486 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Ko  member  19,  1986. 
-e-.‘ 
[MiTUiUOA 
Weathee  in  London.  —  From  last  Wednesday  until  Saturday 
the  atmosphere  was  dry,  frosty,  and  seasonable.  On  the  latter  day 
however,  there  was  a  change,  bringing  rain,  until  Sunday  night,  since 
when,  though  dry,  it  has  been  dull  and  warm. 
-  Royal  Hokticdltdral  Society. — The  next  Fruit  and  Floral 
nnetinc  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday, 
>'ovemb’ir  21'-b.  m  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Victoria  Street,  West¬ 
minster,  1  to  4  P  ii.  j4t  3  o’clock  a  Floral  Demonstration  will  be  given 
by  the  Rev.  Prof.  Henslow,  M.A. 
-  Horticultural  Club,  —  The  usual  monthly  dinner  and 
conversazione  took  p^ace  on  Tuesday  last  week.  Owing  to  the  number  of 
Chrysanthemum  shows  going  on,  in  which  so  many  of  the  members  were 
interested,  the  meeting  was  comparatively  a  small  one,  which  was  the 
more  to  be  regretted  because  a  very  interesting  paper  was  read  by  Mr. 
Charles  B.  Pearson  of  Chilwell,  Nottingham,  on  New  Chrysanthemums 
(see  page  488).  A  discussion  took  place  afterwards,  in  which  most  of 
the  members  joined,  and  a  vote  of  thanks  was  unanimously  accorded  to 
Mr.  Pearson  for  his  excellent  paper. 
-  To  Mature  Unripe  Tomatoes  — According  to  M.  Chemin  in 
the  “Annals  of  the  Horticultural  Society  of  the  Department  of  Haute- 
Marne,”  the  following  simple  expedient  suffices  to  ripen  off  a  crop  of 
Tomatoes.  If  the  weather  has  been  unfavourable  for  ripening  of  the 
fruit  the  plants  should  be  pulled  up  when  most  of  the  fruits  have 
reached  full  size,  and  laid  horizontally  on  a  layer  of  clean  straw  in  a 
sunny  place,  and  without  any  further  trouble  the  fruits  become  com¬ 
pletely  ripe,  and  retain  their  peculiar  fine  davour.  In  this  country  we 
do  much  the  same  kind  of  thing,  with  the  difference  that  the  plants  are 
put  under  some  kind  of  glass  protection. 
-  Tunbridge  Wells. — This  show,  held  on  November  11th  and 
12th,  was  beyond  the  average  as  regards  fruit  and  cut  flowers,  but  plants, 
if  we  except  Mr.  J.  Smooker’s  grand  set  of  eight,  were  not  quite  so  good. 
The  best  group  of  Chrysanthemums  came  from  Mr.  J.  Smooker,  gardener 
to  Mrs.  Hall,  Broadwater  Down,  and  the  best  miscellaneous  group,  a 
good  arrangement,  from  Mr.  J,  Howes,  gardener  to  W.  Cobb,  Esq., 
Broadwater  Down,  who  was  also  well  in  front  in  a  strong  class  for  cut 
Chrysanthemums,  arranged  upon  a  table  of  other  subjects.  For  twenty- 
four  cut  blooms,  incurved,  Mr.  J.  Howes  led  with  grand  flowers, 
thoroughly  well  finished.  Mr.  Howes  also  led  for  twelve  incurved  and 
for  six  incurved  ;  while  Mr.  J,  Snow,  The  Gardens,  Wadhurst  Park,  won 
for  twenty-four  Japanese  in  grand  form,  and  for  twelve  ditto,  Mr.  J. 
Howes  following.  Mr.  J.  Moss,  Hatfield,  won  for  six  Japanese,  distinct, 
and  for  six  of  any  one  variety,  followed  by  Mr.  J.  Snow  in  each  case. 
-  Gardening  lAPPOiNTM  ENTS — Mr.  William  •  Lintott,  for  the 
last  twelve  years  head  gardener  to  A.  J.  Macdonald,  Esq.,  of  Milland 
Place,  Liphook,  Hants,  has  betn  appointed  ho^ad  gardener  to  Walpole 
Green  well,  Esq.,  Marden  Park,  Caterham  Valley.  Mr.  H.  Mitchell  has 
been  appointed  head  gardener  to  H.  B.  Cory,  Esq.,  Druidstone,  near 
Cardiff, 
- Seeds  for  India.— We  learn  that  the  Secretary  of  State  for 
India  has  shipped  soma  thousands  of  sacks  of  vegetable  seeds  snitable 
for  growing  in  the  districts  of  Northern  India  that  are  threatened  with 
scarcity.  The  selection,  packing,  and  shipping  were  accomplished  by 
Messrs.  J.  Carter  &  Co.,  the  Queen’s  seedsmen,  London,  in  the  short 
space  of  nine  days. 
-  Clerodbndeon  fallax. — As  a  showy  autumn  flowariog 
stove  plant  this  has  few  rivals.  It  belongs  to  the  shrubby  species  of 
Clerodendron,  and  is  a  native  of  Java.  The  huge  clusters  of  brilliant 
scarlet  flowers,  being  thrown  well  up  above  the  dark  green  handsome 
foliage,  produce  an  effect  obtainable  by  few  other  plants.  This  Clero¬ 
dendron  should  be  grown  largely  for  grouping  and  general  decorative 
purposes.  Never  have  I  seen  it  utilised  with  such  good  effect  as  at  the 
recent  Watford  Chrysanthemum  Show,  held  on  October  27th.  Lord 
Clarendon’s  large  group,  containing  about  thirty  well  grown  plants  of 
C.  fallax,  which  were  most  effectively  arranged,  and  reflected  great  credit 
on  the  cultivator. — H.  T.  M. 
-  “  Awful,’’  Applied  to  Hoeticulturf.. — We  have  lately 
enjoyed  some  “  awfully  ”  interesting  notes  from  “  The  Scribe.”  It  sets 
one  thinking  of  what  one  hears  of  the  various  ways  this  word  is  used. 
Awfully  pretty,  awfully  nice,  awfully  grand  are  not  unfrequently  heard 
at  the  sight  of  some  beautiful  flowers  or  fruits  at  a  show.  But  the  most 
“  awful  ”  calamity  I  experienced  in  the  horticnltural  line  this  season 
were  the  gales  in  September,  before  the  bulk  of  the  Apples  and  Pears 
were  fit  to  gather,  and  one’s  hopes  and  labour  for  the  season  were 
helplessly  set  at  defiance.  It  opens  the  question  of  how  to  make  the 
best  of  a  bad  job  in  preserving  the  fruits  by  evaporation  and  other  ways. 
I  should  like  to  see  this  matter  discussed  by  those  able  to  give  the  best 
information.  I  took  great  interest — m  fact,  it  was  the  leading  exhibit 
to  me — in  the  samples  of  dried  fruits  at  the  late  exhibition  in 
Birmingham. — J.  Hiam. 
-  Flowers  in  Bedrooms.— Occisionally  one  hears  of  a  person 
having  narrowly  escaped  death  in  consequence  of  the  excessive  odour 
given  off  by  flowers  standing  in  the  bedroom.  Not  infrequently,  how¬ 
ever,  the  faintness  produced  is  due  to  the  decay  of  the  flower  stems  and 
the  fact  that  the  water  in  which  they  were  placed  was  not  changed.  It 
is  not  necessary  to  comment  at  length  upon  cases  like  these.  They  tell 
their  own  story,  and  point  their  own  moral.  The  rule  should  be  that, 
where  flowers  are  kept  in  bedrooms,  they  should  be  changed  frequently, 
and  those  which  yield  a  heavy  odour  should  not  be  retained  after  the 
day  is  over.  In  sitting-rooms  the  case  is  somewhat  different ;  but  even 
in  them  flowers  should  not  be  kept  for  more  than  a  few  days,  and  the 
vases  in  which  they  are  placed  should  be  well  washed  out  with  hot 
water  once  or  twice  a  week. — (“  Hospital.”) 
- The  Flora  of  British  Central  Africa. — This  continues 
to  be  investigated  by  scientists.  Quite  recently  Mr.  Whyte,  the  naturalist 
attached  to  the  staff  of  the  Commissiomr  in  the  British  Central  Africa 
Protectorate,  had  an  eighteen  days’  sojourn  on  the  highest  range  of  the 
Deep  Bay-Karouga  mountains,  situated  to  the  north-west  of  the  Lake 
Nyassa.  The  flora  of  this  range  proved  most  interesting,  resembling 
that  of  Mlanje,  yet  differing  from  it  in  many  respects.  According  to  a 
contemporary,  Mr.  Whyte  failed  to  find  any  trace  of  a  Conifer  ;  but,  on 
the  other  band,  the  range  is  richer  in  Heaths  than  Mlanje  is.  The  three 
principal  peaks  of  the  range,  to  the  tops  of  which  he  went,  rise  to  an 
altitude  of  from  7000  to  8000  feet  above  sea  level.  He  thoroughly 
explored  this  end  of  the  range,  and  could  see  close  at  hand  the  mountains 
explored  at  the  Mount  Walter  end  of  the  range.  In  an  African  con¬ 
temporary  Mr.  Whyte  states  :  “  I  cannot  quote  figures  exactly  till  I  go 
through  my  collections  ;  but  of  plants  I  have  over  6000  dried  specimens  ; 
of  skins  of  birds,  330  ;  of  mammals,  200  ;  of  reptiles,  Ac.,  in  spirits, 
120;  of  crustaoeis,  Ac,,  250;  land  shells,  6000;  insects,  3000;  and  a 
collection  of  geological  specimens.  Ox  the  climate  Mr.  Whyte  does  not 
consider  this  range  of  mountains  will  turn  out  so  healthy  as  Zomba  or 
Mlanje.  There  is  a  want  of  the  soft,  balmy,  bracing  breezes  prevailing 
at  Mlanje.  The  ordinary  wind  is  a  cutting  sonth-easter  from  the  lake, 
which  we  f  3und  chilly,  and  anything  bat  bracing.  Of  course  there  are 
sheltered  valleys,  which  are  pleasant  enough,  except  when  the  wind  is 
driving  over  the  mountain  tops. 
-  Brazil  Wood. — A  new  dye  wood,  probably  of  considerable 
value,  has  recently  been  brought  to  light.  This  is  produced  by 
Csesalpiuia  bicolor,  a  small  leguminous  tree,  15  to  20  feet  high.  It  has 
several  stems  thrown  up  from  the  base,  none  of  which  is  over  3  inches 
in  diameter.  The  branches  are  scantily  armed  with  tborns,  the  leaves 
are  bipinnate  with  eight  to  twelve  alternate  ovate-emarginate  leaflets  ; 
flowers  red-purple,  with  a  ^at,  broad  pod,  2  inches  long  and  about  an 
inch  wide,  containing  five ‘seeds.  Specimens  in  the  Kew  Herbarium  are 
from  Chachapoyas,  in  Peru,  collected  by  Lobb  ;  from  Yitor,  collected  by 
Maclean ;  and  from  Patia  Valley,  1000  to  1500  feet,  and  Magdalena 
Valley,  near  Garzon,  in  Columbia,  collected  by  Mr.  R.  B.  White.  The 
first  specimens  from  the  latter  were  received  in  1869.  They  were  then , 
recognised  as  probably  new  ;  but  it  was  only  in  September,  1895,  that 
adequate  material  was  received  for  the  description,  published  in  a 
recent  “  Kew  Bulletin,”  Mr.  White  stated  that  the  dye  from  this  wood 
was  ascertained  by  the  late  Daniel  Hanbury  to  be  superior  to  that 
yielded  by  the  best  Pernambuco  Brazil  wood.  Peach  wood,  Brazil  wood, 
and  Lima  wood  are  usually  attributed  to  C^salpinia  eehinata.'  The 
sources  of  these  woods  are,  however,  not  satisfactorily  known.  It  is 
possible,  therefore,  that  in  Oaesalpinia  bicolor  we  have  a  source  of  one 
of  the  above  woods  not  yet  recognised.  Mr.  White  has  been  asked  to 
forward  specimens  of  the  wood  for  tbe  Museum  of  Economic  Botany  at 
Kew,  and  on  the  arrival  of  these  their  value  for  dye  purposes  will  be 
tested. 
