106 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTTCULTUnE  A  NO  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  30,  1898, 
'JGaeueniku-  Appointment.  —  Mr.  Charles  Herrin  having 
resigned  the  position  of  head  gardener  to  Sylvanas  Fox,  Esq.,  Linden 
House,  Wellington,  Somerset,  has  been  succeeded  by  Mr.  Stephen 
Ackland. 
- Fruit  Jellies. — The  health  officer  of  San  Francisco  recently 
examined  eight  samples  of  fruit  jellies  bought  in  the  open  market,  and 
not  one  of  them  proved  to  be  made  of  sound  ripe  fruit.  Several  Apple 
jellies  were  coloured,  while  one  in  a  tin  contained  Turnip  pulp,  coloured 
with  analine  dye  to  represent  Strawberry  jelly. 
-  Ventnob.— A  correspondent,  daring  a  visit  to  this  delightful 
watering]  place,  seems  to  have  been  impressed  with  the  Tomatoes  he 
found  growing  in  Messrs.  H.  Drover  &  Sons’  nurseries.  The  plants,  he 
states,  “  are  grown  in  10  and  12-inch  pots  ;  foliage  grand,  no  disease ; 
fruits  six  to  eight  in  a  bunch  ;  varieties  Sutton’s  Best  of  All,  Toogood’s 
Wonderful,  and  Frogmore  Selected.  The  plants  are  fed  with  poultry 
manure,  and  soot  given  freely  after  the  fruit  is  set  and  until  colouring 
commences.  Grapes,  Peaches,  and  Nectarines,  as  well  as  plants  and 
flowers,  are  extensively  and  well  grown  to  meet  the  demands  of 
visitors.” 
— ^ —  Caenations  fbom  Kelso. — It  is  clearly  evident  from  a  box  of 
flowers  which  has  reached  us  from  Messrs.  Laing  &  Mather,  Kelso,  N.B., 
that  Carnations  can  be  admirably  grown  in  Scotland.  For  several 
years  this  firm  has  been  endeavouring  to  improve  the  quality  of  Carna¬ 
tions  and  Picotees,  and  that  success  has  crowned  their  efforts  is  proved 
by  the  specimens  now  before  us.  The  blooms  are  of  good  size,  the 
colours  clean  and  rich,  the  petals  splendid,  while  the  shape  is  in  most 
instances  excellent,  and  each  of  these  combine  in  the  perfecting  of  a 
refined  flower.  Conspicuous  amongst  the  varieties  sent  were  Duchess 
of  Fife,  soft  rose,  fragrant ;  Mrs.  Barnewell  Elliott,  salmon  pink  ; 
Oxonian,  rich  deep  crimson  ;  Paul  Engleheart,  of  the  same  hue  ;  and 
the  well-known  Ketton  Rose. 
-  Chester  Horticultural  Show.  —  The  date  for  this 
important  event  is  near  at  hand.  The  opening  meeting  will  be  the  con¬ 
ference,  to  be  held  in  the  Chester  Town  Hall,  on  the  evening  of  the 
4th  August,  1896,  at  7.30.  The  Duke  of  Westminster  is  to  preside.  Sir 
Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  is  to  speak  on  the  R.H.S. ;  the  Dean  of 
Rochester  on  garden  craft,  a  subject  peculiarly  his  own,  if  to  such  an 
eloquent  orator  any  subject  can  be  called  peculiarly  his  own  any  more 
than  another  ;  and  Mr.  F.  W.  Burbidge,  M.A.,  F.L.S.,  will  have  some¬ 
thing  to  say  anent  gardening  literature.  Surely  the  success  of  such  a 
meeting  ought  to  be  assured,  and  we  hope  every  horticulturist  who  can 
get  to  Chester  by  hook  or  by  crook  will  be  found  in  the  hall  at  the 
conference.  The  following  gentlemen  will  officiate  as  judges  : — Fruit : 
Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  Royal  Gardens,  Windsor  ;  Mr.  A.  M'Kellar,  Sand¬ 
ringham  Gardens  ;  Mr.  W.  Speed,  Penrhyn  Castle  Gardens  ;  Mr.  W. 
Crump,  Madresfield  Court  Gardens.  Groui)s  and  Plants  :  Mr.  P.  Blair, 
Trentham  Hall  Gardens  ;  Mr.  H.  E.  Gribble,  Wynyard  Park  Gardens. 
Cut  Flowers  :  Mr.  J.  Wright,  Journal  of  Horticulture  ;  Mr.  J.  Douglas, 
Great  Gearies,  Barking  Side.  Vegetables  and  Cottagers'  Groups ;  Mr. 
J.  Wallis,  Keele  Hall  Gardens;  Mr.  J.  V.  Smith,  Arley  Hall  Gardens; 
Mr.  H.  W.  Ward,  Longford  Castle  Gardens ;  Mr.  J.  Whibberley,  Oulton 
Park  Gardens, 
-  Weather  and  Crops  in  Guernsey.  —  Since  writing  you 
last  we  have  had  another  long  spell  of  dry  hot  weather,  and  as  far 
as  present  appearances  go  there  is  no  sign  of  any  immediate  change. 
The  drought  is  beginning  to  tell,  and  but  for  the  foresight  and  energy 
shown  by  our  Waterworks  Company  in  providing  additional  wells  I 
imagine  we  should  now  have  been  on  very  short  commons  indeed.  The 
hay  crop  has  been  fairly  good,  and  gathered  in  very  fine  condition. 
Cereals  look  very  well,  and  the  cutting  of  Oats  has  already  commenced. 
Roots  are,  however,  beginning  to  show  lack  of  moisture.  Flowers  come 
and  go  very  quickly,  and  Roses  have  had  a  very  short  life.  We  are 
now  in  the  midst  of  the  Tomato  season,  large  quantities  being  shipped 
daily,  one  particular  day  a  short  time  ago  totalling  21,600  packages.  So 
far  prices  have  been  fairly  remunerative,  and  have  averaged  Id.  to  IJd. 
a  pound  over  last  year,  which  means  a  considerable  sum  on  the  total 
amount  shipped.  I  notice  shanking  and  premature  ripening  in  Grapes 
in  some  places,  presumably  caused  by  the  continued  great  heat  and 
borders  getting  too  dry,  some  growers  not  being  able  to  get  sufficient 
water  for  this  purpose.  The  unremunerative  price  obtained  for  Grapes 
during  the  past  year  or  two  is  causing  not  a  few  of  our  leading  men 
to  turn  their  attention  more  to  the  production  of  Melons,  which  have 
been  found  to  pay  handsomely.  Outdoor  Pigs  are  cropping  very  well, 
the  season  suiting  them  well.— X. 
-  Yellow  Thrips.— Referring  to  "R.  M.’s”  Inquiry  (page  88) 
I  may  say  that  these  pests  can  be  exterminated  by  using  the  pure 
infusion  of  Tobacco  leaves,  and  working  the  liquid  down  into  the  points 
of  Chrysanthemum  shoots  with  a  fowl’s  wing  feather.  This  operation 
is  best  performed  in  evening,  after  the  plants  have  been  syringed. — 
One  Who  Has  Done  It. 
-  The  Drought. — The  continuance  of  the  drought  is  becoming 
a  serious  matter  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  We  are  reminded  how 
such  difficulties  have  been  met  in  other  years  of  drought  by  the  enter¬ 
prising  London  firm  of  Merryweather  &  Sons,  who  hold  themselves 
in  readiness  to  send  plant  down  for  improving  the  supply  from  wells, 
and  also  temporary  pumping  arrangements  for  raising  water  from 
streams. 
-  The  Onion  Stem  Eelworm  (Tyleuchas  devastatrix)  is  causing 
much  trouble  to  Leicestershire  growers,  and  also  in  other  parts  of 
the  Midlands.  This  pest  does  not,  unfortunately,  confine  its  attention 
to  Onions,  for  it  is  even  more  prevalent  among  Clover,  and  also  produces 
the  Oat  trouble  known  as  “segging.”  The  presence  of  the  pest  in 
Onions  is  noticeable  from  the  shortening  and  inflation  of  the  central 
leaves,  and  nothing  remains  to  be  done  when  the  attack  is  discovered 
but  t  >  pull  up  all  infested  plants  and  burn  them  at  once.  The  succeeding 
crop  should  be  neither  Clover  nor  Oats,  but  some  crop  not  liable  to 
eelworm  attack. 
-  Lemons  for  Health, — The  Lemon  is  a  great  aid  to  health, 
says  the  “New  York  Fruitman’s  Guide.”  The  juice  of  a  Lemon 
squeezed  into  a  large  breakfast  cup  of  water,  drunk  without  any  sugar, 
and  immediately  upon  rising  and  as  hot  as  can  be  borne,  is  the  most 
admirable  tonic  and  alterative.  No  one  should  form  the  habit  of 
taking  even  the  mildest  alterative  ;  but  if  the  head  feels  heavy  and 
dull,  or  one  is  conscious  of  langour  and  discomfort  upon  rising,  this 
Lemon  draught  is  one  of  the  best  remedies.  Like  all  such  “  remedies  ” 
and  “  uses  ”  for  one  thing  and  another,  this  use  of  Lemons  depends  for 
good  results  entirely  upon  the  condition  of  the  system,  and  our  readers 
must  learn  to  discriminate  between  a  general  recommendation  like  this 
one  of  “  Lemons  for  Health  ”  and  a  specific  prescription  given  by  an 
intelligent  physician. 
-  Death  op  Mr.  John  Ewing. — A  Sheffield  contemporary 
says,  “  Many  habitues  of  the  Botanical  Gardens  in  the  old  days  will  hear 
with  regret  of  the  death  of  Mr.  John  Ewing,  a  gentleman  who  for  more 
than  thirty  years  occupied  the  responsible  post  of  curator  there.  Mr. 
Ewing  was  a  nat.ve  of  Fife,  and  before  he  came  to  Sheffield  held  a  very 
good  position  at  Kew  Gardens.  He  was  well  known  among  the  leading 
horticulturists  and  nurserymen  of  the  country,  and  in  his  later  days 
loved  to  talk  of  the  great  people  with  whom  he  was  acquainted.  When 
the  late  Emperor  of  Brazil  visited  Sheffield  he  called  upon  old  Mr.  Ewing 
at  six  in  the  morning,  and  the  two  paraded  the  pleasant  grounds  arm  in 
arm,  discoursing  botanical  subjects.  Mr.  Ewing  died  from  sheer  old  age, 
after  a  life  well  spent.  A  few  years  ago  he  retired,  with  the  promise  of 
a  pension  from  the  authorities  at  the  Botanical  Gardens.  It  was, 
unfortunately,  discovered  after  his  retirement  that  the  payment  of  the 
pension  money  was  illegal,  and  this  somewhat  embittered  the  good  old 
man’s  last  days,  Mr.  Ewing,  who  was  eighty-three  years  old,  leaves  a 
son  and  two  daughters.” 
-  Viola  Conference. — A  conference  meeting  will  be  held  in 
the  Museum,  Royal  Botanic  Society’s  Gardens,  Regent’s  Park,  on  Satur¬ 
day,  August  8th,  1896.  Programme:  Twelve  o’clock  (noon) — Intro¬ 
ductory  address  by  the  Chairman,  Mr.  A.  J.  Rowberry.  Report  of 
special  Committee  re  trial  of  Violas,  Mr.  R.  Dean.  Paper  by  Dr.  Veit  B. 
Wittrock,  Director  of  the  Botanic  Gardensi  Bergisland,  near  Stockholm, 
“  Violas  for  Bedding  Purposes,  with  Special  Reference  to  their  Adapt¬ 
ability  for  Association  with  other  Plants.”  Papers  by  Mr.  C.  Jordan, 
Superintendent,  Regent’s  Park,  N.W.,  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Moorman,  Super¬ 
intendent,  Victoria  Park,  N.E.  “Violas  for  Exhibition,  with  Special 
Reference  to  the  Newer  Varieties,”  papers  by  Mr.  H.  A.  Needs  and  Mr. 
W.  Baxter.  “  Viola  Sports,”  paper  by  Mr.  J.  D.  Stuart,  Belfast.  Report 
of  judges  of  seedliugg  submitted  to  the  Conference.  Note. — It  is  parti¬ 
cularly  requested  that  new  varieties  be  sent  for  consideration.  A  spray 
or  bunch  of  not  less  than  six  blooms  of  any  new  variety  to  be  staged. 
All  new  varieties  must  be  staged  for  inspection  by  eleven  o’clock,  so 
that  they  may  be  judged  when  quite  fresh.  Any  blooms  sent  by  post 
must  reach  the  Royal  Botanic  Gardens  on  the  morning  of  August  8th, 
addressed  to  Mr.  J.  B.  Sowerhy,  Royal  Botanic  Gardens,  Regent’s 
Park,  London,  N.W. 
