October  23,  1893. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
397 
-  Weatheb  i>r  London. — Fine,  dry  weather  has  been  again 
absent  during  the  past  week.  On  Thursday  local  showers  fell,  while 
on  Friday  and  Saturday  the  rain  fell  almost  without  cessation.  Sunday 
was  for  the  most  part  due,  and  there  was  a  frost  during  the  night ;  but 
at  nine  o’clockTon  Monday  morning  the  rain  recommenced  falling,  and 
continued  until  Tuesday  afternoon.  At  t^e  time  of  going  to  press  it  is 
dull  but  dry. 
- Gardeneks’  Koyal  Benevolent  Institdtion. — We  are 
glad  to  announce  that  Lord  Rothschild  has  undertaken  to  preside  at  the 
next  (fifty-eighth)  anniversary  festival  dinner  in  aid  of  the  funds  of 
this  Institution,  which  will  be  held  in  June,  1897,  on  a  date  to  be  selected 
by  His  Lordship.  The  Charity  has  long  enjoyed  the  patronage  of  the 
Queen,  and  as  the  month  chosen  for  the  festival  is  that  in  which  Her 
Majesty  will,  if  spared,  celebrate  the  sixtieth  year  of  her  reign,  we  trust 
that  Lord  Rothschild’s  powerful  influence  and  efforts  in  behalf  of  such 
a  worthy  cause  will  be  crowned  with  success.  The  Committee  of  the 
Sandringham  Horticultural  Society,  through  Mr.  A.  MacKellar,  has  contri¬ 
buted  the  sum  of  £5  5g.  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  this  Institution. 
-  Large  Vegetables. — I  hope  your  correspondents  “  S,  H.’’ 
and  “  P.”  do  not  suggest  that  having  huge  Potatoes  they  are  in  any  way 
meritorious.  No  doubt  a  tuber  weighing  4  lbs.  1  oz,  is  a  record  tuber,  but 
it  is  produced  at  the  expense  of  half  a  dozen  of  good  useful  cooking  size. 
Were  it  desirable  to  praise  great  size  in  Potatoes  I  could  have  boasted  of 
lifting  on  one  of  the  Surrey  trial  plots,  that  at  Dorking,  on  chalk  and 
with  a  comparatively  shallow  soil,  and  without  other  than  dressings  of 
artificial  manure,  not  only  a  wonderful  crop  of  Prime  Minister,  but 
tubers  weighing  from  IJ  lb.  to  2  lbs.  These  I  thought  would  be 
acceptable  for  the  owner  of  a  baked  Potato  can,  but  otherwise  they 
were  a  nuisance.  Big  products  of  this  description  are  when  reported 
grateful  items  of  news  to  local  papers,  but  horticulturally  they  are 
very  undesirable. — A. 
-  The  Worshipful  Company  of  Gardeners. — The  members 
of  the  Court  of  the  Worshipful  Company  of  Gardeners  with  a  few 
personal  friends  were  entertained  by  the  Master,  Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood,  at 
a  banquet  at  the  Trocadero  on  Wednesday  evening.  Among  those 
present  were  General  Sir  William  Olpherts,  Mr.  E.  F.  Fitch,  C.C. 
(Upper  Warden),  Sir  William  Farmer  (Renter  Warden),  Rev.  W.  Wilki 
(Past  Master),  Lt.-Col.  George  Lambert  (Past  Master),  and  Mr,  R. 
Gofton-Salmon  (Clerk).  The  toast  of  the  Company,  coupled  with  the 
health  of  the  Master,  was  proposed  by  Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch,  and  was 
received  with  much  enthusiasm,  as  was  also  the  health  of  the  Clerk 
proposed  by  Col.  Lambert.  A  pleasing  selection  of  music  enlivened  the 
proceedings.  At  a  Court  meeting  held  previous  to  the  banquet  it  was 
decided  to  offer  the  freedom  of  the  Company  to  the  Hon.  Alicia  Amherst 
in  recognition  of  her  work  entitled,  “The  History  of  Gardening  in 
England.” 
-  Death  of  Mr.  William  Moult.— It  is  with  much  regret 
we  record  the  death  of  Mr.  William  Moult,  late  head  gardener  to  the 
Earl  of  Ravensworth,  at  Ravensworth  Castle,  Gateshead,  Co.  Durham. 
Mr.  Monlt  was  born  at  Wollaton,  near  Nottingham,  on  February  16th, 
1819,  and  died  at  9,  Elsdon  Terrace,  Gosforth,  Newcastle,  on  the  15th 
inst.  He  served  his  apprenticeship  in  Lord  Middleton’s  gardens  at 
Wollaton  Park.  When  about  twenty-one  he  went  to  Melrose  House, 
Putney  Heath,  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Sutherland,  and  eventually 
became  head  gardener.  He  remained  till  the  property  was  sold,  and 
the  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  Hospital  for  Incurables.  He  became 
head  gardener  at  Ravensworth  in  1848,  and  remained  there  till  1883, 
when  he  retired.  He  was  one  of  the  most  respected  gardeners  in  the 
^northern  counties.  The  writer  had  the  privilege  of  contributing  an  account 
of  his  career  as  a  cultured  and  educated  horticulturist  in  the  columns 
of  this  Journal  in  1877.  Mr.  Moult  was  one  of  the  most  successful 
exhibitors  in  the  North,  and  on  November  28th,  1876,  he  received  the 
then  Mayor  of  Newcastle’s  prize  for  length  of  service  under  one 
employer,  and  general  eflSciency  as  a  practical  gardener  on  the  authority 
of  the  Committee  of  the  Durham  and  Newcastle-on-Tyne  Botanical  and 
Horticultural  Society,  His  loss  is  widely  mourned  in  the  district,  where 
he  was  so  well  known  and  highly  lespected. 
—  Royal  Horticultural  Society.— The  next  Fruit  and  Floral 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday, 
October  27th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster. 
-  September  Weather.— I  am  interested  in  the  returns  of 
rainfall  for  last  month.  One  of  your  correspondents  gives  the  Bath 
rainfall,  or  rather  that  at  Camerton,  which  is,  I  think,  about  six  miles 
from  Bath,  as  7’78.  I  hear  that  9  33  fell  at  a  place  about  sixteen  miles 
from  Bath,  beyond  Camerton.  Here,  near  Bridgnorth,  the  rainfall 
was  4’27.  Mr.  Divers’  communication  would  be  more  interesting  if  he 
mentioned  the  locality. — Salopian, — [Mr.  Divers  comes  from  Grantham, 
and  it  is  very  seldom  his  address  is  omitted.) 
-  Warning  to  Gardeners  and  Others. — A  stout  man  about 
sixty  years  of  age,  with  a  very  red  face,  named  T.  Wildbore,  is  calling  on 
all  houses  where  there  are  gardeners  and  coachmen  employed,  representing 
that  he  is  canvassing  for  book  orders  for  A.  W.  Cowan,  30,  New  Bridge 
Street,  Ludgate  Circus,  E.C.,  and  Induces  them  to  pay  some  amount  in 
advance,  and  they  hear  no  more  about  it.  This  is  to  give  notice  that 
the  man  is  not  in  my  employ,  nor  has  he  been  connected  with  me  for 
nearly  two  years.  He  gives  so-called  receipts  on  small  pieces  of  paper 
in  black  lead  pencil. — A.  W.  Cowan. 
-  The  Queen’s  New  Kitchen  Garden — Under  this  heading 
a  Society  paper  says  : — “  The  Queen  is  going  to  have  a  large  kitchen 
garden  laid  out  at  Osborne,  and  conservatories  and  forcing  houses  are 
to  be  built.  The  flower  gardens  are  to  be  extended  and  improved,  and  a 
number  of  choice  trees  and  shrubs,  sent  by  the  Empress  of  Russia,  are  to 
be  planted  in  spots  chosen  by  Princess  Beatrice.  At  present  there  are 
practically  no  gardens  at  Osborne,  and  both  there  and  at  Balmoral  all 
the  daily  supplies  of  fruit  and  vegetables  are  sent  from  the  Frognal 
Gardens,  near  Windsor.”  It  is  hoped  the  information  is  more  correct 
than  the  spelling  of  Frogmore. 
-  Batley  Paxton  Society. — At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  above 
Society,  Mr.  Hayes,  The  Gardens,  Oakroyd  Hall,  Birkenshaw,  read  a 
paper  on  “  Pot  Roses,  and  How  to  Grow  Them.”  Mr.  Atkinson  was  in 
the  chair,  and  before  calling  upon  the  essayist,  moved  the  following 
resolution,  of  which  notice  had  been  given,  “  That,  in  consideration  of 
his  long  services  to  the  Paxton  Societies  in  Yorkshire,  and  his  constant 
endeavour  to  lift  gardening  to  a  higher  level  than  it  at  present  stood, 
and  as  some  slight  return  for  services  so  freely  rendered  the  Batley 
Paxton  Society,  he  had  pleasure  in  proposing  Mr.  Thomas  W.  Garnett, 
The  Gardens,  St.  John’s,  Wakefield,  a  life  member  of  their  Society,’^ 
This  motion  was  promptly  seconded  and  carried  unanimously  amid 
applause. 
-  The  Autumn  Rains, — If  September  enjoyed  the  reputation 
of  being  the  wettest  month  of  that  name  known  for  many  years  October 
bids  fair  to  rival  it  in  its  rainfall,  for  so  far  wet  days,  and  heavy  ones 
too,  seem  to  have  predominated.  Whatsoever  may  be  the  monthly 
record,  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  entire  autumn  will  show  a 
record  rainfall.  Yet  remembering  the  comparative  drought  of  last  year, 
of  the  winter,  and  of  the  present  season  up  to  August,  can  it  be  said 
that  to  enable  Nature  to  recuperate  we  have  had  a  drop  too  much  ?  The 
most  serious  matter  is  the  possibility  that,  as  in  the  winter  of  1894-95, 
so  now  such  heavy  soil  saturation  may  lead  to  exceptional  severe 
weather.  If  that  should  be,  many  assumed  hardy  plants  may  be 
expected  to  endure  the  weather  badly. — A.  D. 
_ Winter-flowering  Zonal  Pelargoniums. — A  span-roofed 
house,  one  of  the  fine  range  recently  erected  at  Crow  Nest  Park,  Dews¬ 
bury,  is  at  present  furnished  with  a  representative  collection  of  the  above 
useful  plants  in  full  bloom,  and  bristling  with  successional  trusses  in 
bud.  The  plants  are  in  6-inch  pots,  and  are  sturdy  little  specimens, 
giving  abundant  evidence  of  fully  stored  capabilities  in  future  results 
onwards  to  the  end  of  the  year.  They  will  add  a  welcome  anji  distinctive 
feature  as  a  companion  exhibition  to  the  remarkably  fine  display  of 
Chrysanthemums  (of  which  a  note  appears  on  another  page)  now  being 
prepared  by  Mr.  Daniels,  the  capable  and  energetic  Park  Superintendent. 
The  brilliance  of  the  scarlets,  the  rich  deep  tones  of  pink  and  salmons, 
lit  up  with  a  liberal  profusion  of  pure  white,  make  a  rich  and  satisfying 
show,  well  worth  the  care  bestowed  upon  them.  The  following  twenty- 
five  were  selected  as  being  of  especial  merit : — Sir  Percival,  Beauty  of 
Kent,  Raspail  Improved,  Lord  Derby,  Birthday,  Crepuscule,  Mons. 
Bruant,  Madame  Guibert,  Lord  Mayor,  Imogen,  Mrs.  W.  Wright,  Mrs. 
French,  Goldfinder,  Jean  Mace,  Edith  George,  Lady  Edgerton,  Mary 
Clark,  Mrs.  H.  T.  Barker,  Comtesse  de  Maupas,  Queen  of  the  Beiges, 
Rev.  R.  D,  Harris,  Mrs.  Wildsmith,  Robt.  Mayse,  Gelain  Lowagea,  Sir 
Henry  Burns.— Y.  G. 
