June  18,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
561 
Events  of  the  Week. —  With  the  opening  of  the  Rose  season 
horticulturists  will  become  very  much  busier,  though  there  are  other 
shows  than  those  devoted  exclusively  to  Roses.  On  Saturday  the  Pansy 
and  Viola  Society  will  hold  its  first  annual  show  in  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
Regent’s  Park  ;  on  Tuesday  the  Committees  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  will  meet  at  the  Drill  Hall,  while  on  Wednesday  will  be  held 
the  Richmond  and  Reading  shows.  In  connection  with  the  latter  will  he 
held  the  southern  show  of  the  National  Rose  Society. 
-  Weather  in  London. — Since  the  publication  of  our  last 
issue  the  weather  has  undergone  another  change,  and  returned  to  clear 
skies  and  brilliant  sunshine.  Not  a  drop  of  rain  has  fallen  since  last 
Wednesday,  and  the  ground  is  rapidly  becoming  very  dry  again. 
Twenty-four  hours’  steady  downpour  would  be  appreciated  by  most 
horticulturists.  Just  as  we  were  going  to  press  a  slight  shower  fell,  and 
there  were  indications  in  the  falling  barometer  of  more. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society. —  The  next  Fruit  and 
Floral  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  in  the 
Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday,  June  23rd,  1  to  5  p.m.,  when  special  prizes  will 
be  offered  for  hardy  herbaceous  flowers.  At  three  o’clock  a  lecture  will 
be  delivered  by  Mr.  Samuel  Heaton,  F.R.H  S„  on  “  Gardeners — Past, 
Present,  and  Future.” 
-  Prizes  for  Lent  Lilies  (Helleborus  orientalis). — 
The  undermentioned  prizes  for  the  Oriental  Hellebore  and  its  varieties 
are  offered  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  to  all  comers — amateurs, 
gardeners,  or  nurserymen.  The  plants  are  to  be  judged  mainly  by  their 
fine  growth  and  bloom  ;  they  must  be  grown  in  the  open  air,  and  shown 
in  mossed  bundles,  baskets,  pots,  or  tubs  at  the  first  meeting  in  March, 
1897.  First  prize  for  a  group  of  twelve  plants  in  not  less  than  six 
varieties,  £7  7s.  ;  second  prize,  £3  3s.  Varieties  of  H.  niger  and 
H.  viridis  are  excluded. 
-  New  York  Botanic  Garden. — Professor  Nathaniel  L.  Britton 
of  Columbia  University  was  appointed  Director-in-Chief  of  the  Botanical 
Gardens  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  held  at  the 
garden  site  in  Bronx  Park.  It  was  the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  Board 
that  Professor  Britton,  who  is  now  Professor  of  Botany  at  Columbia, 
was  eminently  qualified  for  the  position,  not  only  because  of  his  learning, 
but  because  of  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  organisation  and  manage¬ 
ment  of  the  botanical  gardens  of  Europe.  At  the  same  meeting  it  was 
announced  that  about  250  persons  had  qualified  as  annual  members,  and 
that  names  were  still  coming  in. 
-  Potato  Growths. — To  anyone  observant  of  what  is  around 
them  there  seems  to  be  always  something  to  be  remarked  on  in  regard 
to  Potatoes.  I  had  evidence  of  that  a  day  or  two  since  when  looking 
over  some  allotments  where  Potatoes  were  largely  planted.  I  found 
that  most  generally  the  tops  were  dense,  the  growths  numerous, 
and  not  strong,  and  there  was  altogether  lacking  that  robust  growth 
usually  found  when  Potato  sets  have  been  well  sprouted.  Really  the 
breadths  were  the  product  of  either  sets  that  have  been  badly  stored, 
and  once  or  twice  spindled  in  the  dark,  or  they  had  been  cut  back  by 
frosts  after  too  early  planting.  I  think,  however,  the  former  to  have 
been  the  chief  cause,  as  what  was  seen  was  just  like  what  may  be  so 
commonly  seen  elsewhere  when  Potato  sets  have  been  spindled.  By 
way  of  contrast  were  several  rows  in  one  plot.  These  were  from  a 
medley  of  sets,  about  a  peck  in  all,  which  I  had  given  to  the  holder, 
the  refuse  left  from  a  quantity  that  had  been  most  carefully  wintered 
in  shallow  boxes,  and  when  planted  all  had  stout  single  sprouts  on  them. 
From  these  the  growths  were  remarkably  strong,  but  not  at  all  dense. 
Even  though  planted  later  than  the  general  bulk,  already  the  tops  were 
fully  6  inches  higher,  and  most  were  showing  bloom.  The  allotment 
holder  who  had  accepted  these  mixed  tubers  did  not  at  the  first  think 
much  of  his  present,  but  now  the  product  affords  him  the  greatest 
satisfaction,  and  presents  to  him  an  object  lesson  of  great  value.  If  all 
Potato  growers,  large  and  small,  would  but  store  their  seed  tubers  in 
this  better  way,  I  feel  assured  that  their  crops  would  be  fully  20  per 
cent,  greater. — A. 
-  York  Gala. — The  show,  which  was  opened  on  Wednesday 
morning,  was  the  most  magnificent  that  has  ever  been  held  under  the 
auspices  of  this  Society.  In  almost  every  section  distinct  signs  of 
advancement  were  clearly  perceptible,  though  the  Pelargoniums  were 
not  so  good  as  have  previously  been  shown.  The  chief  class  was  for  a 
group  of  miscellaneous  plants,  arranged  for  effect  in  a  space  not 
exceeding  300  square  feet.  The  first  prize  of  £20  went  to  Mr.  J.  Wilson, 
gardener  to  Sir  James  Reckitt,  Bart.,  who  staged  superbly,  the  second 
and  third  positions  being  occupied  by  Messrs.  Mee  and  McIntyre 
respectively.  There  were  eight  competitors  in  this  class.  The 
number  of  Orchids  was  considerably  higher,  and  the  same  may  be  said 
of  the  quality.  Mr.  J.  Cypher  was  first  for  ten  Orchids,  and  was  also 
a  successful  competitor  with  specimen  plants  which  were  splendid. 
Though  not  quite  so  numerous  as  heretofore,  Roses  were  charming. 
Messrs.  Prior  &  Sons  took  premier  honours  in  the  classes  for  seventy-two 
and  forty-eight,  while  Messrs.  W.  &  H.  Burch  secured  similar  positions 
for  thirty-six  and  twenty-four.  Mr.  J.  Mclndoe,  Guisborough,  was  first 
in  the  classes  for  collections  of  ten,  six,  and  four  distinct  kinds  of  fruits, 
staging  grand  examples  in  each  case.  Mr.  Edmonds  was  second  for  ten, 
and  Mr.  Leadbetter  second  for  six.  The  fruit  throughout  was  of  a  very 
high  order.  Thus  wires  our  representative.  We  hope  to  publish  a  full 
report  in  our  next  issue.  The  show  continues  open  over  Thursday  and 
Friday,  and  if  the  weather  prove  fine  will  be  visited  and  enjoyed  by 
many  thousands  of  persons. 
-  Streptocarpus  at  the  Drill  Hall.— In  giving  the  list  of 
awards  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  in  your  last  issue  I  am  sure 
quite  by  mistake  you  did  not  mention  the  silver  Flora  medal  awarded  to 
me  for  Streptocarpus. — E.  Beckett.  [We  remember  the  superb  plants 
staged  by  our  correspondent,  but  according  to  our  official  list  of  awards 
no  medal  was  recommended  by  the  Floral  Committee.] 
-  Mr.  W.  Lerro. — We  regret  to  announce  the  sudden  death  of 
Mr.  William  Lerro  at  Worthing,  aged  seventy-one.  The  manufacturer 
and  the  cottager  are  indebted  to  him  for  the  invaluable,  though  small, 
but  necessary  tape  measure.  In  addition  to  this  he  has  been  the 
benefactor  to  all  gardeners.  He  invented  a  material  for  nailing  Vines 
and  creepers,  which  not  only  does  not  harbour  insects,  but  is  especially 
obnoxious  to  them.  His  “  Medicated  Garden  Shreds  ”  have  deservedly 
been  patronised  from  royalty  to  the  village  gardener. 
-  Death  of  Mr.  O.  Cromwell. — It  is  with  deep  regret  that  I 
am  writing  you  of  the  recent  demise  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  second  son 
of  Mr.  Benjamin  Cromwell,  the  well-known  and  highly  respected 
gardener  to  Thomas  Sutton  Timmis,  Esq  ,  of  Cleveley,  Allerton,  Liver¬ 
pool.  The  deceased  was  well  known  as  a  promising  young  man, 
employed  in  the  Manager’s  Office,  Central  Station,  Liverpool.  He  caught  a 
chill  on  Saturday,  which  terminated  fatally  on  the  3rd  inst. ,  and  was 
interred  on  his  twenty-first  birthday. — P.  C. 
-  “  Filmy  Ferns.” — The  interesting  notes  on  these  by  “  Filice  ” 
on  page  507  brought  to  my  mind  a  magnificent  collection  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  inspecting  whilst  in  the  West  of  England  last  autumn.  At 
the  residence  of  Captain  Belfield,  Malmains,  Frenchay,  Bristol,  is  to  be 
seen  some  of  the  finest  specimens  in  the  country.  They  are  grown  in  a 
lean-to  house  with  permanent  shading,  and  the  only  visible  means  of 
obtaining  air  was  through  the  open  door  leading  from  a  large  Palm 
stove.  Under  these  conditions  they  were  remarkably  healthy,  some 
of  the  plants  being  of  immense  size,  reflecting  credit  on  the  gardener 
(Mr.  Rye),  who  is  well  known  in  that  locality  as  a  good  plant  grower. 
— S.,  YorTts. 
_  The  Scent  of  Flowers. — One  of  the  remarkable  and  often 
observed  correlations  between  the  scent  of  flowers  and  the  animals  who 
visit  them  is  the  development  of  the  floral  odour  just  at  the  time  when 
the  insects  fly.  Professor  Kerner  cites  the  example  of  certain  species  of 
Honeysuckle,  Petunia,  some  Orchids  and  other  plants  which  smell 
faintly  or  not  at  all  in  the  daytime,  but  give  off  abundant  odour 
between  sunset  and  midnight,  just  when  the  insects  fly  which  feed  on 
them.  Various  Pinks  and  Pelargoniums,  which  are  visited  by  small 
night  moths,  exhale  a  strong  odour  of  Hyacinth  at  twilight,  but  give  off 
no  scent  during  the  day.  On  the  other  hand,  many  flowers  which  are 
visited  by  bees  and  butterflies  in  the  daytime  become  scentless  at 
sunset,  like  the  ornamental  Clover,  Trifolium  resupinatum,  which  smells 
of  honey  in  the  sunshine  and  becomes  scentless  when  the  bees  return  to 
their  hives  in  the  night.  The  same  is  true  of  the  Grass  of  Parnassus, 
and  a  species  of  Daphne,  which  grows  in  the  Pyrenees  and  emits  a 
delicate  Violet  odour  during  the  day,  but  has  no  smell  whatever  after 
nightfall. — (“  Garden  and  Fcrest,”) 
