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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  7,  1896, 
our  readers  may  have  something  to  say  on  the  subject,  and  in  any  case 
we  shall  be  glad  to  have,  in  due  time,  the  results  of  this  year’s  experi¬ 
ments.  We  have  grown  Cucumbers  that  were  pure  white  and  greenish 
white,  and  have  heard  of  a  fruit  half  white  and  half  deep  green,  but  have 
not  seen  one.] 
Weather  in  London.— The  weather  during  the  past  week  has 
again  been  very  dry.  The  days  have  generally  been  warm,  but  the 
nights  have  been  decidedly  cold.  On  Friday  night  and  Saturday  a 
very  cold  wind  prevailed.  Rain  is  fast  becoming  badly  needed  in  many 
districts. 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — With  the  exception  of  slight 
showers  on  the  28th  ult.,  and  in  the  evening  of  the  1st  inst,,  the  week 
ending  Tuesday  morning  has  been  marked  by  dry,  fine,  and  generally 
warm  weather.  Saturday  and  Sunday  were  both  very  pleasant  days, 
and  in  brightness  and  warmth  Monday  exceptionally  so.  Tuesday 
morning  was  dull  and  cooler. — B.  D,,  S.  Perthshire, 
- -  Saturday  Half-holiday  at  Chiswick.— We  understand 
the  Council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  has  decided  that  all 
persons  employed  in  the  gardens  at  Chiswick  are  in  future  to  have  a 
half-day’s  holiday  once  a  fortnight.  By  splitting  the  men  up  into 
two  batches,  one  of  which  remains  on  duty  whilst  the  other  is  on 
leave,  the  difficulty  of  putting  things  straight  in  readiness  for  Sunday 
is  surmounted. 
-  Death  of  M.  L’Abbe  Delavay.  —  The  French  journal 
“  Le  Jardin  ”  announces  the  death  of  l’Abbfi  Delavay,  missionary  at 
Yunnan,  to  whom  we  owe  the  introduction  of  many  new  and  interesting 
plants.  His  name  is  perpetuated  in  the  beautiful  Incarvillea  Delavayi, 
which  attracted  a  good  deal  of  attention  at  the  Temple  show  last  year, 
when  a  first-class  certificate  was  awarded  it. 
• - Gift  to  Sheffield  Botanical  Gardens.— We  learn  that 
His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  has  just  presented  twenty-five  large 
Palms  and  Ferns  to  the  Botanical  Gardens  at  Sheffield  from  his 
hothouses  at  Arundel.  Some  of  the  tallest  were  25  feet  high,  and  the 
heaviest  half  a  ton  in  weight.  Sabal  umbraculifera,  Latania  borbonica, 
Dieksonia  squarrosa,  Cibotium  regale,  Cyathea  medullaris,  Seaforthia 
elegans,  and  Cordyline  indivisa  were  some  of  the  more  notable  kinds. 
-  Calceolarias  from  Harrow  Weald.— The  several  flowers 
of  Calceolarias  that  have  reached  us  from  Mr.  W.  Rapley,  The  Gardens, 
Harrow  Weald  House,  Stanmore,  are  such  Bplendid  ones  as  to  easily 
uphold  this  grower’s  excellent  reputation.  There  are  size  without 
coarseness,  richness  and  diversity  of  hue  without  gaudiness,  and  perfect 
cleanliness.  The  greatest  credit  is  due  to  the  grower  for  the  grand 
results  he  has  attained  with  these  flowers,  and  also  with  Streptocarpus, 
a  few  of  which,  from  Yeitch’s  seeds,  also  found  a  place  in  the  package. 
-  Bickley  and  Bromley  Gardeners’  Association.— At  a 
meeting  of  this  Association  recently,  Mr.  Rogers  read  a  paper  on  “  The 
Cultivation  of  Seakale.”  His  method  of  procedure  with  this  vegetable 
was  to  break  off  the  thongs  when  lifting  the  plants  in  the  autumn,  and 
to  lay  them  in  soil  till  they  begin  to  make  fresh  growth.  He  planted 
them  out  in  April  or  the  beginning  of  May,  and  in  the  autumn  following 
they  were  fit  for  forcing.  The  crowns  were  then  lifted,  placed  in 
12-inch  pots,  over  which  others  were  inverted,  and  placed  in  a  Mush¬ 
room  house  or  other  convenient  place. 
- -  Horticultural  Club,  —  The  usual  monthly  dinner  and 
conversazione  took  place  on  Tuesday  evening,  when  there  was  a  large 
attendance  of  members  and  friends.  Sir  Jno.  T.  D.  Llewelyn,  Bart.,  M.P., 
occupied  the  chair,  and  there  were  present  among  others  Rev.  W.  Wilks 
Messrs.  Philip  Crowley,  H.  J.  Yeitch,  W.  Whiteley,  Peter  Kay,  Jas. 
Walker,  George  Monro,  J.  Assbee,  George  Bunyard,  Harry  Tuirer, 
W.  Poupart,  and  the  Secretary.  The  discussion  was  opened  by  Mr, 
Peter  Kay,  whose  paper  will  be  found  on  page  411.  The  subject  was 
the  “  Commercial  Aspect  of  Grape  Growing,”  which,  as  was  expected, 
Mr.  Kay  dealt  with  in  a  masterly  manner.  An  interesting  discussion 
followed,  and  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  by  acclamation  to 
the  essayist. 
-  Royal  Appointment. — Mr  T.  Jannocb,  Dersingham,  Norfolk, 
Lily  of  the  Valley  grower  to  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales,  has  been 
appointed  (by  Special  Warrant)  florist  to  H.R.H.  the  Princess  of  Wales. 
-  Primula  rosea  grandiflora. — Under  this  name  Messrs. 
J.  Cocker  &  Sons,  Aberdeen,  send  us  flowers  of  a  hardy  Primula.  It  is 
decidedly  superior  to  the  type,  both  in  respect  of  size  and  richness 
of  colouration.  It  should  attain,  as  it  becomes  known,  a  very  wide 
popularity. 
- Barnsley  Paxton  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Society. — The  members  of  this  Society,  in  order  to  show  their  respect 
and  appreciation  of  the  valuable  services  rendered  as  a  lecturer  on  horti¬ 
cultural  matters  at  their  meetings  by  Mr.  Thos.  Garnett,  St.  John’s 
Gardens,  Wakefield,  have  unanimously  elected  this  well-known  gardener 
an  honorary  member  of  the  Society. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society  of  Aberdeen.  —  The 
acting  Directors  of  this  Society  met  at  the  office  of  the  Secretary 
(Mr.  A.  M.  Byres,  C.A.)  on  Monday  evening,  27th  ult.,  Mr.  James 
Murray,  Glenburnie  Park,  presiding.  The  meeting  had  under  considera¬ 
tion  the  arrangements  for  the  annual  show,  which  is  this  year  to  be  held 
in  the  grounds  of  Gordon’s  College.  Committees  were  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  various  sections,  judges  nominated,  and  various  other 
matters  discussed. 
- April  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory,  Notts. — Mean  tempera¬ 
ture,  48 -4°.  Maximum  in  screen,  67  8° on  the  25th  ;  minimum,  28'0°  on  the 
2nd ;  on  the  grass,  17'2°  on  the  2nd.  Number  of  frosts  in  the  shade,  three  ; 
on  the  grass,  twenty.  Sunshine  184  hours,  or  32  per  cent,  of  possible. 
Rainfall  0'94  inch.  Rain  fell  on  fourteen  days.  Another  warm  and 
dry  month  ;  vegetation  forward. — J.  Mallender. 
-  April  Weather  at  Driffield.— Mean  temperature  at  9  a, m- 
(corrected),  49  97°;  wet  bulb,  45  55°.  Mean  maximum,  55'36°  ;  mean 
minimum,  37-69°.  Highest,  65 ’4°  on  the  8th  ;  lowest,  30°  on  the  3rd. 
Mean  of  maxima  and  minima,  46-52°.  Mean  radiation  temperature  on 
the  grass,  32  05°;  lowest,  25°  on  the  3rd  and  24th.  Rainfall,  1-10  inch. 
Number  of  rainy  days,  fifteen.  Greatest  amount  on  one  day,  O' 21  inch 
on  the  10th.— W.  E.  Lovel,  Observer,  York  Road ,  Driffield, 
- -  Weather  in  South  Wales. — The  following  is  a  summary  of 
the  weather  here  for  the  past  month.  Number  of  days  on  which  rain 
fell,  fifteen  ;  total  depth,  0  96  ;  maximum,  0  21  on  the  10th.  Number  of 
hours  sunshine,  141| ;  sunless  days,  three.  The  wind  was  in  the  W.  and 
N.W.  on  fifteen  days,  and  in  the  S.  and  S.W.  on  eleven  days.  There 
have  been  strong  drying  winds  for  the  last  week  of  the  month,  and  rain 
is  wanted  very  bad. — W.  Mabbott,  Gwernllwyn  House ,  Dowlais, 
-  Sussex  Weather.  —  The  total  rainfall  at  Abbots  Leigh, 
Haywaids  Heath,  for  April  was  0-60  inch,  being  1*15  inch  below  the 
average.  The  heaviest  fall  was  0-15  inch  on  the  4th.  Rain  fell  on  eleven 
days.  Total  for  the  four  months,  4'02  inches,  which  is  2  93  inches  less 
than  that  of  last  year,  and  4  39  inches  below  the  average.  The  maximum 
temperature  was  68°  on  the  26th  ;  the  minimum  31°  on  the  22nd  and 
24th.  Mean  maximum,  5811°  ;  mean  minimum,  39  09°.  Mean  tem¬ 
perature,  48-60°,  which  is  1-32°  above  the  average.  Rain  is  very  much 
wanted.  Fruit  trees  about  three  weeks  in  advance  of  last  year,  and  are 
very  promising.  May  came  in  cold. — R.  I. 
-  Wakefield  Paxton  Society. — At  a  recent  meeting  of  this 
Society  Mr.  W.  Tunnicliffe  presided,  and  Mr.  H.  S.  Goodyear  was  Vice- 
Chairman.  There  was  a  good  muster  of  the  members.  The  lecturer 
was  the  Rev.  J.  C.  C.  Kemm,  of  Normanton,  who  discoursed  for  about 
an  hour  on  “  British  Columbia.”  Five  years’  clerical  work  in  a  very 
large  district  of  this  important  dependency  enabled  the  reverend 
gentleman  to  give  his  audience  much  interesting  information  in  regard 
to  the  physical  character  of  the  country  and  its  magnificent  scenery. 
Its  mineral  resources  in  the  way  of  coal  and  gold  were  boundless,  and 
in  regard  to  the  latter  deposits  he  compared  them  very  favourably  with 
those  of  South  Africa.  The  lecturer  showed  how  marked  were  the 
resultB  which  followed  the  enterprise  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway 
Company  in  opening  out  the  country  ;  new  towns  were  springing  up,  and 
population  increasing  at  a  rapid  rate,  followed  by  a  great  expansion  of 
trade  in  mineral  products,  timber,  and  cattle.  A  capital  series  of  slides 
lent  increased  interest  to  the  lecture,  illustrating  the  grandeur  of  the 
mountain  and  river  scenery  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  economical 
possibilities  of  the  lower  lands  for  agricultural  and  horticultural  pur¬ 
poses  on  the  other  hand.  There  was  some  little  discussion,  after  which 
a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  the  lecturer. 
