December  3,  1896 
JOURNAL  OP  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
537 
Events  op  the  Week — London  and  provincial  horticnlturists  will 
doubtless  welcome  the  rest  that  has  now  come  after  the  bustle  and  hurry 
of  the  scores  of  Chrysanthemum  shows.  Within  the  metropolitan  area 
things  are  likely  to  be  very  quiet  for  a  time,  as  there  are  no  exhibitions 
of  any  importance,  with  the  exception  of  the  meeting  of  the  Com¬ 
mittees  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on  the  15th  inst.,  this  side  of 
Christmas. 
Weather  in  London. — From  Wednesday  until  Snnday  the 
weather  in  London  was  bitterly  cold,  not,  however,  so  much  on  account 
of  frosts,  as  owing  to  the  prevalence  of  strong  easterly  winds.  On  Thurs¬ 
day  and  Friday  there  were  indications  of  snow,  and  though  none  fell 
there  was  a  sleety  rain  on  the  evening  of  the  latter  day,  since  when  it 
has  been  clear  with  bright  gleams  of  sunshine  on  Sunday.  Monday  and 
Tuesday  brought  sharp  frosts,  with  a  dry  invigorating  atmosphere, 
while  Wednesday  was  milder  and  wet. 
-  Northern  Weather. — Dull,  coldish  weather  continued  till 
the  29t;h,  with  a  gradually  falling  thermometer.  Sunday  was  brighter, 
and  frost  set  in.  On  Monday  morning  10°,  and  on  Tuesday  13°  frost 
were  registered,  accompanied  by  dense  hoar  frost.— B.  D.,  N.  Perthshire. 
-  An  Interesting  Presentation. — On  Wednesday  evening, 
November  25th,  an  interesting  ceremony  took  place  at  the  residence  of 
Mr.  George  Bnnyard,  of  the  Royal  Nurseries,  Maidstone,  when  a  repre¬ 
sentative  committee  of  the  employes  assembled  to  present  their  employer 
with  a  testimonial  to  celebrate  the  centenary  of  the  firm’s  existence.  In 
the  presence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs;  Bmnyard  and  family,  Mr.  Buss  made 
the  presentation.  The  testimonial  took  the  form  of  a  handsomely 
illuminated  address  on  vellum,  comprising  a  sketch  of  the  head  offices 
and  heraldic  and  other  designs,  and  set  in  a  massive  carved  oak  frame 
of  Oak  leaves,  the  dome-shaped  top  being  fianked  by  cornucopias, 
beautifully  worked  in^  relief.  Mr.  Bunyard  expressed  his  appreciation 
of  the  gift  in  a  few  words,  and  the  proceedings  terminated. 
-  PoiNSETTlAS.— A  fine  display  of  the  above  is  now  to  be  seen 
at  Bonington  Grove,  near  Newbury,  tastefully  arranged  in  the  plant 
stove.  The  majority  of  the  plants  are  grown  in  6-inch  pots,  and  look 
the  picture  of  health,  carrying  their  foliage  well,  which  clearly  shows 
that  Mr.  T.  Surman,  the  able  gardener,  thoroughly  understands  their 
treatment.  The  bracts  averaged  15  inches  across,  one  head  in  particular 
noticed  being  19  inches.  Mr.  Surman,  who  was  for  many  years  a  success¬ 
ful  exhibitor  at  the  Reading  Chrysanthemum  show,  believes  in  a  long 
season  of  growth,  and  generally  starts  his  plants  early  in  May,  growing 
them  in  cool  pits  through  the  summer  months,  quite  close  to  the  glass. 
The  plants  under  this  treatment  become  well  ripened  and  sturdy 
previous  to  their  removal  to  warmer  quarters  in  the  autumn* — 
Visitor. 
-  The  Hessle  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society. 
— At  a  meeting  of  the  above  Society  held  on  November  17th,  a  paper 
was  read  by  Mr.  D.  Toyne  on  The  Modern  History  of  Horticulture,” 
After  describing  the  many  and  various  improvements  which  have  been 
made  of  recent  years  in  vegetables,  fruits,  and  fiowers  the  essayist 
continued : — “  It  has  been  said  that  beauty  is  more  useful  than  utility. 
Probably  that  is  a  theory  about  which  there  will  be  a  difference  of 
opinion.  Should  we,  however,  measure  use  by  mental  and  moral  as  well 
as  physical  considerations,  there  is  no  question  but  that  the  highest 
place  must  be  conceded  to  beauty.  The  love  of  flowers  is  more  refining, 
ennobling,  and  satisfying  than  the  love  of  vegetables  or  fruits,  says  a 
writer  on  this  subject.  It  is  a  higher  taste,  yet  a  purer  pleasure,  because 
less  utilitarian.  That  flower  gardening  is  the  favourite  branch  of 
horticulture  there  can  be  no  doubt,  seeing  the  numbers  attracted  to 
our  parks  and  cemeteries  to  admire  their  beauty,  where  during  the 
last  few  years  such  care  and  attention  have  been  lavished  on  them ; 
and  this  appreciation  by  the  general  public  has  given  rise  to  a  friendly 
rivalry  not  only  between  professional  gardeners  but  also  between 
amateurs.  We  had  abundant  proof  of  this  during  the  past  week  at 
our  local  Chrysanthemum  show.  Each  year  seems  to  mark  a  decided 
advance  in  the  cultivation  of  this  queen  of  autumn  flowers  in  colour, 
form,  size,  and  also  ia  taste  of  arrangement.” — F.  L.  T. 
- Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  A.  Perry  has  been  appointed 
gardener  to  W.  Allen,  Esq.,  Blaen-y-Pant,  Malpas,  Newport,  Mon. 
-  A  “  Tall  ”  Celery  Story.— iZe  article  under  “  Birmingham 
Gardeners’  Association,”  page  464,  November  12th,  giving  quotation 
from  ”  Rhind’s  Vegetable  Kingdom,”  I  beg  to  say  that  the  height  is 
misprinted,  as  your  correspondent  could  have  known  if  he  referred  to 
the  starred  footnote.  In  Loudon’s  1822  “  Encyclopasdia  of  Gardening,” 
page  721,  the  height  of  the  Celery  reads  4  feet  6  inches. — T.  W. 
Wellington. 
-  November  Weather  at  Driffield. — Mean  temperature  at 
9  A. M.  (corrected),  40'32°,  *  Wet  bulb,  39*90°.  Mean  maximum,  45*42'’ ; 
mean  minimum,  35  88°.  Highest,  50°  on  the  5th  ;  lowest,  22*4°  on  the 
30th.  Mean  of  maxima  and  minima,  40  65°.  Mean  radiation  tempera¬ 
ture  on  the  grass,  29*94° ;  lowest,  12  0°  on  the  30th.  Rainfall, 
1*725  inch.  Number  of  rainy  days,  thirteen.  Greatest  amount  on  one 
day,  0*56  on  the  7th. — W.  E.  Lovel,  Observer,  York  Road,  Drijield. 
-  A  New  Experimental  Station. — We  are  informed  that  an 
agricultural  experiment  station  has  been  established  at  IJsambara,  in 
German  East  Africa,  for  the  purpose  of  investigating  the  agricultural 
character  of  that  region  and  discovering  its  adaptability  to  various  crops. 
Both  native  and  introduced  tropical  plants  are  now  under  test  at 
different  altitudes  to  decide  which  are  best  suited  to  cultivation,  and 
when  these  points  have  been  determined  both  the  plants  and  seeds  will 
be  supplied  in  commercial  quantities  to  settlers. 
-  Death  of  Mr.  William  Young.  —  We  regret  to  have 
to  announce  the  death  of  Mr.  William  Young,  who  passed  away  on 
November  12th,  at  the  age  of  eighty.  For  more  than  half  a  century 
he  was  well  known  as  an  enthusiastic  and  successful  raiser  and  cultivator 
of  such  florists’  flowers  as  Pansies,  Pinks,  Carnations,  and  Auriculas.  For 
nearly  half  a  century  Mr.  Young  was  the  Assistant  Secretary  to  the 
Edinburgh  Horticultural  Society,  and  afterwards  as  holding  the  same 
post  in  the  Royal  Caledonian  after  the  two  amalgamated.  This  Society 
has  established  itself  as  one  of  the  most  successful  in  Britain,  and  it 
must  be  admitted  that  much  of  its  success  has  been  due  to  Mr.  Young’s 
enthusiasm,  and  to  the  untiring  energy  that  he  brought  to  bear  on  its 
development  and  arrangement. 
-  Gas  Lime. — Gas  lime  as  such  is  very  injurious  to  organic  life, 
whether  insects  or  plants,  with  which  it  comes  in  contact.  Owing  to 
its  destructive  effects  it  has  been  frequently  used  on  insect-infested  land 
when  there  are  no  crops  of  value  upon  it.  It  is  usually  recommended, 
and  correctly  so,  that  nothing  be  sown  or  planted  upon  land  to  which 
gas  lime  has  been  applied  until  six  or  eight  weeks  have  elapsed.  The 
reason  for  this  will  be  seen  when  it  is  mentioned  that  gas  lime  is  calcium 
sulphide  containing  no  oxygen  in  its  composition,  and  from  this  cause 
is  very  injurious  to  puant  and  animal  life.  Immediately,  however,  it  ia 
applied  to  the  soil,  breaking  it  well  up,  it  begins  to  take  up  oxygen  from 
the  atmosphere,  and  is  then  converted  into  calcium  sulphate.  In  this 
form,  having  united  with  the  oxygen,  it  becomes  a  valuable  plant  food. 
Then  there  is  no  daneer  of  solving  or  planting  upon  ground  which  has 
been  dressed  with  gas  lime. — S. 
-  Potatoes  in  Ireland. — I  must  apologise  to  “  G.  H.  H.”  first 
for  not  having  replied  before  to  bis  query  on  page  460  about  our  Potato 
crop,  and  secondly  for  having  so  little  to  say  about  it  now.  The  higher 
class  culture — agriculture — as  practised  in  Co.  Dublin,  to  which  my 
observation  is  limited,  does  not  afford  a  safe  criterion  on  which  to  base 
any  calculation  affecting  the  area  of  the  island,  and  even  in  this  county 
my  experience  is  very  limited.  Here,  however,  on  the  limestone  com¬ 
plaints  are  few,  good  culture,  with  a  careful  selection  of  seed  and 
varieties,  telling  its  own  tale.  Prices  at  lifting  time  ruled  very  low, 
and  now,  although  a  shade  firmer,  one  feels  a  little  compunction  when 
receiving  such  fine  baskets  of  Sutton’s  Main  Crop  for  the  few  pence  the 
grower  asks  for  them.  As  for  quality,  scrubbed  and  boiled  in  their 
jackets  (as  they  should  be),  I  prefer  one  to  a  Peach,  but  there  is  no  account¬ 
ing  for  taste.  Perhaps  later  on  the  commendable  interest  taken  in  our 
“  taters  ”  by  “  G.  H.  H.”  may  not  be  imrewarded,  for  we  are  on  the  eve 
of  the  tercentenary — viz,,  a  great  Conference  and  Exhibition  of  Potatoes, 
to  be  held  in  the  Rotunda,  Dublin,  on  December  9th  and  10th,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Irish  Gardeners’  Association.  The  Secretary,  Mr. 
Thomas  Shaw,  with  an  able  Committee,  have  taken  such  initiatory  steps 
as  bid  fair  to  make  it  worthy  of  its  name  and  object,  and  both  practical 
and  scientific  men  from  far  and  near  have  promised  to  assist  in  this 
glorification  of  the  tuber,  which,  unfortunately,  so  many  of  the  poorer 
population  are  practically  dependent  on  for  existence.— K.,  Dublin. 
