February  6,  1896. 
117 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Royal  Institution. — Professor  H.  Marshall  Ward,  F.R.S., 
Professor  of  Botany  in  the  University  of  Cambridge,  will  begin  a  course 
of  three  lectures  on  “  Some  Aspects  of  Modern  Botany  ”  at  the  Royal 
Institution  on  Thursday  next,  February  13th. 
■ -  Ealing  District  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Association. — Since  its  inception  this  Society  has  done  much  good 
work  amongst  the  gardeners,  young  and  old,  of  the  district  in  the  neigh¬ 
bourhood  of  Ealing.  At  frequent  intervals  papers  have  been  read  by 
experienced  men  on  subjects  relative  to  the  craft,  and  these  have  been 
greatly  appreciated.  Several  special  prizes  are  offered  for  exhibits  and 
essays,  of  which  particulars  are  given  in  the  present  season’s  arrange¬ 
ments.  The  annual  fee  of  membership  is  small,  and  if  particulars  are 
desired  they  may  be  had  from  the  Hon.  Secretary,  Mr.  W.  Roberts,  North 
Common  Road,  Ealing,  W. 
-  Wakefield  Paxton  Society. — Notwithstanding  the  damp 
and  uncomfortable  state  of  the  weather  on  Saturday,  the  25th  ult.,  a 
large  audience  assembled  at  the  usual  weekly  meeting  of  the  members 
of  the  Paxton  Society.  Lieut.  Goodyear  presided,  and  Mr.  W.  Tunni- 
cliffe  of  The  Poplars  was  in  the  vice-chair.  The  lecturer  was  Mr. 
J.  Swire,  head  master  of  the  Wakefield  School  of  Art,  and  his  subject 
was  “  Cambridge  and  the  Isle  of  Ely.”  The  lecture  was  illustrated  by 
a  large  number  of  photographic  views  of  Cambridge  and  Ely  and  the 
surrounding  districts,  and  they  were  exhibited  by  means  of  a  large 
lantern,  cleverly  manipulated  by  Mr.  Harold  Parkin,  of  York  Street. 
As  the  views  were  thrown  on  the  large  screen  by  Mr.  Parkin,  many 
interesting  details  with  respect  to  them  were  given  by  Mr.  Swire,  who 
has  been  much  time  sketching  in  the  district  as  an  artist.  Some  of  his 
personal  reminiscences  and  anecdotes  were  very  amusing ;  the  lecture  was 
much  enjoyed  and  the  views  highly  appreciated. 
-  Dahline. — On  page  86,  “  Reader  ”  asks  for  information  on 
the  analysis  of  the  Dahlia.  The  following  is  from  Ure’s  “  Dictionary  of 
Chemistry,”  page  384  : — “  Dahline. — A  vegetable  principle  discovered  by 
M.  Pazen,  analogous  to  starch  and  inulin.  To  extract  it  the  pulp  of  the 
bulbs  of  Dahlia  is  to  be  diffused  in  its  weight  in  water,  filtered  through 
cloth,  the  liquid  mixed  with  one-twentieth  its  weight  of  common 
chalk,  boiled  for  half  an  hour,  and  filtered.  The  residuum  of  the  bulbs 
is  then  to  be  pressed,  the  solutions  united,  and  evaporated  to  three- 
fourths  of  their  volume.  Four  per  cent,  of  animal  charcoal  must  now 
be  added,  and  the  whole  clarified  by  the  white  of  an  egg.  The  liquor, 
filtered  and  evaporated  until  a  film  form  on  the  surface,  deposits  dahline 
on  cooling.  All  the  washings  are  to  be  treated  in  the  same  way,  and 
thus  4  per  cent,  of  dahline  will  be  obtained  from  the  bulbs.  This 
substance,  when  pure,  is  white,  inodorous,  pulverulent,  tasteless  ;  specific 
gravity,  1-356  ;  more  soluble  in  hot  than  cold  water,  not  soluble  in 
alcohol,  but  precipitated  by  it  from  aqueous  solutions.  It  differs  from 
starch  and  inulin  in  forming  a  granulated  mass  when  its  aqueous 
solution  is  evaporated,  as  also  in  its  specific  gravity,  Mons.  Braconnet 
has  discovered  dahline  in  the  Jerusalem  Artichoke.  He  considers  it 
merely  a  variety  of  inulin.” 
- York  Show,  —  We  have  received  the  schedule  of  prizes 
offered  on  the  occasion  of  the  Grand  Yorkshire  Gala,  Floral,  and 
Musical  Exhibition  announced  to  be  held  on  June  17th,  18th,  and  19th. 
Prizes  in  the  chief  classes  are  offered  on  the  same  generous  scale  as 
heretofore,  while  a  few  new  classes  are  added.  The  sum  apportioned 
for  prizes  exceeds  £700,  and  is  £50  in  excess  of  last  year.  Five 
prizes  are  offered  for  groups,  in  sums  ranging  from  £20  to  £5— total, 
£58.  For  specimen  plants  the  prizes  are  £20,  £14,  and  £8.  A  new 
-  class  is  provided  for  a  collection  of  Clematises  in  pots,  not  less  than 
twelve  plants,  with  prizes  of  £12,  £8,  and  £4.  A  £10  prize  is  appor¬ 
tioned  to  Carnations  in  pots,  with  smaller  amounts  to  follow.  A 
class  is  provided  for  the  most  tasteful  arrangement  of  Pansies  and 
Violas  in  glasses,  and  table  space  limited  to  10  feet  by  3  feet,  with  £4 
as  the  leading  prize  ;  also  a  new  class  for  a  collection  of  Begonias 
arranged  for  effect,  in  space  of  12  feet  by  3  feet,  first  prize  £5. 
There  are  various  other  plant  classes,  including,  of  course,  Pelargoniums) 
for  which  the  York  show  is  famed.  Orchids  and  cut  flowers  are  well 
provided  for,  while  good  provision  is  made  for  fruit,  £25  being  allotted 
in  four  prizes  for  a  collection  of  “  ten  distinct  varieties,  not  to  contain 
more  than  two  varieties  of  any  kind  ” — rather  a  novel  condition — with  a 
dozen  other  classes,  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons  and  Webb  &  Sona  providing 
prizes  for  vegetables.  Three  gold  medals  (or  value  in  money)  are  offered 
for  nurserymen’s  collections  of  plants  and  flowers.  An  extensive  and 
varied  exhibition  may  be  confidently  relied  on,  and  crowds  of  visitors 
from  far  and  near. 
-  Worksop  Rose  and  Horticultural  Society. — The  next 
summer  show  of  this  Society  will  be  held  on  Thursday,  July  9th,  and 
no  effort  will  be  wanting  on  the  part  of  the  officials  to  make  it  a 
success.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Society,  Mr.  H.  V.  Machin  wa9 
elected  President,  and  Mr.  G.  G.  Bailey,  Secretary,  for  the  present  year. 
-  An  Old  Vine, — In  the  village  of  Kineton,  Warwickshire, 
there  is  an  interesting  specimen  of  an  outdoor  Vine  growing  on  a  row 
of  cottages  spreading,  if  I  recollect  correctly,  the  entire  length,  and 
therefore  it  has  no  further  space  for  development.  I  had  the  curiosity 
to  step  the  length,  and  found  its  branches  extended  about  60  yards. 
One  of  the  inmates  of  the  cottages  informed  me  it  was  supposed  to 
be  the  largest  or  longest  in  England.  Can  anyone  kindly  inform  me  if 
this  is  correct  1  What  about  the  Hampton  Court  Vine  ? — J.  Hiam. 
-  Climatological  Observations  at  Driffield,  January 
1896.— Lat.  54°  0.'  30"  N.  ;  Ion.  0°  27'  15,"  W.  ;  alt.  76  feet.  Barometric 
pressure  at  9  A.M.  (at  32°  and  sea  level)  :  Highest  30  90  inch  on  9th  ; 
lowest  2915  inch  on  15th.  Mean  temperature  at  9  A,M.  (corrected) 
38’67°.  Wet  bulb  38-04°.  Mean  maximum  44- 61°;  mean  minimum 
34'42°.  Highest  51  8°  on  2nd  ;  lowest  22-0°  on  23rd.  Mean  of  maxima 
and  minima  39  51°.  Mean  radiation  temperature  on  grass  27  96°  ;  lowest 
16-8°  on  23rd.  Rainfall  0  72  inch.  Number  of  rainy  days  sixteen. 
Greatest  amount  on  one  day  016  inch  on  13th.  Mean  amount  of  cloud 
at  9  A.M.  (estimated),  6-5.  —  W.  E.  Lovel,  Observer ,  York  Road , 
Driffield. 
-  Model  Gardens  for  Aberdeen  Artisans. — The  Gas  and 
Electric  Lighting  Committee  of  the  Aberdeen  Town  Council  met  on 
Friday,  24th  ult.,  to  consider  what  steps  should  be  taken  with  respect  to 
the  vacant  ground  belonging  to  the  Corporation  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Gallowhill  gasholder.  Mr.  Smith,  Gas  Manager,  submitted  a  sketch 
plan  showing  how  the  ground,  which  is  4  acres  in  extent,  might  be  laid 
out  as  model  gardens,  each  measuring  about  360  square  yards.  The 
Committee  resolved  that  the  plan  be  adopted,  and  the  plots  let  at  from 
15s.  to  17s.  per  annum,  without  fencing  or  water.  These  rents  are 
considered  by  practical  men  in  the  district  much  too  high  ;  indeed,  they 
contend  that,  seeing  the  ground  has  to  be  taken  in  from  the  rough  and 
fenced,  the  Council  should  give  the  ground  the  first  year  for  nothing. 
-  Destroying  Insect  Eggs  on  Fruit  Trees. — I  have  read  the 
remarks  on  this  subject  on  page  73  with  much  interest,  and  perhaps  I 
may  be  allowed  to  say  a  few  words  in  addition.  In  my  experiments  in 
connection  with  the  Evesham  Fruit  Pests  Committee,  I  placed  hundred* 
of  female  winter  moths  in  confinement,  where  they  laid  their  eggs,  and 
it  was  interesting  and  useful  to  watch  for  the  exact  time  of  hatching  in 
the  spring,  which  usually  occurs  about  the  last  week  in  March,  and  in 
the  open  at  the  beginning  of  April,  so  that  there  are  several  weeks  when 
it  will  be  perfectly  safe  for  “  J.  F.”  to  use  Paris  green  and  London 
purple  before  the  buds  expand  to  damage  to  bees.  Then  there  are 
several  weeks  between  the  blossom  falling  and  the  clearing  of  the  fruit 
and  foliage  by  the  caterpillars  at  the  [end  of  May.  The  eggs  of  Psylla 
mali  are  often  mistaken  for  those  of  the  winter  moth. — J.  Hiam. 
-  Shrewsbury  Floral  Fete. — The  annual  meeting  of  the 
members  was  held  at  Shrewsbury  on  Wednesday,  January  29th.  In 
the  unavoidable  absence  of  the  President,  H.  D.  Greene,  Esq.,  Q.C.,  M.P., 
the  chair  was  taken  by  the  Mayor.  The  report  and  statement  of 
accounts  read  congratulated  the  members  of  the  Society  that  the  last 
year  had  been  the  most  successful  since  its  establishment.  The  receipts 
for  the  year  amounted  to  over  £4010,  being  an  increase  of  about  £270 
above  any  previous  year.  The  receipts  included  £450  in  subscriptions, 
£500  for  tickets  sold  before  the  show,  £727  taken  at  the  gates  first  day, 
and  £1534  the  second  day.  The  expenses  of  the  year  amounted  to 
£3015,  and,  included  in  prize  money,  medals,  &c.,  actually  paid,  £770. 
The  net  profit  on  the  year  is  about  £1000.  The  Mayor  congratulated 
the  meeting  on  the  fact  that  the  show  of  1895  wai  universally  admitted 
to  be  one  of  the  finest  ever  held  in  the  provinces,  and  ventured 
to  hope  that  the  show  fixed  for  August  19th  and  20th,  1896,  will  even 
exceed  the  show  of  the  last  year  in  extent  and  novelty.  During  the 
twenty  years  the  Society  has  been  in  existence  the  total  receipts  have 
amounted  to  nearly  £50,000,  and  the  Society  has  voted  to  public 
objects  in  Shrewsbury  about  £4000,  and  purchased  land  which  is 
intended  for  public  use  at  a  cost  of  nearly  £6000  out  of  the  profits  of 
the  shows.  It  is  a  matter  of  congratulation  that,  notwithstanding  at 
times  very  unfavourable  weather,  there  has  never  been  a  loss  on  any 
occasion.  Sir  Walter  O.  Corbet,  Bart.,  of  Acton  Reynald,  was  elected 
President  for  1896, 
