September  7,  1»9!'. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
200 
Recent  Weather  in  London.  —  There  were  several  very 
heavy  showers  in  the  metropolis  on  Saturday  last,  but  the  moisture  did 
not  penetrate  far  into  the  ground.  Since  that  day  we  have  had  an  almost 
ct  mplete  reversion  to  tropical  heat,  Monday  especially  being  intensely 
hot.  On  Tuesday  89°  in  the  shade  were  registered.  Wednesday  opened 
dull  ;  at  midday  a  thunderstorm  with  torrential  rain  passed  over  the  0  ty. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society.— The  next  Fruit  and  Floral 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  in  the  Drill  Hull, 
James  Street,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday,  September  12th,  at  1  to  5  P.M.  A 
lecture  on  “  Lessons  from  the  Great  Drought  of  1898  ”  will  be  given  by 
Mr.  E.  Mawley. 
-  An  Historic  Demesne. — Captain  Penton’s  selling  Chalfont 
Park,  one  of  the  most  charming  demesnes  in  Buckinghamshire,  recalls 
the  fact  that  it  was  here  that  the  first  Lombardy  Poplar  ever  imported 
into  England  was  planted.  The  “great  Ash,”  supposed  to  be  the  largest 
nnd  oldest  Ash  tree  in  the  kingdom,  has  so  long  formed  a  conspicuous 
object  In  the  landscape  that  its  position  is  marked  on  the  oldest  maps 
«xtant. 
-  Appointments. — Mr.  F.  Dunn,  bailiff  and  gardener  for  the  late 
Sir  Francis  and  Lady  Truscott  at  Oakleigh.  East  Grinstead,  Sussex,  has 
been  appointed  sub-agent  on  the  estate  of  the  Hon.  Dudley  H.  Ryder 
at  Westerbrook  Hay,  Hemel  Hempstead.  Mr.  J.  Whytock,  gardener  to 
Earl  Fitzwilliam,  Coollattin  Park,  Shillelagh,  has  been  selected  out  of  a 
very  large  number  of  candidates  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death 
of  the  late  Mr.  Dunn,  as  superintendent  of  Dalkeith  Gardens.  Mr.  F. 
Edwards,  for  the  last  three  and  a  half  years  foreman  at  Bushey  House, 
has  been  appointed  head  gardener  to  A.  Thompson,  Esq.,  Mvmwood 
House,  Hatfield. 
-  Northern  Peas. — Noticing  during  the  past  few  weeks  in  our 
Journal  many  complaints  of  poor  crops  of  Peas  I  thought  readers  would 
like  to  know  how  we  have  fared  in  Northumberland.  I  am  happy  to 
say  I  am  not  troubled  with  stunted,  tasteless  Peas.  I  grow  Duke  of 
Albany,  and  they  are  admired  by  everyone.  The  plants  are  over  6  feet 
in  height,  and  covered  with  beautifully  filled  pods,  eight  and  nine  peas  in 
each  pod.  In  preparing  ground  for  Peas  I  commence  to  trench  as  soon 
as  the  ground  is  moist  enough  ;  I  am  a  firm  believer  in  winter  digging 
And  trenching.  I  manure  heavily,  and  give  plenty  of  water  when  the 
Peas  are  growing,  and  I  have  always  had  good  results. — Geo.  Anton, 
Stobhill ,  Morpeth. 
-  Swanley  Show.  —  The  exhibition  of  flowers,  fruits,  and 
vegetables,  held  recently  in  the  grounds  of  Kettlewell  Convalescent 
Home,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Swanley  Junction  Horticultural  Society, 
was  a  great  success.  Each  section  was  well  represented,  and  notwith¬ 
standing  the  drought  through  which  the  growers  have  passed,  some 
highly  creditable  produce  was  staged.  Not  only  were  competitive 
exhibits  numerous,  but  market  growers  and  nurserymen  also  came 
forward  with  valuable  assistance.  As  may  be  expected,  Messrs. 
II.  Cannell  &  Sons  were  worthily  represented.  The  arrangements 
reflect  great  credit  on  the  Honorary  Secretary,  Mr.  C.  E.  Wilkins,  well 
known  to  horticulturists  as  an  enthusiastic  amateur  Rose  and  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  grower. 
-  Mr.  Ellison’s  Garden.— A  correspondent,  who  has  himself 
charge  of  no  mean  garden,  writes  : — “I  have  just  returned  home  after 
spending  a  most  pleasant,  interesting,  and  agreeable  time  with  the  Rev. 
C.  C.  Ellison  at  Bracebridge.  He  is  a  great  gardener,  and  loves  his 
.garden  with  all  the  fervour  of  a  devotee,  and  derives  from  it  a  great 
amount  of  real  pleasure.  His  Rose  and  pond  gardens  are  highly  attractive, 
and  his  fruit  trees  most  interesting.  The  way  in  which  his  garden  is 
arranged  is  perfectly  original,  and  to  a  stranger  is  as  great  a  maze  in  its 
way  as  the  one  at  Hampton  Court.  Ilis  workshops  and  lathes  are  a 
marvel,  and  the  work  he  has  turned  out  truly  beautiful.  We  were  in 
the  garden  till  after  midnight  discussing  the  pros  and  cons  by  the  light 
of  the  moon.”  [We  should  very  much  like  a  report  of  that  discussion 
between  the  great  professional  and  his  accomplished  host,  but  fear  we 
shall  not  get  it ;  it  could  not  fail  to  be  entertaining  and  insructive.] 
-  Dover  Flower  Show. — On  Wednesday,  August  30th,  the 
above  Show  was  held  in  the  Town  Hall,  when  a  most  interesting  display 
was  brought  together.  The  Committee  offers  generous  prizes  in  the 
100  classes,  some  of  which  are  open,  while  others  are  subject  to  the 
customary  limitations.  The  groups  of  plants  and  specimen  plants  were 
excellent  and  formed  perhaps  the  finest  feature,  though  vegetables  were 
magnificently  staged.  The  arrangements  were  skilfully  carried  out, 
and  were  a  credit  to  Mr.  E.  M.  Wor Hold,  Market  Square,  Dover,  the 
Honorary  Secretary,  who  is  indefatigable  in  his  efforts  to  insure  success. 
-  Bristol  Gardeners’  Association. — The  monthly  meeting 
of  members  was  held  on  August  31st,  at  St.  John's  Parish  Room, 
Redland.  Mr.  C.  Lock  presided  over  a  good  attendance.  A  very 
intetesting  and  instructive  lecture  on  Viola  and  Pansy  culture  was 
given  by  Mr.  Isaac  House  of  Coombe  Nurseries,  Westbury-on-Trym. 
He  dealt  with  the  subject  in  a  lucid  manner,  giving  the  history  of  the 
plants,  and  explaining  the  marked  difference  between  the  two.  He 
strongly  urged  their  cultivation,  especially  for  bedding  purposes, 
claiming  for  them  freedom  of  blooming  during  a  long  season.  Mr. 
House  gave  a  list  of  good  Violas,  and  detailed  what  ho  considered  the 
best  method  of  culture.  A  discussion  followed,  and  the  lecturer  was 
heartily  thanked  for  his  attendance.  The  Society’s  certificate  of  merit 
was  awarded  Mr.  McCnllock  fora  well-grown  Vallota  purpurea. 
-  The  R.H.S.  Fruit  Committee. — At  the  recent  Drill  Hall 
meeting  of  this  body  a  resolution,  expressing  the  Committee’s  great 
sorrow  on  learning  of  the  death  of  Mr.  T.  F.  Rivers,  so  long  a  Vice- 
Chairman  of  the  Committee,  an  acknowledgement  of  the  grave  loss  to 
horticulture  which  his  death  had  caused,  and  expressing  sincere  sympathy 
with  the  deceased’s  relatives,  was  proposed  by  Mr.  G.  Bunyard,  and 
unanimously  agreed  to.  Mr.  Bunyard  also  brought  forward  a  similar 
resolution  in  relation  to  the  late  M.  Henry  de  Vilmorin,  but  it  was  urged 
that  any  expression  of  sympathy  and  condolence  sent  to  his  friends,  and 
of  borrow  for  his  untimely  death,  should  emanate  from  the  Council  and 
Fellows,  rather  than  from  a  Committee  ;  and  it  was  therefore  agreed 
to  invite  the  Council  to  take  such  public  course  at  the  next  meeting  of 
the  Society.  We  believe  that  the  Floral  Committee  adopted  a  similar 
course. 
-  A  Dublin  Note. — The  palatial  quarters  of  “  The  Royal 
Dublin  Society”  had,  amongst  the  many  diversified  stands  that  make  up 
what,  is  generically  called  the  Horse  Show,  a  horticultural  exhibit,  which 
shadowed  forth  an  almost  unbounded  potentiality  of  the  Dominion  of 
Canada.  It  comnrised  fruits  (which  were  preserved)  including  Peaches, 
Plums,  Grapes,  Cherries,  Apples,  and  Currants,  whilst  the  Pears  were 
exceptionable.  If  one  could  accept  the  fact,  they  are  the  result  of 
ordinary  care,  a  prosperous  horticulture  harvest  is  to  be  reaped.  Cereals, 
and  the  native  inhabitants  of  the  prairies,  the  Grasses,  looked  well, 
flanking  the  walls  and  sides,  also  timber  comprehending  all  the  well- 
known  varieties,  both  in  the  rough,  as  well  as  well  as  in  the  finished 
condition.  At  our  recent  autumn  show  in  Merrion  Square,  Dublin, 
Messrs.  Clibran  &  Son,  Altrincham,  exhibited  a  few  pots  of  Lily  of  the 
Valleyr,  retarded,  and  were  very  much  admired,  their  condition  being  the 
best  ;  the  plants  were  well  dowered  with  blooms. — A.  O’Neill. 
-  Potatoes  at  Chiswick.  —  A  meeting  of  the  Fruit  and 
Vegetable  Committee  was  held  here  on  August  31st  to  examine  late 
Potatoes.  Present:  Messrs.  T.  Crowley  (Chairman),  A.  F.  Barron,  W. 
Bates,  W.  Gleeson,  J.  Willard,  and  A.  Dean.  Numerous  varieties  were 
lifted.  Some  of  the  latest  showed  the  tubers  of  moderate  size,  but  much 
sprouted.  In  two  or  three  cases  the  roots  were  masses  of  stolons,  but 
some  gave  in  crops  capital  results.  Sutton’s  Satisfaction,  one  of  the 
old  varieties,  was  excellent;  Up-to-Dale  much  grown  out,  Challenge  a 
grand  clean  crop,  Devonian  excellent.  Seven  varieties  were  regarded  so 
favourably  when  lifted  that  they  were  sent  to  be  cooked,  and  later  the 
Committee  tasted  them,  and  awarded  three  marks  to  The  Sirdar  (Hurst), 
round  white,  great  crop,  rather  tall  tops,  capital  table  quality ;  and 
Ellingston's  Seedling,  tubers  longish  round,  white  with  pink  eyes,  great 
cropper.  The  tubers  are  both  handsome  and  distinct,  excellent  when 
cooked.  Other  good  ones,  but  not  satisfying  the  Committee  as  to  table 
excellence,  were  Ridgewell’s  Invincible,  white  round,  an  immense  cropper; 
St.  Lawrence,  flattish  or  pebble-shaped  kidney  ;  Queen  ot  July,  white 
kidney,  great  crop  ;  and  Laxton’s  No.  3,  a  Lapstone-like  kidney.  It  would 
seem  as  if  Potato  nomenclature  was  getting  restricted,  as  there  were 
seen  two  Sirdars,  three  Main  Crops,  and  one  or  two  others  had  old  names 
given.  Chancellor  was  there  as  Great  Chancellor,  International  as 
Jersey  Fluke,  and  four  red  seedlings  were  merely  repetitions  of  the 
American  Adirondack.  Though  little  evidence  of  disease  was  seen, 
with  cne  variety  the  only  root  lifted  gave  every  tuber  diseased. 
