66 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  8,  1898. 
Weather  in  London. — The  rain  that  fell  heavily  at  intervals 
on  Friday  last  was  most  welcome,  and  though  it  was  not  sufficient  to 
penetrate  far  into  the  ground,  it  served  a  good  purpose  in  invigorating 
both  plants  and  people  for  the  time.  The  weather  has  been  very  hot,  but 
the  sun  has  not  been  so  poweiful  as  was  the  case  during  the  previous 
week.  On  Monday  it  was  dull,  but  the  heat  was  oppressive,  while  on 
Tuesday  it  was  again  dull,  indeed  during  the  morning  it  was  so  dark  as 
to  necessitate  the  lighting  of  the  gas  in  the  Drill  Hall.  On  Wednesday 
it  was  brighter  and  very  warm. 
-  The  Potato  Disease. — Once  more  the  dreaded  fungus  is 
present  in  many  gardens  in  the  southern  counties.  So  far  as  I  know  it 
has  not  yet  affected  the  tubers,  but  with  leaves  badly  attacked  we  know 
what  is  the  next  thing  to  expect.  In  one  garden  I  noticed  the  tops  so 
badly  diseased  that  it  appeared  to  have  been  affected  by  a  severe  frost, 
yet  in  the  gardens  round  there  was  no  apparent  trace  of  it.  Fears  are 
entertained  that  should  a  peiiod  of  wet  follow  the  present  drought,  many 
will  have  reason  to  deplore  the  ravages  of  the  blight. — G. 
-  Burbank’s  Tomato. — I  saw  recently  in  one  of  Mr.  James 
Douglas’  houses  at  Edenside,  Bookham,  a  number  of  plants  of  a  new 
Tomato  which  came  from  America.  These  were  in  pots,  were  erect, 
2  feet  in  height,  and  fruiting  most  profusely.  The  fruits  are  produced  in 
Currant-like  clusters,  but  when  ripe  are  about  the  size  of  small  Grapes, 
red,  and  very  pleasant  eating.  Perhaps  they  do  not  materially  differ  in 
appearance  from  the  well  known  Grape  Tomato  ;  but  the  plants  do  in  a 
remarkable  way.  Once  this  variety  is  well  known,  I  should  not  be 
surprised  to  see  it  largely  used  for  decorative  purposes.  The  dwarf 
compact  habit  renders  it  specially  worthy  of  attention  for  cross-fertilisa¬ 
tion. — A.  D. 
-  Potatoes  and  July  Frosts. — I  have  sent  you  some  Potato 
tops  that  were  cut  down  by  frost  on  Wednesday  morning,  20tli  July.  In 
the  gardens  at  Raby  the  thermometer  went  down  to  32°,  and  in  the  vJlage 
about  one  mile  away,  which  lies  a  little  lower,  the  Potatoes  were  frosted 
black  for  yards  I  thought  it  would  be  interesting  to  you  and  the  readers 
of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  as  I  have  never  heard  of  frost  so  late  as 
20th  July  before. — J.  Tullett,  Raby  Castle,  Darlington.  [The  specimens 
sent  were  quite  black,  and  the  occurrence  is  remarkable,  but  we  have  heard 
of  frosts  quite  as  late  and  as  disastrous  before,  though  fortunately  they 
are  not  frequent.  In  last  Saturday’s  issue  of  the  “  Yorkshire  Herald  ” 
we  observe  that  “Mr.  J.  Eland,  Sand  Hutton,  had  9  acres  of  Potatoes  on 
Upper  Helnaby  Moor  destroyed  by  frost  on  Thursday  night,  July  21st.”~l 
-  Trouble  Among  the  Greens. — Not  long  ago  the  Cabbage 
butterfty  was  flitting  about  the  garden,  and  to  the  uninitiated  there  was 
little  in  that  to  cause  worry.  Now  the  results  are  apparent,  and  growers 
will  do  well  to  keep  a  constant  look-out  among  tie  Winter  Greens, 
particularly  if  they  are  yet  small,  and  pick  off  the  caterpillars  th  it  may 
be  found  riddling  the  tender  foliage.  To  get  plants  out  early  is  a  good 
maxim  where  practicable,  and  Greens  that  were  transplanted  before  the 
drought  set  in  are  growing  strongly,  and  are  less  liable  to  be  attacked. 
It  is  surprising  the  rapidity  with  which  caterpillars  will  shear  the  foliage, 
leaving  nothing  but  bare  stems,  which  ruins  the  plant  or  seriously  checks 
its  growth.  The  simplest  way  of  getting  rid  of  the  pest  is  probably  the 
oldest — viz.,  that  of  looking  over  the  plants  continually,  and  picking  off 
the  marauders. — H. 
-  Surbiton  Allotment  Holders’  Show.  —  At  this  very 
excellent  local  show,  held  on  the  20th  inst.,  a  competition  for  a  sash  and 
good  money  prizes,  offered  to  the  allotment  holders  of  Surrey  and  Mid¬ 
dlesex  for  collections  of  ten  dishes  of  vegetables  by  Messrs.  Cannell  and 
Sons,  was  for  the  fourth  time  competed  for.  The  two  first  years  the  com¬ 
petition  took  place  at  Richmond,  last  year  at  Hook,  where  there  were 
several  collections,  and  this  yearat  the  show  of  the  winners,  the  Surbiton 
allotment  holders.  Only  two  collections  however  entered,  that  from  Hook 
beating  the  Surbiton  collection  easily.  Consequently  the  competition,  if 
continued,  will  take  place  at  Hook  next  year.  Mr.  G.  M.  Walker,  the 
esteemed  Secretary  to  the  Surbiton  Association,  has  intimated  his 
intention  to  offer  a  handsome  challenge  shield  for  annual  competition  by 
the  cottage  garden  societies  of  the  county  of  Surrey,  which  he  hopes 
the  County  Council  will  accept  and  provide  regulations. 
-  Mulching  with  Short  Grass. — The  short  lawn  mowings,. 
which  are  usually  free  from  seeds  of  grass,  are  very  useful  as  a  mulch  for 
Carrots,  Turnips,  Beet,  Beans,  Winter  Greens,  Dahlias,  and  young  fruit 
bushes. — S. 
-  Florilegium  Haarlemense. — Number  7  of  this  splendid 
publication  has  just  come  to  hand,  and  happily  shows  no  signs  of 
inferiority.  The  three  plates  embodied  and  the  letterpress  are  admirably 
printed.  The  subjects  chosen  for  representation  are  Hyacinth  Grandeur 
a  Merveille  ;  Tulips,  Salvator  Rosa,  Murillo,  and  Rose  Blanche  ;  and 
Lilium  speeiosum  rubrum. 
-  National  Cactus  Society".- The  exhibition  of  this  Society, 
which  was  held  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  the  26th  inst.,  may,  we  think,  be 
described  as  a  record  one  for  size.  There  were  nineteen  plants  only 
staged  by  four  exhibitors,  or  an  average  of  four  and  three-quarter  plants 
from  each.  How  many'  classes  were  scheduled  we  cannot  sayT,  as  the 
authorities  did  not  send  us  any'  particulars  From  this  show,  however, 
it  cannot  be  said  that  the  Society  was  a  very  necessary  one. 
-  The  National  Chrysanthemum  Society. — On  Monday 
last  the  members  of  this  Society  had  a  most  enjoyable  outing,  a  party 
of  about  160  starting  from  London  at  10.20  in  the  morning  and 
returning  about  11.30.  The  arrangements  were  in  the  hands  of  the 
Great  Eastern  Railway  Company,  and  were  admirably  carried  out. 
The  trip  by  steamer  from  Harwich  along  the  picturesque  river  Irwell 
to  Ipswich  and  back  was  enjoyed  immensely.  Through  the  foolhardiness 
of  a  boatman  an  accident  was  very  near  to  happening  which  would 
have  marred  the  pleasure  of  the  participants  in  the  trip  for  many  a  day. 
However,  it  was  averted,  and  the  outing  must  be  deemed  a  great  success^ 
-  Wolverhampton  Horticultural  Club. — The  members  of 
this  Club  had  their  annual  outing  on  Monday,  July  18th,  when,  with  a 
few  friends,  they  responded  to  an  invitation  from  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons, 
and  paid  a  visit  to  Reading.  On  arrival  they  were  met  at  the  station  by 
Mr.  Martin  and  other  officials  of  Messrs.  Sutton,  and  conducted  to  their 
offices  and  seed  warehouses,  where  they  were  received  and  heartily 
welcomed  by  Mr.  Sutton,  afterwards  being  shown  over  the  extensive 
premises,  the  use  of  each  room  being  explained.  The  glass  department 
and  the  seed  trial  grounds  were  visited,  after  which  lunch  was  partaken  of 
under  the  chairmanship  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Sutton.— S.  C.  W. 
-  East  Cowes. — The  fortnightly  meeting  of  the  East  Cowes 
Horticultural  Society  was  held  on  July  20th.  Mr.  G.  Groves,  J.P.,  C.C., 
Chairman  of  the  Society,  presided  over  a  good  attendance.  After  a  few 
remarks  he  called  upon  Mr.  S.  Heaton  to  give  the  last  of  a  series  of 
lectures,  the  subject  being  “  The  Cultivation  of  Tuberous-rooted,  Fibrous- 
rooted,  and  Re  c  Begonias.”  The  details  were  lucidly  described  by  the 
lecturer.  At  the  close  the  Chairman  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
lecturer  for  that  and  the  previous  lectures,  which  he  said  had  been  to 
him  and  the  other  members  most  interesting  and  instructive  ;  and  he 
hoped  that  at  an  early  date  they  would  be  able  to  secure  Mr.  Heaton’s 
services  for  another  course.  The  proposition  was  carried  with 
acclamation. 
-  Horticultural  Club. — The  annual  excursion  of  the  members 
and  their  friends  took  place  under  the  most  favourable  circumstances 
on  Tuesday  the  19th  inst.,  and  its  success  was  mainly  owing  to  the 
exertions  and  kindness  of  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch.  A  large  party 
assembled  at  the  Great  Western  station  at  Paddington,  at  ten  o’clock, 
and  were  conveyed  in  a  saloon  carriage  to  Slough,  where  brakes 
awaited  them,  and  were  driven  first  to  Stoke  Pogis,  in  the  churchyard  of 
which  village  the  poet  Gray  lies  buried,  and  where  he  wrote  his  Elegy  -r 
the  church  is  prettily  situated  in  Stoke  Park,  and  the  members  through 
the  kindness  of  Mrs.  Bryant  had  an  opportunity  of  viewing  the  mansion 
and  its  contents.  They  afterwards  drove  to  East  Burnham  Park,  the 
residence  of  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch,  who  had  kindly  invited  the  party  to 
luncheon.  Sir  J.  D.  T.  Llewelyn,  Bart.,  M.P.,  the  Chairman  of  the  C  ub, 
thanked  Mr.  Veitch  for  his  hospitality,  and  expressed  his  regret  at  the 
unavoidable  absence  of  their  Secretary.  The  party  then  drove  to 
Dropmore,  where  a  sight  of  the  grand  Conifers  was  much  enjoyed.  The 
return  was  made  through  Burnham  Beeches,  where  some  time  was  spent 
in  viewing  some  of  the  finest  trees,  and  then,  after  a  stroll  through  the 
grounds  occupied  by  these  fine  old  trees,  comprising  about  400  acres, 
the  party  returned  to  Mr.  Veitch’s,  where  tea  was  kindly  provided  for 
them  all,  and  they  left  for  town  at  6.45.  It  should  be  added  that,  not 
only  did  Mr.  Veitch  receive  them  “right  royally,’’  as  one  of  their 
members  expressed  it,  but  he  took  upon  himself  the  whole  arrangements, 
and  so  well  that  not  a  single  hitch  occurred,  and  or  e  of  the  most  pleasant 
and  enjoyable  outings  the  Club  ever  had  will  be  long  remembered  by 
all  those  who  had  the,  pleasure  of  sharing  in  it. 
