86 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
August  4,  1898. 
Weather  in  London. — There  can  be  no  doubt  that  holiday 
makers  will  have  been  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  weather  on  Saturday. 
Sunday,  Monday,  and  Tuesday,  for  during  those  days  it  was  all  that 
could  be  desired.  Friday  was  very  cold,  with  occasional  showers  in  the 
metropolis.  On  Thursday  rain  fell  heavily  during  the  afternoon.  At 
the  time  of  going  to  press  on  Wednesday  it  was  bright  and  warm. 
-  Royal  Botanic  Society.— At  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Botanic  Society,  to  be  held  in  the  gardens  on  August  10th  at  1  P.M., 
Mr.  J.  S.  Rubinstein  will  propose  : — 1,  "The  establishment  of  classes 
for  the  study  of  botany,  to  be  open  to  all  students  2,  “  The  reorgani¬ 
sation  of  the  refreshment  department,  and  the  obtaining  of  a  license  for 
the  restaurant  newly  built  in  the  gardens;”  and  3,  “  The  erection  of  a 
large  floral  hall,  to  serve  as  a  winter  garden,  and  wherein  exhibitions, 
flower  shows,  receptions,  and  musical  promenades  can  be  held  in  all 
seasons  and  in  any  weather.” 
-  Cardiff  Show. — Mr.  Harry  Gillett  writes  : — "In  your  report 
of  our  annual  show,  in  your  issue  of  the  28th  nit.,  I  find  one  or  two 
errors,  and  shall  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  kindly  correct  same.  The 
winner  of  the  first  prize  for  a  small  group  was  W.  J.  Buckley,  Esq.,  of 
Llanelly,  not  Llandaff,  and  instead  of  three  groups  there  were  four. 
The  silver  cup  for  the  best  stove  or  greenhouse  plant  to  amateurs  not 
employing  a  regular  gardener  was  taken  by  Mr.  J.  Ansaldo,  Cardiff, 
and  not  by  Mr.  J.  Lockyer.  For  the  six  bunches  of  Grapes  the  first 
prize  was  won  by  Mr.  II.  A.  Joy,  gardener  to  R.  A.  Bowring,  Esq.,  The 
Heath,  Cardiff,  and  not  by  Mr.  H.  Hollingworth.” 
-  Mignonette  for  Pots. — Sow  seeds  now  of  a  dwarf  variety  of 
Mignonette  for  flowering  in  pots  in  spring.  Two  excellent  varieties  are 
Miles’  Hybrid  Spiral  and  Sutton’s  Pot  Mignonette.  Employ  5  or  6-inch 
pots,  which  the  plants  may  flower  in.  Drain  efficiently,  and  make  the 
compost  very  firm.  The  latter  should  consist  of  good  loam  and  leaf  soil 
in  equal  parts,  half  a  part  of  dried  cow  manure,  and  the  same  quantity  of 
sand.  Scatter  the  seeds  thinly  and  cover  lightly  with  fine  soil.  Place  in 
cold  frame  and  shade  from  sun,  maintaining  the  soil  just  moist.  Finally 
thin  out  the  seedlings  to  half  a  dozen.  Grow  the  plants  in  the  frame 
close  to  the  glass  as  long  as  possible. — E.  D.  S. 
-  Malmaison  Carnations  from  Layers. — This  is  a  lovely 
Carnation  for  greenhouse  or  conservatory  decoration,  and  has  also  lived 
outdoors  here.  Most  of  Mr.  Brotherston’s  remarks,  page  47,  as  to  layering, 
are  useful  and  judicious  ;  but  when  grown  for  pot  culture  I  have  found 
this  system  excellent.  After  flowering,  and  when  the  side  shoots  are 
strong  and  well  matured,  say  in  July,  I  prepare  a  good  rich  loam  in 
the  open  border  full  in  the  sun,  take  the  plants  out  of  the  pots,  not 
disturbing  the  roots  or  the  ball  of  earth,  and  put  them  in  a  hole  in  which 
the  plant  will  fit,  the  intended  layers  resting  on  the  surface,  when  they 
can  be  easily  pegged  into  it.  This  fresh  and  prepared  medium  gives  a 
new  start  to  growth  and  strong-rooted  plants  can  be  lifted  in  the  autumn, 
and  I  have  taken  up  the  old  plants  also  rejuvenated. — W.  J.  Murphy, 
Clonmel. 
-  Presentation  to  Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood. — At  the  invitation 
of  Sir  William  Farmer,  the  Master,  the  members  of  the  Gardeners’ 
Company  and  their  friends  visited  Ascot  Place,  Winkfield,  recently. 
Luncheon  was  served  on  the  arrival  of  the  guests,  and  on  the  conclusion 
of  this  function,  says  a  contemporary,  the  Master  expressed  the  pleasure 
that  it  gave  him  to  welcome  the  members  of  the  Company.  He  then,  in 
a  few  words,  presented  Past-Master  Sherwood  with  an  illuminated  address, 
as  follows:  "The  Court  of  Assistants  of  the  Worshipful  Company  of 
Gardeners  in  presenting  a  past-master’s  badge  to  Nathaniel  Newman 
Sherwood,  Esq.,  desire  to  place  on  record  their  high  appreciation  of  his 
services  as  Master  of  the  Company  for  the  two  years  1896-7,  1897-8.  His 
willingness  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  Company,  combined  with  the 
genial  but  firm  occupancy  of  the  chair  and  unbounded  hospitality,  has 
endeared  him  to  his  colleagues,  who,  on  his  retirement  from  the  master¬ 
ship,  wish  him  long  life  and  continued  prosperity.”  Mr.  Sherwood  replied 
in  an  equally  brief  speech,  and  testified  to  the  pleasure  it  had  given  him 
to  preside  over  so  important  a  Company  as  the  Gardeners  for  two  years  in 
succession. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  meeting  of  the 
Society  will  be  held  in  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday,  August  9th.  The 
Committees  will  meet  at  noon,  and  at  3  P.M.  a  paper  on  “Water  Lilies’” 
will  be  given  by  Mons.  Latour  Marliac. 
-  Gardening  Appointment.— Mr.  Thomas  Lewis  has  been 
appointed  head  gardener  and  superintendent  of  the  pleasure  gardens  and 
skating  rink  at  Folkestone.  Mr.  Lewis  was  during  the  past  three  years 
with  C.  Eastwick  Field,  Esq.,  Hurst  House,  Midhurst,  in  a  similar  capacity^ 
-  Brighton  Horticultural  Society. — We  are  informed  that 
the  summer  exhibition  of  this  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday  and 
W ednesday,  August  23rd  and  24th.  It  is  usually  very  successful,  and 
charming  displays  are  brought  together.  The  Chrysanthemum  Show 
will  be  held  on  November  15th  and  16th,  which  we  believe  is  con¬ 
siderably  later  in  the  month  than  the  show  is  generally  held. 
-  July  Weather  at  Driffield.— Mean  temperature  at  9  a.m. 
(corrected),  59-96°  ;  wet  bulb,  54-97°.  Mean  maximum,  66'42°  ;  mean 
minimum,  48  02°.  Highest,  75.2°  on  the  17  th  ;  lowest,  38-5°  on  the  14th. 
Mean  of  maxima  and  minima,  57'22°.  Mean  radiation  temperature  on 
the  grass,  44-40° ;  lowest,  33-0°  on  the  20th.  Rainfall,  0"515  inch. 
Number  of  rainy  days,  nine.  Greatest  amount  on  one  day,  0-145  inch 
on  the  28th. — W.  E.  Lovel,  Observer ,  York  Hoad,  Driffield. 
-  Sussex  Rainfall. — The  total  rainfall  at  Stoneburst,  Ardingly, 
for  July  was  0-62  inch,  being  2-05  inches  below  the  average.  The 
heaviest  fall  was  0-19  inch  on  the  1st  and  22nd.  Rain  fell  on  six  days. 
The  maximum  temperature  was  87°  on  the  16th  ( the  highest  this  summer1, 
and  the  minimum  45°  on  the  11th  and  14th.  Mean  maximum,  75T5°  ; 
mean  minimum.  52-22°.  Mean  temperature,  63-68°,  which  is  1-72°  above 
the  average.  A  dry  month  with  hot  sun,  the  thermometer  rising  to  80° 
or  above  it  on  nine  days.  Thunder  and  rain  to  west  on  27th,  but  none 
here. — R.  I. 
-  Protecting  Garden  and  Orchard  from  Birds. — Every 
thoughtful  or  observant  person  must  admit  that  as  an  insect  destroyer 
a  bird  is  the  best  of  friends  to  the  orchard  and  garden  ;  yet  bird  depre¬ 
dations  are  often  so  great  in  the  berry  and  fruit  seasons  that  the  owner 
of  orchards  or  gardens  finds  it  necessary  to  protect  himself  by  destroy¬ 
ing  his  otherwise  helpful  little  friends.  With  a  little  forethought  and 
observation  he  could  spare  his  friends  and  save  his  fruit  as  well.  A  row 
of  Mulberry  trees  near  an  orchard  will  furnish  fruit  for  all  the  birds  that 
are  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  trees  are  inexpensive  and  of  quick 
growth,  and  the  fruit  is  preferred  by  the  birds  to  any  other.  With  Mul¬ 
berries  at  hand  Cherries,  Strawberries,  and  Blackberries  will  not  be 
molested.  The  expense  will  more  than  bo  made  up  by  the  fruit  saved 
from  the  birds,  who  are  Nature’s  protectors  of  fruit,  tree,  and  Vine  from 
their  insect  foes. — ("American  Gardening.”) 
-  Carnations  at  South  Park,  Reigate. — When,  a  few  years 
since,  Mr.  Funnell,  gardener  to  the  then  Mrs.  Charrington,  now  Mrs. 
Hadley,  obtained  a  packet  of  Carnation  seed  from  the  National  Carnation 
Society,  of  which  he  is  a  member,  and  raised  from  it  a  number  of  excellent 
varieties,  he  doubtless,  even  then,  little  imagined  that  the  result  would 
be  in  a  year  or  two  the  possession  of  several  hundreds  of  Carnations, 
mostly  seedlings,  and  nearly  all  of  very  fine  and  beautiful  forms. 
Doubtless  the  effect  upon  him  and  his  employer  is  that  which  early 
Carnation  culture  creates  upon  all  who  embark  in  it,  for  the  flowers  are 
so  beautiful,  so  sweet,  and  so  fascinating.  When  I  looked  in  to  the  South 
Park  gardens  a  few  days  since  I  found  several  huge  beds  in  the  kitchen 
garden,  as  well  as  in  another  part  near  the  pleasure  grounds,  the  plants 
all  gloriously  blooming  and  in  great  variety.  Most  of  these  beds  were 
protected  from  the  sun  by  thin  awnings,  and  well  is  the  trouble  repaid  in 
the  exceeding  freshness  and  beauty  of  the  flowers.  All  the  plants  were 
in  the  ground.  Mr.  Funnell  has  many  fine  seedlings,  and  one  begins  to 
wonder,  if  many  persons  are  raising  seedlings  in  the  same  way,  where 
naming  is  tp  end.  Certainly  there  are  scores  of  old  varieties  that  may 
now  be  destroyed.  Mr.  Salter  just  across  the  way  at  Woodhatch  has  a 
wonderfully  fine  lot  of  plants  in  beds  not  shaded,  but  he  realises  the 
need  for  such  shelter.  His  new  Scarlet  Isinglass  is  indeed  a  superb 
variety.  There  had  been  a  Carnation  show  close  by  at  Red  Hill  the 
previous  day,  and  when  at  the  local  South  Park  show,  in  company  with 
gardeners  and  amateurs  who  saw  the  Carnations,  I  had  to  hear  warm 
denunciations  of  what  was  regarded  as  the  fraudulent  dressing  of  flowers, 
tearing  down  the  calyx,  pulling  open  the  petals,  pulling  out  others,  and 
even  the  anthers  and  pistil,  and  really  making  the  blooms  artificial  rather 
than  real.  It  is  about  time  such  degrading  practices  were  stopped,  they 
are  a  disgrace  to  floriculture. — D. 
