September  24,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
299 
Events  of  the  Week. — Though  there  is  only  one  event  of  horti* 
cultural  interest  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Metropolis  during  the 
coming  weeh,  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  being  the  fruit  show  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  at  the  Crystal  Palace.  The  exhibition 
opens  on  Thursday,  October  Ist,  and  continues  over  Friday  and 
Saturday. 
-  Weather  in  London. — Though  we  have  not  to  record  a  week 
of  constant  rain,  the  days  have,  as  a  whole,  been  very  wet.  Sunday 
was  brilliantly  fine,  as  was  Monday  until  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon, 
when  the. rain  commenced  to  fall,  and  continued  almost  without  cei-sation 
until  midday  on  Tuesday.  Wednesday  opened  windy  but  fine. 
-  The  Scarlet  “Geranium”  and  Mr,  Grant  Allen. — 
Differing  from  “  Ignoramus”  on  page  275,  permit  me  to  thank  you  for 
the  charming  article  by  Grant  Allen  on  page  243.  It  is  just  such  writing 
as  a  man  can  enjoy  after  a  hard  day’s  work  in  the  garden.  To  most  of 
us  it  will  be  an  incentive  to  continue  our  study  of  botany,  which  too 
often  baa  to  give  way  to  the  more  exacting  necessities  of  our  daily  life. — 
•CoLviLE  Browne. 
-  Wellingtonias.  —  The  trees  spoken  of  by  “Wanderer” 
'.(page  276)  at  Strathfieldsaye  and  Basing  Park  must  be  amongst  the 
finest  in  the  Old  World.  In  running  the  tape  round  the  trunks  of  a 
few  of  the  Wellingtonias  here  I  find  the  girth  at  3  feet  from  the  ground 
to  be  12  feet  6  inches,  and  close  to  the  ground  17  feet  6  inches.  The 
measurement  of  the  Strathfieldsaye  specimen  of  17  feet  at  3  feet  from 
the  ground  is  the  best  I  have  seen  recorded.  It  has  certainly  found  a 
congenial  soil  and  atmosphere. — A.  Harding,  Orton. 
-  Cooper's  Black  Grape  Once  More. — I  take  the  liberty  of 
sending  you  a  bunch  of  Cooper’s  Black  Grape.  It  is  not  as  ripe  as  I 
would  wish,  but  perhaps  it  will  suit  the  purpose  you  have  in  view,  and 
help  yon  to  settle  once  for  all  v/bether  it  is  same  as  Gros  Maroc. — 
Wm.  Thompson,  Harristoicn  Gardens.  [We  were  long  ago  driven  to 
the  conclusion  that  Cooper’s  Black  and  Gros  Maroc,  or  at  least  that 
Orapes  grown  under  those  names,  are  too  much  alike  for  exhibiting  in 
the  same  stand  of  distinct  varieties.  This  was  the  result  of  not  an 
examination  of  one  or  two  bunches,  but  fifty,  from  various  parts  of  the 
country.  The  berries  before  us  are  a  little  rounder  than  the  majority 
of  Gros  Marocs,  and  resemble  some  we  have  seen  at  Clovenfords,  but  all 
the  same,  we  have  had  undoubted  Gros  Marocs  as  round  as  these,  with 
others  having  somewhat  differently  shaped  berries  cut  from  the  same 
'Vine.] 
-  Market  Gardeners’  Measures. — A  curious  case  recently 
came  up  for  judgment  at  the  Brentford  Police  Court,  and  the  decision  of 
the  Court  has  a  wide  bearing  upon  the  customs  that  prevail  at  fruit  and 
vegetable  markets.  The  Inspector  under  the  Food  and  Drugs  Act 
charged  a  market  gardener  at  Brentford  Market  with  having  in  his 
possession  an  unstamped  measure,  whereas  the  Act  provides  that  all 
“measures  of  capacity  shall  be  stamped.”  It  was  not  contended  that 
every  basket  used  'oy  market  gardeners  should  be  stamped,  but  that 
every  salesman  should  have  at  least  one  standard  and  stamped  measure 
in  his  possession.  In  the  present  case  a  man  asked  defendant  for  a 
“  bushel  of  Peas.”  He  was  allowed  to  take  his  choice  of  a  number  of 
baskets  filled  with  Peas,  and  for  one  of  these  he  paid  23.  He  purchased 
it  on  the  understanding  that  it  was  a  bushel  of  Peas,  but  did  not  ask  for 
it  to  be  measured,  nor  was  he  dissatisfied  in  any  way.  The  basket  was 
unstamped,  and  when  this  fact  was  pointed  out  to  the  defendant’s  sales¬ 
man  he  replied  there  was  no  necessity  to  stamp  it.  The  Inspector  then 
told  the  manager  to  get  the  measure  stamped,  but  as  no  action  was 
taken  the  present  summons  was  issued.  The  prosecution  offered  to 
withdraw  the  summons  if  the  defendant  would  promise  to  keep  a 
stamped  bushel  measure  in  his  possession.  Mr.  Biron,  for  the  defence, 
contended  that  the  basket  was  not  a  measure  within  the  meaning  of  the 
-Act,  but  was  simply  a  basket,  generally  known  as  a  “  sieve  ”  or  “  bushel.” 
The  Bench  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  the  basket  in  the  present 
instance  was  a  measure,  and  therefore,  should  have  been  stamped. 
Defendant  was  fined  203.  and  £3  lOs.  costs.  The  Bench  expressed  its 
'Willingness  to  grant  a  case. 
j  -  Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  Thomas  Batchelor,  under 
gardener  at  Berkswell  Hall,  near  Coventry,  has  been  appointed  head 
gardener  to  W.  B.  Mapplebeck,  Esq.,  Mercote  Hall,  Hampton-in- Arden. 
-  Mr.  W.  K.  Woodcock. — We  are  informed  that  Mr,  Woodcock 
has  taken  on  lease  the  Victoria  Nurseries,  West  Humberstone,  Leicester, 
which  have  been  for  the  past  fifteen  years  occupied  by  Mr.  John 
Mawley,  and  contain  about  1400  feet  run  of  glass  houses  mainly  devoted 
to  flower  culture. 
-  Edinburgh  Show. — It  was  stated  in  your  report  of  Edin¬ 
burgh  show  that  Messrs.  D.  &  W.  Buchanan  were  first  for  the  six 
bunches  of  Grapes.  This  is  not  correct.  The  varieties  of  Grapes 
mentioned  were  placed  first,  but  they  were  shown  by  John  Leslie,  The 
Gardens,  Pitcullen  House,  Perth.  Messrs.  D.  &  W.  Buchanan  were 
placed  second,  their  varieties  being  Alicante,  Alnwick  Seedling,  and 
Gros  Maroc. — J.  L 
-  Shirley  Garde.vers’  Association. — The  monthly  meeting 
was  held  at  the  Parish  Room,  Shirley,  Southampton,  on  Monday  the 
2l8t  inst.,  when  Mr.  B.  Ladhams,  F.R.H.S.,  presided.  Mr.  T.  Lowns, 
Hon.  Sec.  Winchester  G.M  I.  Association,  gave  a  very  practical  discourse 
on  the  “  Cultivation  of  Root  Crops  in  Gardens,”  restricting  his  remarks 
to  the  Potato,  Carrot,  Beetroot,  and  Onion,  giving  valuable  hints 
on  their  cultivation  and  the  choice  of  different  varieties  to  suit  various 
soils. 
-  Desmodium  penduliflorum. — This  pretty  Japanese  shrub 
is  just  coming  into  flower  here.  Its  long  gracefully  arching  shoots 
bearing  Pea-shaped  flowers  of  violet  purple  look  very  pretty  at  this 
season  of  the  year.  We  have  it  planned  in  a  narrow  border  and  trained 
against  a  wall  facing  south-east,  where  it  grows  strongly  and  flowers 
every  year.  In  spring  it  gets  a  hard  pruning,  which  induces  it  to  send 
out  strong  shoots.  The  sandy  well  drained  soil  in  which  it  is  growing 
seems  to  suit  it  well.  Lovers  of  hardy  shrubs  ought  to  give  this 
Japanese  plant  a  trial. — D.  S.  Melville,  Poltalloch  Gardens,  N.B. 
-  Blue  Hydrangeas. — In  the  pleasure  grounds  at  Singleton 
Abbey,  near  Swansea,  are  to  be  seen  bushes  of  Hydrangeas  nearly  6  feet 
in  height,  with  foliage  sweeping  the  ground,  completely  covered  with 
huge  heads  of  deep  blue  flowers.  Where  the  plant  produces  blue  flower 
heads  in  the  natural  soil  it  is  generally  inclined  to  be  retentive,  and 
ironstone  is  usually  to  be  found  in  the  neighbourhood.  Such,  I  believe, 
is  the  case  at  Singleton.  Another  noteworthy  shrub  was  Rhododendron 
Falconer!,  fully  25  feet  high,  and  foliage  of  the  best,  which  must  indeed 
be  a  grand  sight  in  February,  and  worth  while  going  many  miles  to, see 
when  in  flower. — Visitor. 
-  Wakefield  Paxton  Society. — The  subject  for  discussion  at 
the  ordinary  weekly  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  Paxton  Society,  on 
Saturday  evening,  September  12th,  was  “  The  Dahlia.”  Notwithstanding 
the  very  unfavourable  weather  which  has  prevailed  for  some  weeks  there 
was  a  large  and  beautiful  display  of  Dahlias  of  every  variety — Show  and 
Fancy,  double  and  single  blooms,  Pompons,  Cactus,  and  they  were  well 
staged  and  much  admired  by  a  good  attendance  of  professional  and 
amateur  gardeners  and  others.  Mr.  B.  Whiteley  presided,  and  Lieutenant 
Goodyear  occupied  the  vice- chair.  Mr.  George  Hudson,  head  gardener 
at  Woolley  Park,  was  the  essayist,  and  he  read  a  brief,  interesting,  and 
practical  paper,  which  was  attentively  listened  to  and  much  appreciated. 
Mr.  Hudson  said  the  Dahlia  is  of  easy  culture  in  good  hands,  and  is  in¬ 
valuable  in  the  autumn  for  many  purposes,  especially  for  church  decora¬ 
tions,  After  referring  to  the  origin  and  introduction  of  the  Dahlia  into 
England,  he  remarked  that  he  scarcely  knew  any  flower  which  has  been 
JO  much  improved  as  the  Dahlia.  In  describing  the  mode  of  raising 
plants  from  seed,  he  said  the  seed  should  be  sown  in  a  good  temperature 
in  February,  potted  on  in  good  loam,  leaf  mould,  and  fine  sand  until 
April,  and  then  gradually  hardened  off  prior  to  being  bedded  out.  The 
treatment  of  tubers  was  also  fully  dealt  with,  and  Mr.  Hudson  recom¬ 
mended  that  before  plants  were  bedded  out  their  quarters  should  be 
well  trenched  and  manured.  The  plants  should  be  placed  4  feet  apart, 
well  stacked  to  prevent  damage  by  wind,  and  an  inverted  plant  pot  with 
a  little  moss  or  cotton  wool  inside  should  be  placed  on  the  top  of  each 
stake  to  catch  earwigs,  or  beanstalks  should  be  placed  near  the  plants; 
The  ground  should  be  well  mulched,  and  before  the  blooming  period 
liquid  manure  ought  to  be  given  occasionally.  Mr.  Hudson  gave  many 
other  cultural  directions  to  intending  Dahlia  growers,  and  recommended 
the  Pompon  Dahlias  as  the  most  profuse  bloomers  and  the  most  useful 
for  cutting.  An  interesting  discussion  took  place,  and  a  number  of 
questions  were  put  to  the  essayist  and  answered  by  him. 
