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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  ember  15,  1  93. 
Horticultural  Society’s  chemist  will  supply  the  knowledge  a9  to  propor¬ 
tions  of  clay,  sand,  lime,  and  humus  that  are  present,  whereas  the  cost  of 
ascertaining  all  the  subtle  plant  foods  as  well  is  £3,  all  included. 
As  Mr.  Brotherston  refers  to  working  from  an  “  ascertained  point,'’  I 
hope  this  possible  omission  of  analysis  will  be  promptly  amended  by  him, 
so  as  to  encourage  precision  among  the  entire  community  of  gardeners, 
as  I  am  probably  not  in  error  in  judging  this— although  elementary — 
question  to  be  yet  a  very  dark  horse,  a  predominant  partner  in  the  whole 
situation  yet  unrecognised  by  the  many. 
Mr.  Brotherston  might  also  be  disposed  to  reconsider  his  verdict  in 
respect  of  proprietary  manures  if  he  were  aware  of  Mr.  IIaH'9  recent 
instructive  remarks  on  the  subject,  and  what  Mr.  Cousins  has  written  in 
his  very  valuable  treatise  on  “Chemistry  of  the  Garden,”  issued  as  a 
primer  this  year. 
When  we  come  to  the  subject  of  deep  cultiva  ion  the  two  correspon¬ 
dents  referred  to  by  me  are  thoroughly  in  harmony,  so  that  this  item 
could  not  traverse  their  experiments. 
Although  plant  life  takes  only  5  per  cent,  of  its  total  from  the  soil, 
and  95  per  cent,  from  the  air,  we  cannot  exercise  any  influence  whatever 
on  the  latter  in  outdoor  cultivation.  There  remains,  therefore,  only  the 
soil,  which  on  the  contrary  can  be  so  influenced,  and  is  an  element  of  no 
less  consequence  than  heat.  Hence  the  obvious  course  that  we  should 
analyse  its  constituents  with  a  view  of  making  good  any  deficiencies. 
Prom  the  point  of  view  that  we  really  possess  power  to  influence  the  soil, 
we  certainly  undervalue  it  if  we  dismiss  it  without  analysis.  It  rather 
effectually  predominates  in  the  partnership,  and  without  analysis  we  must 
needs  spend  extra  years  on  direct  experiments. 
I  have  purposely'  divided  the  question  of  the  analysis  of  the  soil  into 
its  mechanical  portion  (which  intelligent  gardeners  could  even  do  them¬ 
selves)  for  ascertaining  the  four  constituents  named  by  me,  and  its  chem  cal 
section  in  relation  to  the  more  subtle  plant  foods,  in  order  to  suggest  that 
the  former  inexpensive  portion  shonld  certainly  not  be  omitted,  a>  its 
reliability  and  constancy  is  greater  than  that  of  the  more  soluble  evan¬ 
escent  section,  and  which  we  can  replace  artificially. — H.  II.  R.,  Forest 
Hill. 
[We  agree  with  our  able  correspondent  that  precise  information  rela¬ 
tive  to  the  chief  governing  factors  in  cultivation  is  desrable.  Of  the  five 
points  of  his  charter  wethink  “H.  H.  R.”  has  only  indicated  the 
fourth  in  his  own  case,  and  perhaps  the  least  important  (the  fifth  is  unde- 
finable).  May  we  suggest  if  he  were  to  give,  under  all  the  points  of  his 
charter,  such  information  as  he  seeks  from  others,  as  derived  from  his 
own  practice  in  fruit  culture,  whether  this  might  not  be,  by  force  of 
example,  one  of  the  best  means  of  bringing  about,  at  least  to  some  extent, 
the  accomplishment  of  his  desire.  Will  he  show  the  way  ?] 
NOTES  FROM  A  LIVERPOOL  GARDEN. 
It  is  many  years  since  we  could  boast  of  such  a  fine  and  yet,  in  some 
cases,  somewhat  peculiar  season  as  the  one  which  is  drawing  to  a  close. 
Almost  entirely  without  frost  and  snow  until  the  fruit  blossoms  com¬ 
menced  to  open  we  were  anticipate  g  one  of  the  best  crops  of  fruit  seen 
for  years  ;  but  boisterous  cold  winds  and  a  couple  of  frosty  nights 
shattered  all  hopes,  and  in  most  gardens  in  the  district  the  fruit  crop  is 
one  of  the  smallest  on  record.  This  applies  more  especially  to  Apples 
and  Pears,  Keswick  Codlin,  Beauty  of  Kent,  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch, 
Warner’s  King,  Northern  Greening,  Golden  Noble,  Cellini,  Bismarck, 
Ecklinville,  Hawthornden,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Ribston  and  Flanders 
Pippins  being  the  best  of  the  former  ;  whilst  Jargonelle,  Williams’  Bon 
Chretien,  Beurr^s  Capiaumont,  d’i^manlis,  Diel,  Clairgeau,  Ranee,  and 
Huyshe’s  Prince  Consort  (the  latter  being  always  splendid  in  every  way), 
Doyenne  du  Cornice,  and  Glou  Morgeau  of  the  latt  r.  Gooseberries, 
Raspberries,  Red  and  Black  Currants  have  been  excellent,  and  also 
several  of  the  Cherries,  but  many  of  the  Strawberries  were  caught  with 
the  frost.  ...... 
All  vegetable  crops  have  done  well  during  the  summer — the  Beans  I 
never  remember  finer  ;  but  within  the  last  few  weeks  the  Brassica  tribe 
has  suffered  from  the  ravages  of  the  caterpillar  to  an  extent  rarely  seen. 
Once  again  the  Onion  crop  has  been  a  full  one,  and  free  from  the  maggot. 
I  have.given  up  outside  sowing,  preferring  to  sow  in  boxes  in  greenhouse, 
and  when  well  up  transferring  to  a  cool  frame  for  fear  of  their  being  drawn 
up  weakly.  A9  early  as  possible  in  April  they  are  transplanted  on  ground 
previously  cropped  with  Celery,  using  no  manure  except  a  little  fine 
bonemeal  placed  in  each  hole  made  byr  the  dibble,  the  ground  being  made 
firm.  A  couple  of  dustings  of  some  artificial  manure  previous  to  a  shower 
is  all  the  attention  they  received,  and  the  Onions  have  been  really  excel¬ 
lent,  their  keeping  properties  being  everything  one  could  wish  for. 
Outside  bedding  plants  have  been  wonderful,  Dahlias,  Gladioli,  and 
Roses  being  charming.  Their  flowering  has  been  continuous  and  until 
the  recent  frost,  but  not  a  vestige  now  remains.  Michaelmas  Daisies  in 
every  position  have  finished  off  every  flower.  Chrysanthemums,  too, 
have  been  good  outside,  and  the  fine  September  and  October  weather 
seemed  to  suit  the  incurved  flowers,  for  excellent  ones  have  been  the 
rule  at  most  shows.  The  weather  has  been  fine  for  pushing  on  outside 
work.  There  is  a  general  complaint  of  the  rapid  decay  in  Chrysanthemum 
blooms,  this  being  no  wonder  considering  the  changeable  weather  through 
which  we  are  passing. — R.  P.  R. 
Weather  in  London.— The  second  half  of  last  week  brought 
some  splendid  weather,  though  it  could  not  be  termed  really  seasonable. 
It  was  mild  with  bright  and  dull  intervals.  For  a  short  time  on  Sunday 
a  heavy  drizzle  fell,  but  the  night  and  Monday  were  both  dry  with  a 
rather  cold  wind.  It  was  still  cooler  on  Tuesday,  with  a  fro9t  at  night, 
Wednesday  was  dry  and  cold  until  midday,  when  rain  commenced  to  fall. 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — The  past  week  has  again  been  one 
ot  rain  and  high  winds.  On  the  morning  of  the  8th  there  was  a  slight 
touch  of  frost,  A  south-westerly  gale  raged  between  Friday  and  Saturday, 
with  very  heavy  showers.  Sunday  and  the  afternoon  of  Monday  wTere  on 
tie  whole  pleasant,  and  Tuesday  promised  to  be  fair.  On  Sunday  evening 
the  thermometer  stood  at  50°,  and  at  45°  on  Monday.  Many  of  the 
streams  have  been  in  very  heavy  flood  throughout  the  week. — B.  D., 
S.  Perthshire.  t.  ■  • 
-  Gardening  Appointments.— Mr  ;  George  Francis,  who  has 
been  head  gardener  for  six  years  to  Mrs.  Guy  Paget,  Humbeiston 
Hall,  Leicester,  has  been  appointed  in  the  same  capacity  to  G.  A. 
Kenwick,  Esq,  The  Croft,  Hill  Morton,  Rugby,  Warwickshire.  Mr. 
J.  C.  Tallach,  for  some  years  gardener  to  E.  Dresden,  Esq ,  Livexmere 
Park,  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  has  been  appointed  head  gardener  to  E.  Miller 
Mundy,  Esq.,  Shipley  Hall  Derbj-. 
-  Keir  Grapes. — When  in  Edinburgh  last  month  I  had  an 
opportunity  of  seeing  some  of  the  Grapes  grown  by  Mr,  Lunt,  as  he  was 
the  winner  of  the  first  prize  in  the  class  for  two  bunches  any  white  variety,, 
staging  grandly  finished  examples  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria.  Neither  the 
bunches  nor  berries  were  large,  but  they  possessed  three  points  so  often 
licking  in  this  variety — evenness  of  berry,  magnificent  colour,  and  perfect 
freshness  ;  not  a  sign  of  shrivelling  was  apparent.  These  are  attributes 
all  strive  to  obtain  in  Grape  culture,  but  all  do  not  succeed.  When  I  saw 
the  examples  figured  on  page  421  of  the  Journal,  I  thought  how  like  those 
were  I  saw  in  Edinburgh,  but  of  course  not  quite  so  large. — E.  M. 
-  Royal  Meteorological  Society. — At  the  ordinary  meeting 
of  the  Society,  to  be  held  at  Great  George  Street,  Westminster,  on 
Wednesday,  the  21st  inst.,  at  7.30  P.M.,  the  following  papers  will  be 
read:— “The  West  Indian  Hurricane,  September,  1898,”  by  Capt.  A. 
Carpenter,  R.N.,'  D.S.O.,  E.R.Met.Soc.  ;  “The  Connection  between  the 
Winter  Temperature  and  the  Height  of  the  Barometer  in  North-Western 
Europe,”  by  W.  II.  Dines,  B.A.,  F.R.Met.Soc.  On  January  2nd,  1899, 
the  offices  of  the  Society  will  be  removed  to  Princes  Mansions,  70, 
Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  S.W.,  to  which  address  all  communication  > 
on  and  after  that  date,  should  be  forwarded. — William  Marriott, 
Assistant  Secretary. 
-  Dutch  Horticultural  and  Botanical  Society. — At  a 
meeting  of  the  Floral  Committee  on  November  9tb,  1898,  first-class 
certificates  were  awarded  to  Mr.  Jac.  C.  Groenewegen  of  Amsterdam  for 
Chrysanthemums  Edwin  Bethge,  Madame  Boudoin,  Madame  II.  de  Vil- 
monn,  Mrs.  T.  A.  Compton,  and  The  Egyptian.  To  Mr.  T.  E  Huut- 
vester  of  Utrecht  for  Chrysanthemums  Edwin  Bethge,  Mr.  H.  Tukker, 
Sarnian  Gem,  and  Yellow  Madame  Carnot.  To  Messrs.  A.  P.  Bouwman 
and  Son  of  Arnhem  for  Chrysanthemum  Yellow  Madame  Carnet.  To 
Messrs.  E.  H.  Krelage  &  Son  of  Haarlem  for  Cactus  Dahlias  Casilchi, 
Henry  Ayres,  Laverstock  Beaut}',  Miss  Finch,  Royal  Purple,  Stella,  and 
W.  J.  Frost.  To  Mr.  W.  C.  Baron  van  Boetzelaer  of  Maartensdijk  Lr 
Stanropsis  lissaechiloides. 
-  Clavija  macrophylla — An  example  of  this  interesting 
Braz  lian  plant  is  now  to  be  seen  in  flower  in  the  Palm  house  at  Kew 
The  Kew  plant  is  about  15  feet  high,  with  two  heads  of  leaves.  Tho 
leaves  are  decidedly  handsome,  being  2\  feet  long,  G  inches  wide,  deeply 
serrated,  dark  green  and  leathery.  The  flow  ers  are  orange  red,  one-third 
of  an  inch  acros9,'and  produced  twenty  or  more  together  in  racemes 
4  or  5  inches  long.  The  racemes  are  produced  at  right  angles  with  the 
stem,  from  the  old  wood,  several  feet  of  the  upper  portion  of  each  stem 
being  smothered  with  flowers.  The  freedom  with  which  the  flowers  a  e 
produced,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  borne  on  tho  hard,  leafhs3 
part  of  the  stem,  makes  this  a  striking  object  among  surrounding  plants. 
— D.  K. 
