September  15,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
207 
-  Red  Carnations.— Happening  to  mention  the  variety  Penge 
to  Mr.  Chas.  Blick  a  few  weeks  ago  in  connection  with  a  small  but 
select  collection  of  Carnations,  he  stated  that  in  a  general  way  the 
reds  have  hardly  been  so  brilliant  as  usual  this  year.  They  have,  so 
to  say,  lacked  “  tone.”  The  sort  named  has,  however,  displayed 
remarkable  clearness,  vividness,  and  firmness  of  tint.  It  is  perhaps 
surpassed  in  intrinsic  excellence  by  the  latest  of  Mr.  Martin  Smith’s 
productions  ;  nevertheless  it  is  a  fine,  bold  flower,  and  would  please  and 
satisfy  even  a  connoisseur. — W. 
-  August  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory,  Worksop.— Mean 
temperature  of  the  month,  61'5°.  Maximum  in  the  screen,  82*8°  on  the 
12th  ;  minimum  in  the  screen,  43*2°  on  the  9th  ;  minimum  on  the  grass, 
33*8°  on  the  24th.  Sunshine.  137  hours,  or  30  per  cent  of  the  possible 
duration.  Difference  from  average  —  7.  Rainfall,  3*29  inches  ;  difference 
from  average  +  0-86.  Rain  fell  on  sixteen  days.  Maximum  fall,  1'06  on 
the  3rd.  Rainfall  from  January  1st,  13'47  inches.  Difference  from 
average,  2*90.  A  warm  month,  especially  at  night ;  some  rather  heavy 
falls  of  rain.  Wasps  and  flies  very  numerous  and  troublesome. — 
J.  Mallender. 
-  Peach  Noblesse. — It  is  hard  to  say  why,  but  undoubtedly  in 
some  quarters  this  fine  Peach  has  obtained  a  bad  character  for  its 
bearing  qualities.  I  have  seen  a  tree  trained  on  the  back  wall  of  a 
house  bear  freely  year  after  year,  with  other  trees  trained  from  front 
to  back,  only  about  4  feet  apart.  As  a  standard  in  pots  it  has  fruited 
well  with  me,  and  also  on  walls  outside.  When  ripe  the  fruits  are  of 
first-class  quality,  well  meriting  being  placed  amongst  the  best  flavoured 
of  Peaches.  One  might  say  the  same  of  Alexandra  Noblesse,  but  the 
Peach  which  appeals  to  me  above  others,  when  well  grown  and  ripened, 
is  Walburton  Admirable.  This  will  perhaps  interest  “  G.,”  page  187. — 
J.  Shalford. 
-  August  Weather  at  Belvoir. — August  was  changeable 
throughout,  with  thunderstorms  on  four  days,  and  the  heaviest  fall  of 
rain  in  one  day  this  year.  The  mean  temperature  exceeded  that  of  July, 
but  the  sunshine  was  much  less.  The  wind  was  in  a  westerly  direction 
twenty  days.  The  total  rainfall  was  2*67  inches,  which  fell  on  twelve 
days,  and  is  0‘01  inch  above  the  average  for  the  month.  The  greatest  daily 
fall  was  0*96  inch  on  the  6th.  Barometer  (corrected  and  reduced),  highest 
reading  30-272  inches  on  the  31st  at  9  P.M. ;  lowest  29*641  inches  on  the 
30th  at  9  P.M.  Thermometers,  highest  in  the  shade  82°  on  the  12th  ; 
lowest  43°  on  the  8th.  Mean  of  daily  maxima,  69*45°  ;  mean  of  daily 
minima,  52-19°.  Mean  temperature  of  the  month  60-82°.  Lowest  on  the 
grass,  39°  on  the  8th  ;  highest  in  the  sun,  135°  on  the  1st  and  14th. 
Mean  temperature  of  the  earth  at  3  feet,  59-54°.  Total  sunshine  184  hours 
5  min.  There  was  one  sunless  day. — W.  H.  Divers,  Belvoir  Castle 
Gardens,  Grantham. 
-  Exhibition  Onions. — The  Onion,  as  the  hero  of  news 
paragraphs,  seems  to  have  entirely  displaced  the  once  highly  favoured 
big  Gooseberry.  If  the  bulb  lacks  the  pleasant  taste  of  the  latter,  it  far 
more  than  compensates  by  its  appearance  and  bulk.  The  big  Gooseberry, 
even  of  the  finest,  is,  after  all,  but  an  insignificant  thing  when  compared 
with  a  big  Onion.  The  latter  seems  to  be  even  eclipsing  the  Potato  as 
an  exhibition  quantity,  for  it  greatly  excels  the  biggest  tubers  in  weight, 
and  very  much  so  in  beauty  ;  indeed  the  bulbs  of  the  finest  samples  are 
singularly  handsome,  perfect  in  form,  and  even.  At  a  recent  great  Onion 
show  at  Norwich  for  Daniels’  Golden  Rocca  only,  no  less  than  761  com¬ 
petitors  staged  three  bulbs  each,  a  great  total  of  2283,  probably  the 
largest  show  of  the  Onion  ever  seen.  At  an  exhibition  of  that  fine 
variety,  Cranston’s  Excelsior,  at  Hereford,  eighty- five  exhibitors  sent  five 
bulbs  each,  a  total  of  425.  If  the  perfume  emanating  from  the  bulbs  were 
equal  to  the  bulk  the  bouquet  must  have  been  of  high  olfactory  excellence. 
It  is  very  interesting  to  find  that  the  champion  grower  of  Onions  for  the 
past  year  or  two,  Mr.  J.  Bowerraan  of  Hackwood  Park  Gardens,  Basing¬ 
stoke,  should  have  been  placed  first  in  both  these  gigantic  competitions. 
At  Norwich  his  three  bulbs  weighed  7  lbs.,  or  an  average  of  2  lbs.  5^  ozs. 
each,  whilst  his  five  bulbs  at  Hereford  weighed  13  lbs.  8  ozs.,  or  an  average 
of  2  lbs.  1 1  oz*.  In  the  first  case  the  prizes  went  to  the  heaviest.  In  the 
Hereford  competition  beauty  and  appearance  seems  to  have  governed  the 
judging,  as  the  respective  awards  show  the  first  fine  lots  to  have  weighed 
13  lbs.  8  ozs ,  13  lbs.  8  ozs.,  13  lbs.  14  ozs.,  13  lbs.  6  ozs.,  and  12  lbs.  14  ozs., 
hence  the  third  prize  five  were  the  heaviest.  The  second  prize  went  to 
Mr.  Stark  of  Exeter,  third  to  Mr.  C.  Beckett  of  Elstree,  fourth  to  Mr. 
Ki.eller,  Basingstoke,  and  the  fifth  to  Mr.  Pitt,  Abergavenny,  It  is  not 
said  whether  the  bulbs  are  kept  or  returned,  but  if  kept,  the  firms  offering 
the  prizes  must  find  a  very  valuable  collection  of  seed-producing  bulbs  for 
their  prizes. — A.  D. 
-  The  Amateur  World  of  Horticulture.— A  very  interest¬ 
ing  copy  of  this  publication,  which  is  the  organ  of  the  Amateur 
Gardeners  Association,  has  just  reached  us.  It  comprises  a  record  of 
the  doings  of  the  Association  during  the  months  of  April,  May,  and  June, 
with  editorial  and  several  other  notes.  Most  valuable,  however,  are  the 
papers  of  Daffodils  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Barr  ;  Roses  by  Mr.  Frank  Cant,  and 
the  Tuberous- rooted  Begonia  by  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones.  Each  of  these  gen¬ 
tlemen  is  an  expert  with  the  different  flowers,  and  the  essays  therefore 
contain  much  practical  information  that  must  be  of  assistance  in  the 
culture  of  the  plants. 
-  Medicago  echinus.— When  I  wrote  of  this  for  the  article 
which  appeared  in  the  Journal  of  September  1st  (pago  160)  the  plant  was 
in  bloom,  but  had  not  fruited.  Mr.  Black  of  Carton  kindly  drew  my 
attention  to  the  peculiar  and  pretty  fruit.  Unless  looked  at  closely  this 
is  not  seen,  as  its  weight  bears  the  branches  of  the  plant  down  to  the 
ground.  It  looks  like  green  Strawberries  at  the  first  glance.  The  fruit 
is  composed  of  a  number  of  spines  on  a  fleshy  belt,  in  which  ire  contained 
the  seeds.  Taken  hold  of  by  the  ends  this  belt  may  be  drawn  out  in  a 
spiral  form,  disclosing  the  seeds.  For  its  fruit  alone  Medicago  echinus 
i3  well  worth  growing. — S.  Arnott. 
-  Primula  OBCONICA. — Whatever  may  be  the  objections  enter¬ 
tained  by  some  persons  to  this  occasionally  irritating  Primrose,  they  are 
not  shared  in  by  Mr.  Townshend  at  Sandhurst  Lodge,  for  he  has 
apparently  hundreds  of  fine  young  plants  in  5-inch  and  6-inch  pots, 
and  by  the  aid  of  these  he  hopes  to  have,  as  hitherto,  a  great  abundance 
of  beautiful  flowers.  Judging  by  what  I  saw  of  the  size  of  bloom  and 
colour,  he  has  one  of  tKe  finest  and  deepest  coloured  strains  in  cultivation. 
I  have  urged  him  to  let  the  Floral  Committee  at  the  Drill  Hall  have 
an  opportunity  to  see  a  good  basketful  of  his  best  plants  later  on,  and  I 
hope  he  will  do  so.  One  of  his  young  men,  Mr.  Townshend  remarked,  used 
to  suffer  a  little  irritation  when  handling  the  plants,  but  no  one  else. — A. 
-  Glasgow  and  West  of  Scotland  Horticultural 
Society. — The  Society  must  be  congratulated  on  the  excellence  of  the 
show.  The  weather  was  grand,  making  one  wish  the  show  was  held  under 
canvas  instead  of  in  the  magnificent  hall.  I  think  it  would  be  wise  of  this 
Society  to  hold  its  show  in  one  of  the  numerous  parks  or  gardens  which 
the  city  has  at  its  command.  The  Botanic  would  be  a  grand  place, 
under  the  combined  management  of  the  popular  Curator,  Mr.  Dewar,  and 
the  practical  Secretary,  Mr.  John  Coates,  as  success  would  be  certain, 
and  plant  competition  keen.  There  were  splendid  examples  of  cultivation 
in  the  numerous  classes.  Fruit  and  vegetables  were  excellent  all  round, 
and  some  of  the  best  Grapes  we  have  seen  this  season  were  here.  If 
the  miscellaneous  exhibits  were  removed  the  show  would  fall  short  of 
interest,  as  varied  displays  were  numerous,  and  well  worthy  the  reputation 
of  the  trade. — A.  0. 
• -  Britons  for  Russia. — The  announcement  of  the  forthcoming- 
horticultural  exhibition  at  St.  Petersburg  will  perhaps  have  suggested  a 
more  peaceful  visit  to  the  Russian  capital  than  seemed  probable  from  the 
thunders  and  lightnings  of  the  daily  press  over  the  Chinese  question 
recently.  Russia  and  Great  Britain  are  not  going  to  fight — they  are 
going  to  fraternise.  Instead  of  the  Sirdar  or  “  Bobs  ”  as  the  national 
representative,  Mr.  J.  H.  Veitch  has  been  chosen.  Nothing  could  be 
better.  But  there  is  one  difference  to  face.  If  General  Kitchener  had 
led  a  force  into  Russia  her  Majesty’s  Government  would  have  paid  the 
expenses.  If  General  Veitch  conducts  a  charge  of  horticultural  lancers 
her  Majesty’s  Government  will  allow  them  to  defray  their  own.  It  is, 
however,  a  far  cry  to  St.  Petersburg,  and  many  who  would  like  to  make 
the  journey  will  be  deterred  by  the  heavy  cost.  Could  not  the  Commis¬ 
sioner  organise  a  party  and  obtain  a  substantial  concession  ? — Traveller. 
-  Loughborough  Gardeners’  Association.— On  the  6th  inst. 
this  Association  held  its  annual  Show  of  Dahlias,  Gladioli,  with  plants 
and  other  flowers,  and  an  excellent  exhibition  was  got  together.  At  the 
annual  dinner  that  was  held  later  in  the  day  under  the  presidency  of 
Alderman  W.  C.  Burder,  the  painstaking  Hon.  Secretary  was  presented 
with  an  illuminated  address  and  a  purse  with  something  in  it.  The 
address,  which  was  framed  in  oak,  was  as  follows: — “Mr.  D.  Roberts. 
Dear  Sir, — On  behalf  of  the  friends  and  associates  in  horticultural  pursuits, 
we  beg  your  acceptance  of  this  address  and  accompanying  purse  of  gold 
as  a  token  of  our  esteem  and  regard  for  you  personally,  and  in 
recognition  of  the  valuable  service  you  have  so  willingly  rendered  to 
this  and  kindred  Societies.  With  best  wishes,  we  are,  yours  sincerely, 
for  the  Loughborough  and  District  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Association  (signed),  Alfred  Ilamshere,  Chairman  ;  John  Smith,  Vice- 
Chairman  ;  W.  English,  Treasurer.  September.  1898.  The  recipient  of 
this  graceful  mark  of  esteem  suitably  responded. 
