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JOURNAL  OF  EOUTtCrjLTtJUE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  9,  1898. 
-  Gladiolus  Koningin  Wilhelmina,— Messrs.  E.  H. 
Krelage  &  Son  write : — "  We  have  pleasure  in  forwarding  you  some 
flowers  of  our  new  Gladiolus  “  Koningin  Wilhelmina,”  an  early  free 
flowering  variety,  which  is  well  adapted  for  cutting.  This  novelty 
obtained  a  first-class  certificate  by  the  Royal  Netherlands  Horticultural 
and  Botanic  Society.  The  name  was  given  with  consent  of  H.M.  the 
Queen  Regent  of  the  Netherlands.”  [The  flowers  are  of  a  charming 
shade,  being  rose  with  a  deeper  blotch.] 
- -  Diosptros  ViEGlxiAitA.  —  It  may  be  interesting  to  remark 
that  of  this  species  of  Date  Plum  or  Persimmon,  according  to  a  statement 
in  Loudon’s  “  Gardeners’  Magazine,”  there  was  growing  in  Bartram’s 
Botanic  Gardens,  Philadelphia,  a  specimen  80  feet  high,  “  and  bore  a 
fine  crop  of  ripe  fruit,  which  tasted  pretty  well.”  According  to  the 
foregoing  height  of  the  tree  it  would  seem  abnormal ,  as  compared  to 
that  of  only  20  feet,  the  height  giyen  in  onr  own  catalogues  and 
botanical  dictionaries.  It  further  remarks  that  the  Americans  distil  an 
excellent  brandy  from  this  fruit. — Q. 
-  Gaedenees  and  the  Burns  Centenary.  —  From  a  local 
newspaper  it  appears  that  instead  of  the  gardeners  walking  in  a  body 
in  the  Burns  Centenary  celebration  procession  at  Dumfries,  on  2l8t  July, 
they  have  resolved  each  to  make  a  floral  device  or  emblem  to  be  carried 
in  the  procession.  It  is  also  announced  that  any  gardener  choosing  a 
device  can  have  a  wire  frame  for  the  same  mounted  on  a  pole,  by 
applying  to  Mr.  T.  K.  Newbigging  of  the  well-known  firm  of  Messrs. 
T.  Kennedy  &  Co.,  Dumfries.  The  executive  Committee  of  the  Cen¬ 
tenary  celebration  are  much  gratified  at  the  form  in  which  the 
gardeners’  assistance  will  be  shown. — A. 
-  JUNE  Weather  at  Deipfi eld.— Mean  temperature  at  9  a.m. 
(corrected),  d2  09° ;  wet  bulb,  67  13°;  mean  maximum,  ()8'2y°;  mean 
minimum,  49  67°  ;  highest,  79'6°,  on  the  16th;  lowest,  36  8,  on  the  Ist ; 
mean  of  maxima  and  minima,  58  98°  ;  mean  radiation  temperature  on 
grass,  44  05°;  lowest,  29-0°,  on  the  Ist,  Rainfall,  2  09  inches;  number 
of  rainy  days,  fifteen  ;  greatest  amount  on  one  day,  0'79,  on  the  4th. — 
Wj  E.  Lovel,  Observer,  York  Road,  Driffield. 
- June  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory,  Worksop.  —  Mean 
temperature,  61*1°  ;  mean  daily  range,  20  9°.  Maximum  in  the  screen, 
831°  on  the  16th  ;  minimum  in  the  screen,  41‘1°  on  the  2nd  ;  minimum 
on  the  grass,  30  2°  on  the  22nd.  Sunshine  178  hours,  or  36  per  cent,  of 
the  possible  duration.  Rainfall,  4  22  inches ;  rain  fell  on  thirteen 
days;  maximum  fall,  2  07  inches  on  the  4th.  The  warmest  June  for 
at  least  twenty  years,  and  the  rainfall  the  largest  in  the  same  period. 
MallendEb. 
■= —  Sussex  Rainfall, — The  total  rainfall  for  June  at  Abbots 
Leigh,  Haywards  Heath,  Sussex,  was  2  35  inches,  being  0  55  inch  above 
the  average.  The  heaviest  fall  was  0‘85  inch  on  the  10th.  Rain  fell  on 
thirteen  days.  Total  for  the  six  months  6  62  inches,  which  is  5-55  inches 
below  the  average.  The  maximum  temperature  was  82°  on  the  15th  and 
iBth  ;  minimum  39°  on  the  Ist.  Mean  maximum,  73  28°  ;  mean 
minimum,  50  03°  ;  mean  temperature,  61-65°  ;  2  04°  above  the  average. 
Weather  cooler  and  less  trying  on  vegetation,  but  more  rain  is  much 
Wanted. — R.  1. 
-= —  Weather  at  Dowlais.— The  following  is  a  summary  of  the 
Weather  here  for  the  past  month  : — Rainfall ;  Total  amount,  3  04  inches ; 
greatest  daily  fall,  0  53  on  the  9th  ;  rain  fell  on  fourteen  days.  Sun¬ 
shine,  159  hours  ;  there  was  only  one  sunless  day.  The  wind  was  in  the 
N.  and  N.W.  for  twenty  days,  and  blowing  very  strong  and  rough 
most  of  the  time.  The  totals  for  the  half-year  are — Rain,  13-34  inches, 
and  sunshine  729^  hours,  as  against  819  hours  25  minutes  of  sunshine, 
and  rain  17  61  inches  for  the  corresponding  period  of  1895, — 
W.  MaBBott,  Dowlais, 
-  The  Weather  Last  Month,  —  June  was  a  changeable 
tnonth,  with  much  thunder.  The  temperature  was  much  above  the 
average,  and  rainfall  slightly  more  than  the  average.  The  wind-  was  in 
a  northerly  direction  thirteen  days.  Total  rainfall,  2  51  inches,  which 
fell  on  sixteen  days,  the  greatest  daily  fall  being  0  36  inch  on  the 
4th.  Barometer. — Highest  reading,  30-024  on  the  19th  at  9  p.m.  ;  lowest, 
29  336  on  the  7th  at  9  p.m.  Thermometers. — Highest  in  the  shade,  86° 
on  the  16th  ;  lowest,  46°  on  the  26th  and  29th  ;  mean  of  daily  maxima, 
71  96°  :  mean  of  daily  minima,  51  63°  ;  mean  temperature  of  the  month, 
61-79°  ;  lowest  on  the  grass,  41°  ou  the  26th  and  29th  ;  highest  in  the 
sun,  145°  on  the  16th  ;  mean  of  the  earth  at  3  feet,  67  40°.  Total  sun¬ 
shine,  212  hours  30  minutes.  There  was  one  sunless  day, — W.  H, 
Divers,  Belvoir  Castle  Gardens,  Grantham, 
-  Gysinogramma  schizopuyli.a  plumosa,— Amongst  tbe 
many  grand  examples  of  cultivation  in  the  plant  houses  at  Qlamis 
Castle  are  some  grand  specimens  of  the  above.  They  are  elevated  on 
large  pots,  having  as  many  as  fifty  fine  fronds  considerably  over  2J  feet 
long  hanging  gracefully.  Such  plants  are  admirable  for  basket  work, 
for  which  purpose  their  elegant  habit  renders  them  most  fitting.— R. 
-  Steeptocaepus  Hybrids. — These  are  charming  decorative 
plants,  and  I  came  across  the  best  grown  examples  I  ever  saw  at  Rossie, 
near  Perth.  They  are  growing  in  5-inch  pots,  many  having  upwards 
of  fifty  spikes  of  flowers  ;  they  last  a  very  long  time,  and  are  grand 
plants  for  conservatory  work,  they  vary  in  colour  from  pure  white  to 
deep  blue  purple  and  striped.  The  strain  is  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons’, 
and  they  are  simply  perfection. — RusTlcua. 
-  New  York  Botanical  Garden. — The  Board  of  Managers 
of  the  New  York  Botanical  Garden  has  issued  the  first  number  of  a 
“  Bulletin,”  containing  the  Act  of  Incorporation,  and  a  map  of  the  site 
for  the  Garden  granted  by  the  Commissioners  of  Public  Parks.  By 
agreement  with  the  Trustees  of  Columbia  College,  the  botanical  library 
and  herbarium  belonging  to  that  Institution  will  be  deposited  in  the 
Botanical  Garden.  The  endowment  fund  of  250,000  dollars  required  by 
the  Act  of  Incorporation  has  now  been  fully  subscribed.  The  President 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  is  Mr.  Cornelius  Vanderbilt ;  the  Secretary, 
Prof.  N.  L.  Britton. — (“  Nature.”) 
-  Wakefield  Paxton  Society. — At  the  weekly  meeting  of  the 
members  of  the  above  Society,  held  on  Saturday,  the  25th  ult.,  Mr.  B. 
Whiteley  presided,  and  Mr.  J.  Swire  occupied  the  vice-chair.  The 
essayist  was  Mr.  Allinson,  head  gardener  to  Mr.  Edward  Simpson,  J.P., 
of  Walton  Hall,  who  read  an  exceedingly  interesting,  seasonable,  and 
thoroughly  practical  paper  on  “  The  Strawberry.”  The  essayist  clearly 
and  fully  explained  how  to  grow  this  favourite  fruit,  mentioned  many 
of  the  best  varieties,  and  told  his  fellow  gardeners  how  to  get  rid  of  the 
pests  which  infest  Strawberries.  An  interesting  discussion  on  the  paper 
followed,  and  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  the  essayist. 
• 
— —  CUPHEA8. — Amidst  all  the  various  plants  used  for  summer 
bedding,  or  for  pot  or  box  culture  in  windows  now,  Cupheas  are  rarely 
seen.  There  are  two  or  three  varieties  in  cultivation,  the  best  being  the 
old  bushy  form  platycentra.  It  was  almost  a  surprise  the  other  day  to 
find  plants  of  this  pretty  variety  in  a  cottage  front  garden ,  and  bloom¬ 
ing  very  profusely.  The  flowers  are  tubular,  about  an  inch  in  length, 
and  bright  scarlet  tipped  with  white.  Altogether  the  plant  is  as  pleas¬ 
ing  in  its  combination  of  flower  and  foliage  as  can  well  be  desired.  It 
is  charming  without  being  garish.  When  summer  bedding  first  came 
into  existence  Cuphea  platycentra  was  largely  used,  now  it  is  rarely 
seen  ;  yet  plants  will  stand  a  long  time  if  lifted  from  the  beds,  potted, 
and  kept  in  gentle  warmth  during  the  winter,  as  they  are  evergreen. 
They  can  also  be  easily  propagated  by  means  of  cuttings,  both  in  spring 
and  autumn.  Being  dwarf  and  bushy  they  are  pretty  in  a  mass  or  as 
edgings,  or  for  pots  or  vases. — D. 
-  Marantas. — Among  plants  grown  for  the  beauty  of  their 
foliage  alone  there  are  few  that  better  repay  good  culture  than  Marantas. 
The  majority  of  the  beautiful  species  and  varieties  now  in  cultiva¬ 
tion  are  of  easy  and  rapid  growth,  and  may  soon  be  grown  into  large 
specimens.  The  plants  delight  in  an  abundance  of  heat  accompanied 
with  plenty  of  atmospheric  moisture,  and  a  position  between  larger 
occupants  of  the  stove  suits  them  admirably,  as  it  is  essential  to  the  well¬ 
being  of  the  plants  that  they  be  kept  well  shaded.  The  soil  most 
suitable  consists  of  fibrous  peat  and  loam  in  equal  proportions,  with  an 
addition  of  silver  sand,  charcoal  and  bonemeal,  the  whole  to  be  used  as 
lumpy  as  possible.  The  pots  in  which  it  is  intended  they  be  grown 
should  be  clean  and  well  drained,  placing  a  few  pieces  of  charcoal  over 
the  crocks  and  then  a  good  layer  of  sphagnum  moss.  During  the 
growing  season  abundance  of  water  is  required,  and  when  the  plants 
become  well  established  in  the  new  soil  they  will  be  benefited  by 
frequent  applications  of  liquid  manure.  These  plants  are  readily 
increased  by  division  of  the  crowns.  It  is  necessary  to  sponge  the 
foliage  occasionally  with  weak  softsoap  and  water,  which  enhance  their 
beauty  and  insure  cleanliness.  I  shall  not  occupy  space  with  a  long 
list  of  varieties,  but  I  would  make  special  mention  of  the  following  as 
being  some  of  the  best.  To  those  who  have  only  limited  space  at  their 
command  a  selection  should  be  made  of  the  dwarf  growing  kinds,  as 
M.  Massangeana,  Makoyana,  Veitchi,  fasciata,  illustris,  rosea  picta, 
undulata  and  regalis.  Where  more  space  is  at  the  grower’s  disposal, 
other  and  stronger  kinds  should  be  added,  such  as  zebrina,  Warscewiczl, 
Lindeniana,  lutea  and  medio  picta. — H.  T.  M. 
