Angust  )9  1"97. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
169 
Events  op  the  Week. — The  shows  that  are  fixed  for  days  in  the 
forthcoming  week  are  numerous.  Some  of  the  most  important  are  the 
National  Co-operative  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on  Friday  and  Saturday ; 
the  summer  show  at  Perth  on  the  same  dates;  the  R.H.S.,  and  the 
Drill  and  Brighton  on  Tuesday  ;  with  Sandy  on  Thursday,  26th  inst. 
-  Weather  in  London. — Immediately  after  our  last  issue  went 
to  press  on  Wednesday  rain  fell  very  heavily  for  some  time,  as  it  did 
again  on  Thursday,  when  it  was  accompanied  by  thunder  and  lightning. 
Friday  and  Saturday  were  dull  with  occasional  glimpses  of  bright  sun¬ 
shine  and  light  showers,  while  on  Sunday  rain  fell  for  several  hours.  No 
rain  fell  on  Monday,  but  there  was  a  slight  drizzle  on  Tuesday 
morning.  Wednesday  was  fine. 
-  July  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory. — Mean  temperature, 
€0'9°.  Maximum  in  the  screen,  80'9°  on  the  30th  ;  minimum  in  the 
screen,  38'6°  on  the  12th  ;  minimum  on  the  grass,  31'1°  on  the  8th.  Twa 
frosts  on  the  grass.  Sunshine,  220  hours,  or  44  per  cent,  of  the  possible 
duration.  Rainfall,  0  67  inch.  Rain  fell  on  six  days.  A  fine  bright 
month  with  warm  days  and  very  little  rain. — J.  Mallender,  Worhsop. 
-  Destruction  of  Wild  Flowers. — At  a  recent  meeting  of 
the  Essex  Field  Club,  held  at  Easton  Lodge,  the  residence  of  the  Earl 
and  Countess  of  Warwick,  to  consider  the  best  methods  of  protecting 
our  native  flowers  and  annuals  from  extermination,  Professor  Boulger 
proposed,  and  it  was  carried,  “  That  in  view  of  the  danger  of  extermina¬ 
tion  threatening  many  beautiful,  rare,  and  interesting  plants,  all  lovers 
of  Nature  should  do  their  best  to  avoid  this  danger  (a)  by  abstaining 
from  wholesale  collecting,  collecting  for  merely  individual  private  collec¬ 
tions,  needless  rooting-up  of  specimens,  attempting  to  cultivate  wild 
specimens  of  refractory  species,  and  purchasing  such  wild  specimens 
from  itinerant  or  other  dealers  ;  (J)  by  endeavouring  to  persuade  others, 
especially  school  children,  cottage  gardeners,  and  dwellers  in  large  towns, 
to  a  similar  abstention.” 
-  Death  op  Sir  Isaac  Holden,  Bart.,  M.P.— The  death  of 
this  remarkable  man  on  the  13th  inst.,  reminds  as  of  a  pleasant  visit  we 
once  paid  to  Oakworih,  when  the  erection  of  his  great  winter  garden, 
which  is  said  to  have  cost  £120,000,  was  just  completed.  His  progress 
in  life  has  been  extraordinary.  His  father  was  a  working  miner,  and 
his  son,  who  was  born  eight  years  before  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  began 
to  earn  his  own  living  at  the  age  of  ten,  in  1817.  He  worked  in  a 
cotton  mill,  and  educated  himself  at  night.  He  became  a  school  teacher, 
inventor,  and  millionaire.  His  description  of  inventing  the  lucifer 
match  is  worth  recording  Here  is  the  story  ; — “  I  found  that  the  use  of 
a  flint  and  steel  cost  me  a  good  deal  of  time  and  trouble,  and  as  I  was 
at  the  period  lecturing  on  chemistry  to  my  classes,  I  cast  about  me  for 
some  substitute  for  the  flint  and  steel.  In  this  way — in  the  year  1829 — 
1  hit  upon  the  lucifer  match.  I  lectured  to  the  boys  upon  the  subject 
and  showed  them  how  the  light  could  be  obtained.  Mr.  Greathead,  the 
proprietor  of  the  academy  in  which  I  lectured,  urged  me  very  earnestly 
to  go  to  London  and  patent  the  invention,  and  he  told  me  that  a  chemist 
(a  friend  of  his  who  sent  his  sons  to  his  academy)  would  furnish  the 
capital  required  to  take  the  patent.  I  positively  refused  to  patent  it, 
and  told  him  that  his  friend,  the  chemist,  was  therefore  at  liberty  to 
manufacture  the  matches.  The  way  in  which  the  matches  afterwards 
gained  a  hold  with  the  public  undoubtedly  turned  my  attention  to 
inventions,  and  I  regard  this  one  discovery  as  the  germ  of  all  my 
after  labours  in  the  way  of  original  discovery.”  His  description  of  his 
habits  and  regimen  is  also  noteworthy.  “  For  years,”  said  Sir  Isaac,  a 
year  or  two  ago,  “  I  have  never  walked  less  than  eight  miles  a  day,  wet 
or  fine ;  indeed,  I  seldom  ride  when  I  feel  I  can  walk.  I  have  an 
infinite  belief  in  fresh  fruit  so  far  as  diet  is  concerned,  and  for  years  I 
have  breakfasted  entirely  on  baked  Apples,  Bananas,  Oranges,  Grapes, 
and  biscuits  made  of  Banana  flour  and  butter.  I  am  no  believer  in 
-suppers,  and  I  think  that  elderly  people  should  strenulously  avoid 
1  farinaceous  foods  as  a  rule.  When  1  do  take  any  food  at  night,  it  is 
fruit  always.  I  live  largely  by  rule,  and  never  felt  better  than  I  do 
BOW — but  I  have  never  adhered  to  such  rules  in  an  oppressive  degree. 
-One  meal  usually  consists  of  animal  food  alone,  and  two  meals  of  fruit 
.and  vegetables.”  Sir  Isaac’s  baronetcy  wag  granted  ia  1893. 
-  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  meeting  will  be 
held  on  Tuesday,  August  24th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Victoria 
Street,  Westminster,  1  to  5  p  m.  A  lecture  on  “  Plums,”  by  Mr.  A.  H. 
Pearson,  will  be  given  at  three  o’clock. 
- The  Kino  of  Siam  at  Chelsea.— We  are  informed  that  on 
Sunday  morning  his  Majesty  King-  Chulalonkorn,  accompanied  by 
Prince  Sanpasaht,  Baron  Sunthorn,  and  other  members  of  bis  suite  paid 
a  visit  to  Mr.  William  Bull’s  establishment.  King’s  Road,  Chelsea,  and 
inspected  the  new  and  rare  plants  that  have  been  collected  from  all 
parts  of  the  globe. 
-  Beauty  by  the  Wayside. — The  wild  shrubs  which  skirt  the 
waysides  have  a  beauty  beyond  that  of  the  cultivated  exotics  in  spaded 
gardens  ;  they  cover  the  nakedness  of  stone  walls  with  foliage  and 
flowers  ;  they  give  shelter  to  the  birds  and  fruit  for  them,  which  is  also 
a  luxury  to  the  children  ;  they  protect  adjacent  farm  lands  from  winds, 
and  constitute  the  most  interesting  embellishment  of  a  rustic  farm.— 
Wilson  Flagg. 
-  Gardening  Appointments.  —  Mr.  H.  W.  Pitcher,  head 
gardener  to  the  late  Mrs.  Dunnage,  Allbury  House,  Surbiton,  has 
taken  over  the  managership  of  the  Surbiton  Nurseries.  Mr.  R.  Ward- 
man,  general  foreman  at  Kirby  Hall,  York,  the  residence  of  Sir  Henry 
M.  Meysey  Thompson,  Bt.,  M.P.,  has  succeeded  Mr.  W.  Wallis  as  head 
gardener.  Mr.  C.  Cawley,  for  upward*  of  two  year*  prdener  to 
W.  M.  Tidy,  Esq.,  Lynton  Croft,  Caterham,  has  gone  in  a  similar 
capacity  to  G.  A.  Touch,  Esq.,  Baton  Tower,  Caterham  Valley. 
_  Boscombe  Horticultural  Exhibition.— The  above  opened 
on  Tuesday.  There  were  rain  storms  from  8.30  A.M.  till  twelve  noon, 
but  fine,  with  rather  strong  wind  after.  Some  grand  exhibits  were 
staged  in  the  open  division.  Mr.  J.  Cypher  wa*  first  for  the  200  feet 
group  and  for  twelve  stove  and  greenhouse  plants;  Mr.  T.  Wilkins 
second,  and  Mr.  W.  Vause  third  in  each  class.  All  were  grand  exhibits. 
There  were  good  entries  in  the  fruit  classes,  but  unfortunately  some  of 
the  produce  was  damaged  in  transit.  Only  second  and  third  prizes  were 
awarded  in  the  collection  of  nine  dishes.  C.  H.  M.  Ricketts,  Esq.,  second  ; 
Sir  J.  W.  Kelk,  Bart.,  third.  Three  bunches  white  Grapes.— J.  W. 
Fleming.  Esq.,  first  ;  Sir  J.  W.  Kelk,  second  ;  and  Lady  Ashburton, 
third.  Three  bunches  black  Grapes. — J.  W.  Fleming,  Esq.,  first  ;  Mri 
F.  Ricardo,  second ;  and  Sir  Wm.  Pink,  third.  Collection  of  nine  dishes 
of  Vegetables.— Mr.  T.  Wilkin*,  first ;  Sir  J.  W.  Kelk,  second  ;  C.  H.  M. 
Ricketts,  Esq,,  third  ;  and  Marquis  of  Northampton,  fourth.  A  fuller 
report  will  appear  next  week. 
_  Presentation  to  Mb,  O.  Thomas. — On  Saturday  last  an 
interesting  ceremony  took  place  at  Frogmore,  when  the  foremen  and 
young  gardeners  presented  Mr.  Thomas,  Her  Majesty’s  head  gardener, 
with  a  handsome  silver  waiter  and  an  address  of  congratulation  on  his 
silver  wedding  day.  The  movement  originated  with  the  foremen,  who 
wished  to  acknowledge  in  some  way,  as  a  body,  Mr.  Thomas’  kindness 
and  courtesy,  also  his  encouragement  and  assistance  to  the  young  men. 
In  a  few  days  a  good  sum  was  subscribed,  although  the  list  was  limited  to 
the  permanent  staff  of  foremen  and  the  young  gardeners  who  have 
served  under  Mr.  Thomas  since  he  was  appointed  to  Frogmore  in  1891; 
It  was  intended  as  a  surprise,  and  no  intimation  reached  the  recipient 
until  the  day  previously,  when  he  was  requested  to  meet  the  foremen 
m  the  reading-room.  On  Saturday  afternoon  the  proceedings  commenced 
by  the  party  being  photographed  in  a  group,  with  Mr.  Thomas  in  the 
centre,  followed  by  a  repast.  After  luncheon  Mr.  Thomas  proposed  the 
health  of  the  “Queen,  and  God  bless  her,”  which  was  heartily  responded 
to  by  the  company  standing.  Mr.  Chennell,  as  Chairman  of  the  Com¬ 
mittee.  then  introduced  the  subject  for  which  they  had  assembled,  and 
called  upon  Mr.  Edwards,  Hon.  Sec.  to  read  the  address,  which,  after 
heartily  congratulating  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  on  their  silver  wedding, 
stated  how  gladly  they  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  testify 
to  the  courtesy  and  kindness  of  Mr.  Thomas  to  his  men,  and  of  the 
'espect  and  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  them.  It  concluded  by 
hoping  that  the  same  good  relations  might  exist  between  them  for  many 
years  to  come,  and  begging  his  acceptance  of  a  silver  waiter  as  a  slight 
memento  of  that  happy  occasion,  with  the  names  of  the  donors.  Mr. 
Marr,  the  oldest  employ^,  then  handed  the  waiter  to  Mr.  Thomas, 
beautifully  engraved  with  the  following  inscription  ;  “Presented  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs,  Thomas  by  the  foremen  and  young  gardeners,  past  and 
present,  of  the  Royal  Gardens,  Windsor,  as  a  token  of  respect,  and  with 
sincere  congratulations  on  their  silver  wedding  day,  14th  August,  1897. 
Mr.  Thomas,  having  suitably  responded,  proposed  the  health  of  the 
foremen. 
