.  September  2.8,  1899.  -JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
v  -  Snowstorm  on  Ben  Nevis.  —  It  is  announced  lhat  on  Sunday 
last  snow  fell  heavily  on  Ben  Nevis,  covering  the  ground  to  a  depth  of 
A  or  10  inches,  exclusive  ot  drifts,  where  it  was  considerably  deeper. 
. -  Rain  and  Devastation  in  India  — A  Reuter  message 
from  Calcutta  reports  that  on  Monday  night  28  inches  of  rain  fell  in 
thirty-eight  hours  near  Darjeeling.  Extensive  landslips  have  occurred, 
many  lives  lost  and  extensive  Tea  plantations  ruined. 
-  Drying  of  the  Ground  by  Roots. — It  is  an  undisputed 
fact  that  some  plants  require  more  moisture  than  others,  and  the 
gardener  will  profit  by  careful  observation  looking  to  a  better  arrange¬ 
ment  of  the  garden  and  grounds  to  best  withstand  droughts.  A 
writer  in  an  American  contemporary  was  interested  recently  in  noting 
how  rapidly  a  row  of  Radishes  sucked  up  the  moisture  from  tho 
ground.  The  tops  were  too  small  (o  keep  the  soil  from  getting  well 
soaked  by  a  good  rain,  so  the  moisture  was  spread  pretty  evenly.  In 
less  than  twenty-four  hours,  along  the  whole  row,  the  soil  was  dry  to: 
a  space  of  li  inch  on  either  side. 
— —  Peppermint. — Peppermint  is  reviving  the  drooping  spirits  of  tho 
depressed  agriculturist.  So  profitable  has  the  Sutton  Urban  District 
Council  found  its  cultivation  that  it  has  determined  to  add  two  more  acres 
to  the  area  at  present  devoted  to  that  fragrant  plant.  The  body  men¬ 
tioned  has  paid  great  attention — more  than  most  local  authorities— to  the 
utilisation  of  sewage,  and  Peppermint  is  one  of  the  products  of  the  land 
where  this  is  turned  to  profitable  account.  Last  year,  says  a  daily  paper, 
there  were  four  acres  under  cultivation.  When  the  plant  is  cut  and  dried 
the  leaves  are  distilled,  and  the  oil  thus  obtained  finds  a  ready  market. 
The  yield  of  this  odorous  liquid  was  119  lbs.,  the  value  of  which 
amounted  to  £145  15s.  fid,  or  £36  8s.  lOd.  per  acre.  'Considering  all 
the  circumstances  this  result  is  highly  gratifying. 
-  Unknown  and  Useless  Apples.— From  time  to  time  wo 
have  to  describe  with  accuracy,  as  above,  Apples  which  are  sent  to  be 
named  ;  a  fruit  sent  by  “  C.  H.  B.”  was  so  characterised  on  page  241, 
September  14th.  The  sender  informs  us  that  fruits  of  this  “unknown 
and  useless  Apple  fetched  5s.  a  bushel  in  Covent  Garden  this  year.” 
We  can  only  say  that  the  fruit  examined  resembled  a  trashy  sample 
ot  the  small  Yellow  Ingestre,  which  is  a  favourite  costermonger’s  barrow 
Apple  in  London,  and  the  fruits  are  crisp  and  sweet.  The  one  wo  tested 
was  positively  sour.  Wc  can  understand  better  samples  of  the  variety 
being  mistaken  on  sight  by  the  buyer  for  Yellow  Ingestre,  who  would 
thus  give  the  price  named  for  them,  and  he  would  unwittingly  take  in  the 
eaters  who  bought  tho  so-called  pennyworths  of  fruit.  This  is  the  only 
explanation  we  can  give  of  the  “sell.” 
-  Assimilation  of  Carbon  by  Leaves.— From  experiments 
made  at  Kew,  Dr.  Horace  T.  Brown,  F.R.S.,  in  an  elaborate  paper 
read  before  the  British  Association,  described  the  method  by  which  the 
amount  of  carbon  dioxide  abstracted  from  the  air  was  determined.  lie 
said  :  “In  our  experiments  the  air  was  in  all  cases  taken  from  a  height 
of  4  feet  6  inches  from  the  ground.  The  actual  intake  of  carbon  dioxide 
is  determined  by  enclosing  the  entire  leaf  in  specially  constructed  air-tight, 
glazed  cases,  through  which  a  sufficiently  rapid  air  stream  is  passed. 
These  cases  are  so  arranged  that  the  leaf  can  be  enclosed  whilst  still 
attached  to  a  plant  which  is  growing,  out  in  the  open  under  perfectly1 
natural  conditions,  and  some  of  them  are  sufficiently  large  to  take  the 
entire  loaf  of  a  Sunflower.  The  carbon  dioxide  content  of  the  air  is 
determined  both  before  and  after  its  passage  through  the  apparatus,  and 
since  the  amount  of  air  passed  is  known,  we  have  all  the  data  requisite  for 
determining  the  actual  amount  retained  by  the  leaf.  An  experiment 
generally  lasts  from  five  to  six  hours.  In  order  to  show  the  kind  of 
results  qbtained  in  this  manner  I  will  give  one  or  two  examples.  A  leaf 
•of  the  Sunflower  was  enclosed  in  its  case  whilst  still  attached  to  the 
plant,  and  was  exposed  to  the  strong  diffuse  light  of  a  clouded  skv  for 
five  and  a  half  hours,  air  being  passed  over  it  at  the  rate  of  nearly 
150  litres  per  hour.  Tho  content  of  the  air  in  carbon  dioxide  as  it 
entered  the  apparatus  was  2'80  parts  per  10,000,  and  this  was  reduced 
to  1  74  parts  per  10,000  during  its  passage  over  the  leaf.  In  another 
experiment  made  with  the  leaf  of  Catalpa  bignonioides  in  full  sunlight 
tho  amount  of  carbon  dioxide  in  the  air  passing  over  the  leaf  fell  from 
2-80  to  U79  parts  per  10,000.”  The  practical  point  for  gardeners  to 
consider  is  the  production  of  thoroughly  sound,  healthy  leafage,  by  tho 
agencies  of  appropriate  food,  temperature,  ar.d  exposure  to  light,  in  order 
that  a  full  amount  of  carbon  dioxide  can  find  entrance  in  the  minute 
openings  (stomata)  for  the  formation  of  starch  and  other  compounds. 
Dr.  King  says  the  formation  of  a  gram  of  starch  requires  1  ’628  grams  of 
carbon  dioxide. 
‘An 
-  Mr.  Pringle  of'  Blenheim  House,  Teddington,  writes  to  the 
“  Daily  News  ”  as  follows  It  may  interest  naturalists  to  learn  that 
a  Chestnut  in  tho  garden  of  Marlborough  House,  Teddington,  which 
had  lost  nearly  every  leaf  during  the  scorching  weather  through  which 
we  have  j  assed,  has,  under  the  influence  of  the  recent  refreshing  rains, 
not  only  put  out  an  abundant  and  charming  spring-like  foliage,  but 
also  displays  many  beautiful  blossoms.  I  have  known  many  other  trees 
do  the  like  in  a  mild,  moist  autumn,  but  never  a  Chestnut.  Numerous 
passers  by  stop  to  gaze  at  the  unusual  show.” 
-  Kolre.uteria  PANICULATA. — The  dryness  of  the  past  few 
months  appears  to  have  been  advantageous  to  this  plant,  judging  from 
the  free  manner  in  which  it  is  flowering.  It  is  a  Chinese  plant,  and  i3 
usually  met  with  as  a  tall,  bushy  shrub,  though  it  sometimes  attains  the 
height  and  dimensions  of  a  small  tree.  It  has  light  green  pinnate 
leaves  about  9  inches  long,  and  during  August  and  September  pr6- 
duces  large  terminal  panicles  of  yellow  flowers,  more  lightly  arranged, 
but  after  the  manner  of  tho  Horse  Cheitnut.  The  flowers  are  followed 
by  triangular,  inflated  fruits,  containipg  several  small  rounded  seeds 
each.  It  is  a  desirable  plant  for  shrubberies  of  tall  growing  stock,  the 
foliage  being  handsome,  and  the  flowers  being  produced  at  a  season 
when  hardy  flowering  shrubs  arc  scarce.  It  grows  well  in  light  loam. 
When  young  it  should  bs  sheltered  somewhat  for  a  year  or  two,  as 
young  plants  make  soft  growth  which  is  inclined  to  be  tender. — W.  D. 
-  Dahlias  in  Pots, — At  the  Rochester  Dahlia  Show  there  was 
a  class  for  the  best  Dahlia  grown  in  a  pot  not  exceeding  10  inches.  The 
President  of  the  Society,  Mr.  C.  Willis,  jun.,  provided  the  plants  ;  and 
Mr.  II.  Pitt  special  prizes.  This  contest  created  considerable  interest 
among  the  members,  eighteen  competing.  The  first  prize  was  won  by 
Mr.  L.  Williamson  with  a  well-grown  plant,  having  fourteen  fully 
developed  blooms  ;  Mr.  II.  Gauge  second  ;  Mr.  J.  Tree  third.  The 
plants  were  all  the  same  variety — Standard  Bearer,  a  dwarf  grower,  and 
well  adapted  for  pot  culture,  supplied  by  Messrs.  Cannell  &  Sons  of 
Swauley,  who  exhibited  a  large  collection  of  the  newest  and  best  of  tho 
Cactus  varieties,  their  exhibit  occupying  all  one  side  of  the  hall.  Mr.  M.  V 
Seale  of  Sevenoaks,  S lied  the  opposite  side  with  a  varied  collection, — R.M. 
-  Astwood  Bank  Amateur  Gardeners’  Society.— On  a 
recent  afternoon  the  members  of  this  Society  spent  an  enjoyable  time  at 
Ragley.  After  a  pleasant  drive  from  the  home  of  tho  Society  Ragley 
«  as  reached,  and  the  kitchen  garden  first  of  all  inspected.  The  fruit,  of 
course,  provided  the  greatest  attraction,  as  although  most  of  the  early 
kinds  of  Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums  had  been  gathered,  some  splendid 
specimens  remained.  Each  visitor  wa3  invited  to  try  them.  “Help 
yourselves,  gentlemen,”  was  the  genial  and  appreciative  order  of  the  day', 
a  pleasing  change  from  the  “  touch  not,  taste  not”  rule.  To  notice  in 
detad  the  crops  which  came  under  view  would  take  too  much  space,  but 
further  allusion  to  trees  in  the  open  will  be  forgiven  in  the  case  of  the 
Apple  Stirling  Castle.  The  sight  of  these  trees  alone  was  worth  the 
visit — they  were  a  mass  of  fruit.  The  various  houses  were  inspected,  and 
the  contents  admired,  notably  the  fine  crop3  of  Tomatoes  and  Grapes. 
The  hall  and  pleasure  grounds  were  next  visited,  and  the  beds,  especially 
at  the  prii  c:pal  front,  looked  charming,  although  some  of  them  showed 
conspicuously  the  effects  of  the  late  severe  drought.  The  drive  was 
followed  by  a  capital  dinner. 
iyXETEOROI.OGXC.aX.  OBSERVATIONS  AT  CHISWICK. 
—Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens— height  above 
sea  level  24  feet. 
Date.  , 
O 
Temperature  of  the 
v  Air. 
Temperature  of  ] 
the  Soil. 
At  9  a.  si. 
© 
1899. 
action 
iV’ind. 
At  9  A.M.. 
Day. 
Night 
Rain. 
1 
At 
At 
I 
At 
4->  CO 
k  >“ 
o 
-1  S  g 
a>  © 
H 
September. 
5 
3 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Highest 
Lowest.  ^ 
i-ft. 
deep. 
2-ft. 
deep. 
4-ft. 
deep. 
w.s.w. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
ins. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Sunday  . . 17 
58-5 
54-7 
08-9 
48-9 
— 
59-1 
00  9 
00 '5 
39 '5 
Monday.  .18 
W.S.W 
57  9 
52-6 
03'2 
51-8 
0  08 
59  T 
00-0 
00-4 
43  '9 
Tuesday  19 
Wed’sday  20 
w.s.  w. 
50-2 
50-8 
62-7 
54-0 
0"21 
58'3 
00-2 
00-2 
40  9 
w.s.w. 
|  5f9 
48-9 
59-3 
49-3 
— 
57-8 
59’8 
00  T 
42-8 
Thursday  21 
w.s.w. 
52-4 
47-3 
62-8 
40-9 
0T5 
55  3 
59'2 
59-9 
29-8 
Friday  . .  22 
W.N.W. 
55  1 
46-8 
59-9 
51-0 
— 
57*1 
68-8 
59-0 
44-7 
Saturday  23 
w.s.w. 
53'3 
47-0 
58-9 
40-5 
0  02 
54’y 
58 '5 
59’5 
— 
L8*5 
Means  .. 
55-5 
49-8 
622 
48*1 
Total 
j  0-40 
57-4 
59-7 
60-0 
■  ' 
39*4 
The  weather  has  been  dull  and  show'ery,  with  s'.rong  west  winds. 
