August  10,  1899. 
•JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AKI)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
- -  Peach  Hale’s  Early. — As  a  July  and  early  August  Peach 
in  a  cool  house  this  bright  and  handsome  American  variety  would  be  hard 
to  beat.  It  comes  in  nicely  as  a  succession  to  Alexander,  Waterloo,  or 
Amsden  June,  and  before  the  excellent  Peach  Early  Grosse  .Mignonne, 
one  of  the  best  that  is  grown.  To  do  Ilale’s  Karly  well,  and  get  the 
colour  and  flavour  into  the  fruit,  the  tree  must  be  thinly  trained  and  well 
fed.  Then  it  will  carry  as  heavy  and  good  a  crop  to  perfection  as  any 
variety  I  know. — C.  II. 
-  Protecting  Posts. — A  new  coating  to  protect  posts  surrounded 
by  earth  from  rotting,  is  prepared,  according  to  the  iJaugewerks-rilung, 
from  resin,  50  parts  ;  finely  crushed  chalk,  40  parts  ;  fine  white  sharp 
sand,  500  parts  ;  linseed  oil,  4  parts  ;  native  red  cupric  oxide,  1  part ; 
and  sulphuric  acid,  1  part.  First  heat  the  resin,  the  chalk,  the  sand,  and 
the  linseed  oil  in  an  iron  kettle,  then  add  the  oxide  and  the  sulphuric  acid 
with  caution,  mix  everything  carefully,  and  paint  the  wood  with  the  hot 
mass,  using  a  strong  brush.  If  the  mixture  is  not  liquid  enough,  it  is 
diluted  with  a  little  linseed  o').  When  the  coating  is  dry,  it  forms  an 
extremely  hard  varnish,  which  allows  no  moisture  to  enter.  —  (‘  Scient. 
Amer.,”  86,  135  ex.  “  Pharmaceutical  Journal-’  ) 
-  Funkias. — Delightful  effects  may  be  secured  in  shaded  situa¬ 
tions  by  grouping  several  varieties  of  Funkia  together.  F.  grandiflora 
alba,  the  large  flowered,  sweet  scented,  late  blooming  sort  best  known 
to  amateurs,  is  the  choicest  of  them  all,  but  the  other  varieties  should 
be  better  known.  F.  grandiflora  in  large  groups  faced  with  F.  varie- 
gata  is  a  telling  combination.  F.  variegata  with  F.  subcordata  are 
good  planted  together,  the  flowers  of  the  two  being  alike,  but  the 
foliage  quite  unlike,  and  to  this  group,  says  a  transatlantic  contemporary, 
might  be  added  the  late  blooming  F.  lanceolata  to  lengthen  the  season 
of  bloom.  F.  Sieboldi  would  combine  well  with  any  of  the  others, 
its  darker  lavender  flowers  appearing  in  July.  All  of  these  kinds 
massed  together  in  a  suitable  location  would  make  an  effective  piece 
of  planting. 
-  Sweet  Peas. — Few  hardy  annuals  are  more  generally  admired 
when  used  in  a  cut  state  than  these  delightful  flowers.  New  classes  of 
plants  and  flowers  are  each  year  brought  to  the  front  and  remain  the 
rage  for  a  limited  time  and  then  sink  into  oblivion.  But  however  many 
flowers  there  may  be  of  various  descriptions  to  cut  from,  a  daily  supply 
of  Sweet  Peas  for  filling  glasses  is  always  welcomed.  A  great  variety 
of  colour  may  be  obtained  from  a  few  packets  of  mixed  seeds,  and  many 
effective  combinations  may  be  worked  out  with  them.  Although 
the  great  value  of  Sweet  Peas  is  well  known  and  fully  appreciated, 
in  many  cases  sufficient  attention  is  not  given  to  their  culture  to  secure 
rtie  best  results,  especially  in  cases  where  the  soil  is  naturally  light 
and  poor.  In  such  instances  the  rows  should  be  mulched  with  well 
decayed  manure  as  soon  as  the  plants  have  grown  to  the  height  of 
18  inches  or  2  feet,  and  should  the  weather  prove  dry  a  thorough  soak¬ 
ing  with  water  can  be  given  once  or  twice  during  the  season.  The  little 
extra  labour  thus  given  is  amply  repaid  by  a  continuous  supply  of  extra 
large  flowers.  I  know  nothing  more  effective  for  arranging  with  them 
than  pieces  of  Dactylis  glomerata  variegata.  This  hard}'  and  easily 
grown  Grass  is  so  useful  for  a  variety  of  purposes  that  it  deserves  even 
more  attention  than  is  at  present  accorded  to  it. — D.  C. 
-  London’s  Riverside  Boulevard. — One  of  the  pleasantest 
and  most  beautiful  walks  in  London  just  now  is  along  the  Embankment 
between  Blackfriars  and  Westminster  Bridges.  There  has  not  been  a 
summer  since  the  avenue  of  Plane  trees  was  planted  on  that  splendid 
highway  of  the  world  that  the  trees  have  looked  in  such  excellent  condi¬ 
tion  as  they  do  this  year.  As  a  rule  there  is  the  rustle  of  dry  coppery 
leaves  overhead  and  under  foot  towards  the  end  of  July.  But  here  we 
are  launched  into  August,  and  every  tree  is  as  luminously  and  freshly 
green  as  if  it  stood  in  some  ideal  park  in  the  country.  However  sultry 
and  glaring  it  may  be  in  any  other  part  of  town,  there  is  all  day  long  cool 
refreshing  shade  on  either  side  of  the  Embankment,  and  to  say  that  this 
is  one  of  the  finest  city  roads  in  Europe,  or  perhaps  in  the  whole  world, 
is  no  exaggeration.  The  Paris  boulevards  and  Unter  den  Linden  in 
Berlin  are  nowhere  in  comparison.  The  great  beauty  of  the  trees  is 
due  to  the  care  which  is  so  wisely  bestowed  upon  them  by  the  County 
Council.  Last  winter  the  soil  round  every  one  of  the  trees  was 
renewed,  and  all  through  the  spring  and  summer  a  watering-cart  has 
given  them  large  and  regular  drinks,  with  tbe  result  that  a  new  beauty 
has  been  added  to  London,  which  alike  delights  the  country  cousin  and 
the  foreigner  who  are  now  invading  town,  and  the  wretched  Londoner 
who  is  obliged  to  spend  tfce  holiday  month  in  harness.—  (“  Westminster 
Gazette.”) 
123 
-  The  Fibres  of  the  Philippines,— The  Manila  Hemp  or 
Albaca  is  by  far  the  most  important  of  the  fibre  plants  of  the  above 
named  islands.  Its  fruit  is  not  edible,  but  in  general  respects  the  plants 
are  like  the  Plantain  or  Banana.  According  to  a  contemporary  tb<’ro 
are  numerous  grades,  distinguished  by  their  colour  and  consistency. 
Nearly  the  whole  crop  is  placed  on  foreign  markets,  and  it  forms  a  most 
important  item  in  the  Philippine  export  trade.  Many  of  the  Cottons 
yield  different  quantities  and  qualities  of  fibre.  Aloes,  Pine  Apples,  and 
various  species  of  Palms  are  greatly  used  as  fibre  plants. 
-  Liverpool  Amateur  Gardeners  (N.A.G.A.).— With  the 
greatest  show  that  has  ever  visited  Liverpool  in  our  midst,  small  wonder 
was  it  that  the  attendance  at  the  monthly  meeting  held  in  the  Common 
Hall,  Ilackins  Hey,  Liverpool,  on  Thursday  last  was  somewhat  poorly 
attended.  However,  although  the  exhibits  were  small  the  quality  was 
choice  and  the  classes  well  contesied,  Mr.  Dale’s  single  and  double 
Begonias  and  Carnations  taking  all  before  them.  Mr.  I).  W.  Cangley’s 
Gladioli  and  Mr.  R.  H.  Hoskyn’s  Gloxinias  were  in  superior  form, 
while  the  Hollyhocks  from  Miss  Hunter  had  the  distinction  of  securing 
a  certificate  and  special  prize.  A  hearty  welcome  was  extended  to  Mr. 
J.  M.  Smyth,  the  Hon.  Secretary,  on  his  return  to  the  duties  which  he 
so  ably  performs. — R.  P.  It. 
-  Rating  of  Market  Gardens.  —  Judgment  was  given,  on 
Thursday,  by  the  Lord  Chancellor,  in  the  House  of  Lords,  in  an  appeal 
which  raised  the  question  whether  market  and  nursery  gardens,  upon 
which  are  greenhouses  and  other  structures  used  for  productive  pur¬ 
poses,  can  claim  the  benefit  of  the  Agricultural  Rating  Act  of  1896, 
which  relieves  the  occupier  of  agricultural  land  of  half  the  rates  in 
respect  of  the  hereditaments  and  buildings  upon  his  holding.  At 
Worthing  the  overseers  had  returned  a  market  garden  and  the  struc¬ 
tures  upon  it  as  agricultural  land,  but  the  surveyor  of  taxes  treated 
them  as  buildings.  The  question  was  carried  by  way  of  appeal  through 
the  courts,  and  the  noble  and  learned  lords  now  affirmed  the  judgment 
of  the  Court  of  Appeal,  that  a  market  garden  with  its  buildings  is  not 
agricultural  land  within  the  meaning  of  the  Act — (“Lloyd’s  News.”) 
-  LlTHOSPERMUM  prostratum.— Like  many  of  my  gardening 
friends  1  had  for  several  years  some  difficulty  in  establishing  this  Alpine 
shrub  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  but  1  have  now  overcome  all  obstacles, 
and  am  yearly  rewarded  with  a  lovely  patch  of  brilliant  blue  flowers 
almost  rivalling  the  Gentians  close  by.  Our  clump  is  growing  on  the 
bottom  ledge  of  a  rockery  about  1  foot  high  ;  the  roots  run  between 
this  and  a  high  upright  stone  at  the  back  of  the  clump,  which  is 
favourable  to  moisture.  I  find  this  plant  requires  abundance,  indeed 
during  a  spell  of  hot  dry  weather  our  plant  receives  copious  supplies 
every  week  ;  were  it  not  so  the  leaves  and  young  shoots  would  soon 
exhibit  a  drooping  apppearance.  The  position  is  quite  open  to  the 
midday  sun,  but  cooler  in  the  morning  and  evening.  Peat  only  is  what 
the  plant  is  growing  in.  Being  rather  straggly  I  layered  all  the 
branches,  using  rough  lumps  of  peat  only,  the  result  being  a  compact 
mass  of  short  growths,  which  are  annually  smothered  with  the  charming 
blue  flowers  so  much  appreciated.  To  two  things  I  attribute  my 
success — the  use  of  peat  only  for  the  roots  to  ramble  in,  and  abundance 
of  moisture  at  the  roots. — GROWER. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS  AT  CHISWICK. 
— Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above 
sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Temperature  of  the 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
Air. 
At 
9  A.M. 
s  . 
1899.  t>-2 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
a 
c? 
At 
®  2  2 
At 
At 
J  uly  -x 
-O 
4-> 
1-ft. 
2-ft. 
4-ft. 
1/  O 
and 
Dry 
Wet 
8 
8 
deep. 
deep. 
deep. 
August. 
Bulb. 
Bulb. 
U) 
£ 
>3 
_ 
Sunday..."/)  N.N.W. 
deg. 
deg. 
62'2 
deg. 
deg. 
in  h. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
09 '9 
81-5 
59-5 
68-3 
05-1 
01-2 
49-3 
Monday..  SI  N.E. 
00-2 
00-0 
75-4 
51-5 
— 
091 
06-5 
01-2 
45-5 
Tuesday  1  S.E. 
68-8 
021 
79-5 
54  2 
— 
08-2 
6.r> ‘7 
61-3 
45-0 
Wed’sday  2  E..S.  H. 
71-5 
02-1 
77-7 
49-5 
— 
08  2 
05-7 
61-5 
413 
Thursday  3  E.S.E. 
71-5 
04 -8 
80  T 
00-0 
— 
077 
06-5 
01-5 
68*8 
Friday  ..  1  S.E. 
03-9 
04-5 
77  1 
01-5 
_ 
08’5 
06  5 
01-6 
00-7 
Saturday  5  E. 
70*5 
64-2 
80-0 
59-2 
0-04 
083 
05*5 
61-7 
55-0 
Total 
j  60-1 
Means  .. 
09-8 
62-8 
78-8 
56-5 
,  0  04 
i  08-3 
,  05-5 
61-4 
The  weather  during  the  week  has  been  very  hot,  with  rather  high 
drying  winds.  A  small  quantity  of  rain  fell  on  the  5th. 
