the  cottage.  The  rest  would  remain  much  in 
its  present  condition.  It  would  not  be  cut  up  unnecessarily,  and  it  should 
still  form  one  of  the  most  beautiful  bits  of  wild  country  in  the  proximity 
of  London,  and  be,  as  it  certainly  had  been,  a  sanctuary  of  all  bird  life  in 
the  district. 
