514 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  12,  1202. 
Homeflelds  Recreation  Ground,  Chiswick. 
This  new  recreation  ground  for  the  inhabitants  of  C'hi.svvick, 
London,  was  opened  to-day  (Thursday,  June  12)  by  the  Mayor 
of  Chiswick.  The  ground  possesses  a  splendid  new  cricket 
pitch,  and  is  between  eiglit  and  ton  .acres  in  size,  and  can  be 
entered  from  C'hiswick  Lane. 
Ipswich  Flower  Show. 
The  Ipswich  and  East  of  England  Horticultural  Society’s 
show  will  be  held  on  Wednesday,  July  9,  in  the  beautiful 
grounds  of  the  Upper  Arboretum,  Ipswich.  The  judges  are 
Messrs.  S.  T.  AVright,  H.  J.  Cutbusli,  W.  Allan,  and  J.  Burrell. 
For  schedules  apply  to  the  .secretary,  Mr.  H.  E.  Archer,  13, 
Museum  Street,  Ipswich. 
Coronation  Rose  Show. 
At  this  show,  to  be  held  at  Holland  Hou.se,  Iven.sington,  on 
June  24  and  25,  all  a.ssistants  and  attendants  at  groups  shown 
by  trade  firms  must  wear  a  badge  with  their  firm’s  name.  There 
can  be  no  exceptions  made  to  this  rule.  The*  badge  used  must 
be  the  one  approved  by  The  Council,  and  no  other.  The  badge 
can  be  obtained  from  Mr.  Pinches,  27,  Oxenden  Street,  London, 
S.W.,  price  Is.  each.  _  . 
Plum  Trees  Sufferinff  in  Herefordshire. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  England,  held  on  June  4,  Mr.  AVheeler  presented  a 
report  by  the  Society’s  consulting  botanist  (Mr.  William 
Carruthers,  E.R.S.)  upon  a  widespread  injury  in  Herefordshire 
to  Plum  trees,  the  young  twigs  dying  off,  and  the  cause  of  the 
injury  being  the  parasitic  fungus  Monilia  fructigena  (Pers.). 
The  report  recommended  that  the  dead  twigs  should  be  removed 
and  burnt.  ■  . 
Southampton  Rose  Show. 
The  Southampton  Royal  Horticultural  Society  hold  their 
annual  summer  show  and  exhibition  of  Roses  on  July  1  and  2, 
as  mentioned  by  us  last  week.  The  show  is  held  on  the  Pier, 
the  Pavilion  being  an  ideal  place  for  showing  Roses.  We  have 
seen  cut  blooms  at  the  end  of  the  second  day  much  fresher  than 
they  would  be  after  three  hours  in  a  hot  tent.  Following  close 
cn  the  Cloronation  Review,  Southampton  will  probably  be  full 
cf  visitors;  a  good  attendance  should  therefore  be  secured. 
Echoes  from  Hamilton. 
May  has  at  la.st  come  to  an  end,  and  we  doubt  not  that  we 
are  echoing  the  feelings  of  most  people  when  we  say  that  few 
will  be  sorrj'.  In  many  respects  the  month  of  May  has  much 
-to  offer.  This  year,  however,  it  has  forced  upon  us  the  unex¬ 
pected  as  well  as  the  undesirable.  Perhaps  few  live,  if  indeed 
ajiy,  who'  ever  remember  such  an  inauspicious  opening  of  our 
summer  season.  Almost  without  exception  every  day  has  been 
abnormally  cold.  To-day,  the  last,  is,  if  not  considerably  worse 
not  a  whit  better  than  the  preceding  ones.  The  wind  is  very 
cold,  with  heavy  rain  from  the  east,  at  times  increasing  to  a 
gale.  Much  damaged  foliage  will  inevitably  ensue.  The  ouU 
look  is  not  so  promising  as  a  month  ago.  The  hay  crops  in 
many  districts  will  be  poor,  and  fruit  blo,ssom,  especially  Ajiples, 
is  certain  to  have  received  a  shaking.  AAe  must  forbear  to  be 
pessimistic,  however,  and  look  out  with  hope  for  brighter  times' 
eventually  to  arise.  Among  the  Romans  this  month  was  of, 
considerable  note.  Like  ourselves,  they  did  not  generally 
approve  of  May  marriages.  The  first  day  of  the  month  was' 
observed  by  the  Vestal  Virgins  and  Roman  women  as  a  day  for 
performing  the  sacred  rites  of  the  “  Bona  Dea,”  a  ceremony 
believed  to  ensure  the  safety  of  the  Empire.  The  second  day 
Avas  “  Compitalia,”  when  boys  were  sacrificed,  it  is  said,  for  the 
conciliation  of  the  goddess  Mania,  mother  of  the  Lures.  Junius 
Biutus,  however,  abolished  this  heathenish  custom.  The  ninth 
day  Avas  “  Lemuria,”  a  performance  of  rites  to  the  Lemures, 
the  ghosts  and  spirits  of  the  departed.  These  occupied  three 
days  out  of  the  six  folloAving.  On  the  13th,  or  Ides,  the  Vestal 
A'’irgins  let  fall  fi’om  the  Sublician  bridge  into  the  Tiber  thirty 
rush  images  of  men,  and  these  reijresented  so  many  old  men 
Avho  Avere  at  one  time  deposited  into  the  river  instead.  The 
merchants’  fertiva!  also  took  place  on  this  day.  It  Avas  spent  in 
prayers  and  offerings  to  Mercury.  The  23rd  Avas  “  Vulcanalia,” 
on  which  day  the  holy  trumpets  Avere  purified.—  D.  C. 
Richmond  FloAwer  ShoAv. 
The  annual  floAver  show  of  the  Richmond  Horticultural 
Society  Avill  be  held  on  Wednesday,  July  2,  in  the  Old  Deer 
Park,  Richmond.  Special  silver  cups  are  offered  in  competition 
for  Roses  and  fruit;  the  Rose  cup  (tAventy  guineas)  being-  the 
Gunnersbury  Park  Silver  Challenge  Cup,  presented  by  Leopold  de 
Rothschild,  E.sq.  ;  the  other  being  of  the  .same  value,  and  pre¬ 
sented  by  Mr.s.  Max  AVaechter.  For  particulars  and  schedules 
apply  to  the  hon.  secretary,  Mr.  C.  R.  King,  G1  and  62,  George 
Street,  Richmond,  BurreJ^ 
Hunting  for  Coronation  Trees. 
AA^ith  reference  to  the  proiiosal  to  plant  two  trees  in  Barrack 
Park,  Dundee,  on  Coronation  Day,  Mr.  Carnochan,  the  Superin¬ 
tendent  of  Public  Parks,  reported  to  a  meeting  of  the  Com¬ 
mittee  that  he  had  put  himself  into  communication  Avith  nur¬ 
serymen  all  over  England  and  Scotland,  but  could  find  no  one 
to  supply  him  Avith  trees  over  8ft  in  height  suitable  for  the 
purpose.  In  his  extremity  he  had  selected  two  Oriental  Plane 
trees,  which  he  had  lifred  and  prepared  for  being  planted.  The 
Committee  ajAproved  of  his  action. 
Primula  sinensis,  Single  and  Double. 
Sowings  are.  noAV  being  made  for  the  provision  of  next  season’s 
display  of  Chinese  Primulas.  Most  of  the  great  seed  houses 
furnish  excellent  stra'ns,  the  re.sulting  plants  being  robust,  of 
good  habit,  florifei-ous,  and  possessing  floAvers  of  substance,  size, 
and  brilliancy.  The  illustration  on  page  515  may  remind  the 
bu.sy  gardener  to  act  at  once,  and  so  give  his  seedlings  time  and 
a  chance  to  become  ideal  plants  and  Avell  developed  before  the 
cold,  dull  days  of  Avinter.  The  double  varieties  are  noAv 
favourites ;  those  Avho'  have  not  groAvn  them  might  for  once 
try  to.  , 
Edinburgh  Notes. 
May  has  proved  a  ei'uel  month  for  Edinburgh  vegetation. 
Not  that  this  city  has  alone  suffered,  for  the  floAver  destroying 
element  has  been  Avidely  distributed.  The  streets  and  roads 
Avith  arboreal  features  had  an  autumnal  aspect  by  reason  of  the 
numerous  leaves  tom  and  scattered  by  the  blast.  Many  rock 
garden  plants  have  been  prematurely  shorn  of  much  of  their 
beauty,  for  instead  of  a  summer’s  sun  to  air  them,  hail,  sleet, 
and  rain,  Avith  severe  Avinds,  have  been  throAvn  into  their  deli¬ 
cate  flo Avers.  Of  course,  the  blossoms  of  fruit  trees  have  had 
a  rapid  doAvnAvard  flight. — D.  S.  F. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
The  monthly  committee  meeting  of  this  society  Avas  held  ' 
at  the  Caledonian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  on  Monday 
evening  last,  Mr.  C.  H.  Curtis  in  the  chair.  The  minutes  of 
the  last  meeing  Avere  read  and  confirmed.  Four  neAv  members 
Avere  elected,  making  a  total  of  fifty-seA^en  this  year.  The 
death  oertificate  of  the  late  Mr.  J.  N.  Forbes  w’as  produced,  . 
and  the  amount  standing  to  his  credit  in  the  ledger  (£4  Is.  5d.) 
Avas  directed  to  be  paid  to  his  nominee.  Thi’ee  members  were 
reported  on  the  sick  fund.  The  amount  of  sick  pay  for  the  ■ 
month  Avas  £9  12s. 
IpsAivicb  Mutual  Improvement  Society. 
At  the  last  meeting  of  the  above  society,  held  on  June  5,  ■ 
the  president,  Mr.  R.  C.  Notcutt,  read  a  most  interesting  paper 
on  “  Hardy  FloAvering  Shrubs.,”  ,  Mr.  W.  Messenger  lAresided  > 
over  a  small  attendance,  the  annual  shoAV  of  the  Suffolk  Agri¬ 
cultural  Society  no  doubt  proving  a  greater  attraction.  In  his  ; 
opening  remarks  Mr.  Notcutt  alluded  to  the  comparative  paucity  ; 
of  floAvering  shrubs  in  shrubberies  planted  twenty  years  or 
more  ago,  buf  Avelcomed  the  greater  attention  Avhich  they  are 
noAv  being  given.  Discussing  the  question  of  planting,  he  recoin-  ; 
mended  the  massing  of  several  plants  of  a  species  together  rather ; 
than  dotting  them  about  indiscriminately  Avithout  any  definite 
aim  or  purpose.  Lists  of  shrubs  for  general  planting,  for 
planting  by  the  .sea,  those  benefited  by  the  shelter  of  a  wall,  :, 
and  those  requiring  a  peaty  soil  Avere  given.  The  essayist ' 
exhibited  a  nice  selection  (some  forty  or  fifty  bunches)  of  flower¬ 
ing  shrubs  from  his  AA’oodbridge  Nurserjq  including  several' 
varieties  of  Lilacs,  Azaleas,  Rhododendrons,  Berberis,  Spiraeas,  . 
&c.  Mr.  Whittel,  of  Pinetoft  Gardens,  exhibited  a  Avell- 
flowered  spi’ay  of  the  Judas  Tree  (Cercis  .siliquastrum),  also  a. 
fine  specimen  herbaceous  Calceolaria. — E.  C.  ,  ■ 
