December  19,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDE  X  ER. 
561 
Trade  Note. 
A  handsome  coloured  plate  is  included  in  Messrs.  Veitch’s 
seed  catalogue  for  1902,  now  being  sent  out.  The  subjects  are 
Gloxinias,  mostly  of  the  lighter  coloured  varieties,  and  shows  in 
little  space  how  great  the  variation  of  colours  is  in  this  favourite 
genus  of  the  present  day. 
Christmas  Trees. 
Philadelphia  insurance  companies  have  issued  a  circular 
calling  attention  to  the  dangers  of  Christmas-tree  decorations  and 
lighting.  It  says  that  the  making  of  certain  Christmas  displays 
would,  under  a  strict  interpretation  of  the  conditions  of  the 
policy,  render  the  contents  of  insurance  void  unless  the  policy  is 
endorsed  with  a  special  permission  for  increased  hazard. 
The  Park  Chrysanthemum  Growers. 
At  the  annual  dinner  of  the  Park  Chrysanthemum  Society, 
held  at  the  Sun  Inn,  South  Street,  Park,  a  most  enjoyable  even¬ 
ing  was  spent,  under  the  presidency  of  Alderman  John  Smith. 
Alderman  Smith  was  presented  with  a  pair  of  pearl-handled  fish 
carvers  by  the  society,  and  in  reply  promised  to  further  the 
interests  of  the  Park  gardeners  and  the  Duke  of  Norfolk’s  tenants. 
Songs  were  ably  given  by  Messrs.  G.  Kerrigan,  Judson,  Taylor, 
Marsden,  and  Waller;  accompanist,  Mr.  J.  Marsh.  The  society 
bids  fair  to  be  most  successful. 
Orchid  >  aintings  in  the  Drill  Hall. 
On  Tuesday  last  botli  sides  cf  a  long  stand — the  sides  sloping 
either  way  from  the  top  to  the  base — were  hung  with  paintings 
of  hybrid  and  other  Orchid  flowers,  painted  at  the  instigation 
of  the  Council  of  the  Koyal  Horticultural  Society  for  Orchidists, 
and  the  society’s  Orchid  Committee  more  particularly,  by  Miss 
N.  Roberts.  The  collection  was  greatly  admired  and  closely 
inspected  by  the  specialists.  'Hie  paintings  formed  a  very 
welcome  feature  in  the  hall  on  such  a  dull  day.  The  parentage 
of  each  hybrid,  the  raiser’s  name,  and  that  of  the  recorder — Mr. 
James  O’Brien — were  given  on  the  reverse  side  of  each  of  the 
pictures.  Such  a  true  record  of  the  earlier  hybrids  of  Orchid  will 
continue  to  increase  in  value  as  time  goes  on.  Many  of  the  later 
crosses  approximate  very  near  one  another,  and  the  question  will 
be  how  close  the  similarities  of  each  will  be  allowed  to  br  drawn 
while  still  applying  distinctive  names. 
“Origin  of  Cultivated  Plants.’’ 
A  lecture  on  this  subject  was  delivered  on  December  13  in  the 
Grove  Academy,  Brought.y  Ferry,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Technical  Kducation  Committee,  by  Mr.  James  Wilson,  F.R.H.S., 
Greenside  Nursery,  St.  Andrews,  late  Lecturer  on  Horticulture 
to  the  County  Council  of  Northumberland.  He  traced  the  origin 
of  many  of  our  best-known  fruits  and  vegetables,  and  pointed  out 
that  a  considerable  number  of  our  cultivated  plants  are 
indigenous  to  Britain.  The  lecture  was  illustrated  by  a  fine  set 
of  lantern  slides  showing  the  wild  and  cultivated  forms,  and  it 
was  pointed  out  that  the  wonderful  improvements,  which  had 
transformed  in  many  cases  useless  weeds  into  useful  economic 
plants,  have  been  the  result,  first  of  improved  environment  and 
selection,  and,  in  modern  times,  the  art  of  hybridisation.  The 
lantern  was  manipulated  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Corr,  Dundee.  At  the  close 
the  lecturer  was  cordially  thanked,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  W.  G. 
Anderson,  who  presided  over  a  good  attendance. 
Ptar  Glowing. 
Mr.  J.  D.  Johnstone,  Montrose,  in  his  third  lecture  on  fruit 
culture  in  the  Town  Hall  last  Thursday,  devoted  his  attention  to 
a  consideration  of  Pear  and  Plum  culture.  In  northern  counties 
of  Scotland  the  idea  prevails  that  Pears  cannot  be  successfully 
grown,  but  that  idea  is  exploded  on  the  southern  banks  of  the 
Tay  and  Clyde.  For  old  varieties  he  recommended  Bon  Chretien, 
Beurre,  or  Hazels  Chaumontel,  but  pointed  out  the  necessity  of 
selecting  kinds  suitable  for  different  soils.  Double  grafting  was 
referred  to  as  advantageous  for  some  kinds.  The  Pear  midge  was 
described,  and  remedies  suggested.  A  portion  of  his  remarks 
was  also  devoted  to  Plum  growing,  with  the  difficulties  of  dis¬ 
posing  of  the  crop  when  maturity  came  on  suddenly.  He  believed 
in  employing  middlemen  for  distribution.  Thinning  too  heavy 
crops  was  recommended,  and  other  instructions  given  when 
branches  are  overladen.  A  number  of  questions  were  put  and 
answered,  and  generally  the  lecture  was  appreciated  as  helpful 
to  local  horticulturists.  Mr.  Johnstone  strongly  recommended 
Messrs.  Cassell’s  horticultural  publications,  particularly  that 
finely  illustrated  handbook  on  fruit  culture. 
Frigi  Domo. 
On  our  printing  morning  a  post -card  bearing  an  inquiry  comes 
to  hand,  and  we  will  allow  the  writer  to  address  his  assignee 
through  “Notes  and  Notices.”  The  correspondent  asks:  “Will 
your  contributor,  Mr.  William  Gardiner,  state  what  kind  of 
stuff  frigi  domo  is,  and  its  price  per  given  size  ?  Also  if  there 
is  any  cheaper  material  for  keeping  frost  off  Apricots  and  Peaches 
in  the  open  ? — Inquirer.” 
Tribute  to  Dean  Hole. 
An  interesting  ceremony  took  place  in  the  Deanery  of 
Rochester  on  Saturday  afternoon  last,  on  which  occasion  Dean 
Hole  (president  of  the  National  Rose  Society,  and  so  well  known 
everywhere),  who  has  just  celebrated  his  eighty-second  birthday, 
was  presented  with  the  freedom  of  the  Worshipful  Company  of 
Tin  Plate  Workers  alias  Wire  Workers  of  London,  of  which  he 
is  the  hon.  chaplain,  and  an  engrossed  certificate.  The  presenta¬ 
tion  was  made  by  a  deputation  of  the  company  in  accordance  with 
a  resolution  of  the  court,  and  the  necessary  formalities  of  taking 
the  oath  and  signing  the  register  were  duly  carried  out  by 
Dean  Hole. 
Windsor  Gardeners’  Society. 
The  annual  general  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  in  the 
Council  Chamber  last  week,  when  Mr.  E.  F.  R.  Gould  presided. 
The  report  and  balance-sheet  were  passed.  The  society  had  a 
most  successful  show  in  June,  and  the  report  showed  that  it  had 
been  able  to  place  £100  on  deposit  with  its  bankers,  and,  after 
paying  over  £100  in  prizes  and  other  expenses,  had  been  able  to 
carry  forward  a  balance  of  £11  8s.  The  total  income  from  all 
sources  was  £321  2s.  Mr.  Colin  Romaine  was  unanimously  re¬ 
elected  hon.  secretary,  and  Mr.  J.  F.  Hoddinott  hon.  treasurer. 
Newport  Horticultural  Association. 
The  annual  business  meeting  of  the  above  association  was  held 
on  Tuesday,  December  10,  in  Newport  Public  School,  Mr. 
George  Rollo,  president,  in  the  chair.  The  reports  of  the 
secretary  and  treasurer  were  read  and  adopted.  Thereafter  the 
motion  given  notice  of  by  the  president  at  the  last  meeting,  to 
the  effect  that,  owing  to  the  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  the 
majority  of  the  members,  the  Newport  Horticultural  Association 
be  forthwith  voluntarily  wround  up,  was  put  to  the  meeting  by  the 
president  and  seconded  by  the  treasurer.  No  amendment  was 
proposed,  and  the  motion  therefore  became  the  finding  of  the 
meeting.  It  was  noted  that,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  a  card  had 
been  posted  to  every  member  intimating  that  such  an  important 
motion  was  to  come  before  the  meeting,  only  three  members  other 
than  committeemen  deemed  it  worth  while  to  prut  in  an 
appearance. 
Weather  in  S.  Perthshire. 
The  past  week  has  been  of  a  very  wintry  character.  Snow  has 
fallen  all  over  the  country,  and  has  lain  to  a  considerable  depth 
in  both  the  northern  and  southern  districts.  The  frost  has  ranged 
from  4deg  to  lOdeg,  but  in  some  parts  it  has  been  much  more 
intense.  On  Sunday  afternoon  a  slight  thaw  lasted  for  some 
hours.  Monday  tvas  a  beautiful  clear  day,  with  an  evident 
tendency  to  severe  frost. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chiswick — 
height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperatwe  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
® 
1901. 
December. 
?ction  c 
Wind. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
Rain. 
At 
2- ft. 
deep. 
At 
4  ft. 
deep. 
U 
3  C/5 
£  CD 
fgs 
£  <B® 
Q 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
+3 
CO 
O) 
be 
S 
Lowest.  | 
1 
1-ft. 
deep. 
^ag 
EH 
Sunday  ...  8 
s.w. 
deg. 
53-7 
deg. 
51-9 
deg. 
547 
deg. 
51'6 
Ins. 
0’27 
deg. 
45T 
deg. 
44-3 
deg. 
47-0 
deg. 
44-6 
Monday  ...  9 
Tuesday  ..10 
s.w. 
42-9 
397 
46-6 
410 
0-25 
44-1 
45-3 
470 
34-4 
N.W. 
36-9 
34-3 
41-7 
332 
— 
41T 
45-0 
47-0 
280 
Wed’sday  11 
N.W. 
37-7 
35-3 
421 
34-5 
0-09 
39T 
44  1 
47  0 
26-3 
Thursday  12 
S.E. 
38-4 
37-2 
46-6 
29-0 
077 
38  1 
432 
47-0 
22-6 
Friday  ...13 
N.E. 
43-1 
42T 
44-1 
38  0 
Oil 
40-5 
42-7 
46-9 
34-5 
Saturday  14 
N.E. 
412 
38-7 
42-4 
40-7 
41-4 
43T 
46-5 
37-6 
Means  ... 
42-0 
399 
45-5 
38-3 
Total. 
1-49 
41-3 
44*0 
46-9 
32  6 
A  week  of  dull  weather  with  cold  rains  on  five  days.  A  slight 
snow  storm  occurred  on  the  night  of  the  9th. 
