January  20,  1899. 
JOUnNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
65 
-  The  Deep  Kootinh  op  Onions. — In  reading  “  Cassell’s 
Popular  Gardening”  on  ihe  culture  of  Onions,  I  find  it  is  stated  that 
ample  means  have  been  afforded  for  testing  that  Onion  roots  have 
penetrated  to  the  depth  of  6  feet.  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  as  much 
information  on  the  subject  as  any  readers  can  obligingly  give  me. 
— Anxious  to  Learn. 
-  La  Semaine  IIorticole. — With  the  issue,  dated  January  7th, 
nr  Belgian  contemporary  commences  a  new  stage  of  existence  with  an 
extended  title  and  a  broader  base  of  operations.  Hitherto  it  has  been 
in  the  hands  of  Mons.  Lucien  Linden,  but  has  now  passed  to  a  company, 
whose  endeavour  will  be  to  materially  increase  its  utility  to  continental 
horticulturists.  We  hope  the  promised  efforts  will  be  crowned  by  success. 
The  full  title  of  the  periodical  will  be  “  La  Semaine  Horticole  et  Revue 
des  Culture  Coloniales.” 
-  Chester  Paxton  Society. — The  first  lecture  for  the  present 
session  was  delivered  in  the  Grosvenor  Museum  on  Saturday  evening 
last  by  Air.  E.  Stubbs,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Hudson,  Bache  Hall,  who  took 
for  his  subject  “Chrysanthemums.”  In  the  absence  of  the  President, 
the  chair  was  occupied  by  Mr.  .1.  .Jackson,  Capenhurst.  Air.  Stubbs  has 
for  some  years  been  recognised  as  one  of  the  champion  growers  in  the 
district,  having  several  times  carried  off  premier  honours  for  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums  at  the  Society’s  annual  eihibition.  It  was  mainly  from  an 
exhibitor's  point  of  view  that  Air.  Stnbbs  dealt  with  his  subject,  and  in 
the  course  of  his  remarks  he  explained  exactly  his  methods  of  culture,  and 
gave  valuable  hints,  which  were  much  appreciated  by  other  growers  who 
were  pre.-ent.  An  interesting  discussion  followed,  and  at  the  close  a 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  the  essayist  for  his  very  practical 
paper. 
-  The  Fate  oe  Croham  Hurst. — On  a  recent  morning,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Selborne  Society,  a  demonstration  was  held  on  the 
summit  of  Croham  Hurst  to  protest  against  the  site  being  permitted  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  builders,  and  to  urge  its  acquisition  by  the  town 
of  Croydon.  Croham  Hurst  is  a  finely  wooded  elevation  in  the  southern 
suburbs  of  Croydon,  whence  very  extensive  views  of  the  surrounding 
country  may  be  obtained,  and  which,  next  to  the  Shirley  Hills,  is 
probably  the  most  favourite  place  of  resort  in  the  spring  and  summer 
time  with  the  inhabitants.  The  land  belongs  to  the  Whitgift  Trust.  Of 
late  rumours  have  been  current  in  the  town  that  there  was  a  probability 
of  that  portion  of  the  estate  which  borders  on  the  hillside  being  laid  out 
for  building  purposes,  and,  it  being  felt  by  some  of  the  townspeople  that 
the  erection  of  houses  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Hurst  was  highly 
objectionable,  the  meeting  was  called  to  denounce  the  proposal. 
The  Chairman  was  Mr.  E.  A.  Alartin,  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Selborne 
Society,  A  resolution  was  passed  calling  upon  the  Corporation  to  take 
steps  to  secure  Croham  Hurst  in  perpetuity  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Croydon,  and  strongly  deprecating  any  building  operations  in  the 
locality. — (“  Daily  Chronicle.”  ) 
-  Wild  Birds  in  London. — There  is  a  variety  of  bir  1-life  native 
to  London  far  greater  than  mo»t  people,  we  fancy,  are  aware.  A  walk  in 
any  of  our  larger  parks,  especially'  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  lakes,  or 
upon  Hampstead  Heath,  will  reveal  it  to  us.  Many  of  the  waterfowl  on 
our  ornamental  waters  are  wild.  The  Parks  Committee  of  the  County 
Council  stocks  its  lakes  and  islands  with  fowl,  but  many  wild  ducks  and 
other  species  of  water  birds  come  in  addition  to  these.  The  kingfisher, 
too.  is  a  frequent  visitor,  and  actually  breeds  in  Loudon.  The  cuckoo  and 
the  magpie  will  be  noted  ;  but  the  latter,  because  of  the  mischief  it  does^ 
is  not  too  heartily  welcomed  by  the  park  authorities.  Hampstead  Heath 
is  the  favourite  London  resort  of  the  goldfinches  ;  while  their  relatives, 
the  greenfinches,  favour  St  .James’s  Park,  and  the  bullrinch  and  chaffinch 
are  seen  in  several  town  quarters.  The  linnets,  unfortunately,  are  leaving 
us,  and  the  larks  have  already  left.  Their  desertion  of  town  is  chiefly  a 
matter  of  suitable  food.  The  tomtit,  most  amusing  of  small  birds,  was 
retained  in  Battersea  Park  by  Mr.  Sexby,  the  chief  of  the  Parks  Depart¬ 
ment,  who  adopted  the  device  of  hanging  little  pieces  of  fat  on  the  trees. 
Then,  too,  we  have  blackbirds — there  was  a  white  specimen  haunting  our 
parks  a  year  or  two  ago  — rooks,  jackdaws,  most  solemn  of  all  birds^ 
wagtails,  with  their  curious  dipping  flight,  and  of  course  the  robins,  wrens, 
sterlings,  and  wood  pigeons.  The  worst  enemy  of  the  J..ondon  bird  is, 
unfortunately,  one  against  whom  Acts  of  I^arliament  afford  very  little 
protection.  He  has  no  proper  respect  for  the  law.  Jf  it  were  not  for  the 
prowling  cat  bird  life  in  London  would  probably  be  even  more  varied  and 
plentiful  than  it  is.  There  are  enormous  numbers  of  stray  cats  in  town  ; 
and  the  parks  are  a  happy  hunting  ground  for  them.  Air.  Sexby  reports 
that  'in  Finsbury  I'ark,  where  the  waterfowl  are  located  on  the  island, 
cats  will  take  t.)  the  water  and  swim  across  to  got  at  their  prey. 
-  “  Gardening  for  All.’' — A  copy  of  the  second  edition  of  the 
useful  little  book,  “  Gardening  for  All,”  has  been  sent  to  Her  Alajesty 
the  Queen  by  the  author,  Air.  .James  Udale,  F.R.H.S.,  Droitwich,  the 
chief  gardening  instructor  for  Worcestershire.  The  copy  sent  to  Her 
Alajesty  has  been  graciously  accepted  and  acknowledged  by  Lord  Edward 
Pelham-CIinton. 
-  French  Bean  Syon  House. — This  proved  one  of  the  most 
prolific  varieties  cultivated  in  pots  for  main  crops  indoors  last  year.  The 
plant  possesses  a  good  constitution,  does  not  grow  so  tall  as  some,  and 
the  pods,  which  are  most  freely  produced,  are  of  good  size.  Until  last 
season  the  variety  to  me  was  known  only  by  name,  but  so  favourable  was 
the  impression  made  under  its  first  trial,  that  it  will  in  future  claim  the 
notice  which  its  merits  deserve,  and  I  strongly  recommend  it  to  the  notice 
of  others,  to  whom  it  may  be,  except  in  name,  a  stranger. — W.  S. 
-  Pear  President  Barabe.  —  When  at  Gunton  Park  in 
August  I  noted  this  Pear  growing  against  a  south  wall,  where  it  was 
carrying  a  full  crop  of  shapely  hardy  looking  fruit.  I  have  to-day, 
.January  lOth,  had  an  opportunity  of  testing  its  quality.  It  is  of  buttery 
texture,  sweet  and  juicy,  and  of  a  pleasing  flavour.  For  use  in  .January 
President  Barabe  ought  to  be  valuable  too,  as  really  good  Pears  are  then 
scarce.  As  a  cordon  on  the  Quince  stock  planted  in  a  warm  situation 
this  year  should  prove  a  success. — E.  M. 
-  Summary  of  ATbteorological  Obsera'ations,  1898. — This 
has  been  the  driest  year  since  1887,  and  has  only  been  exceeded  twice 
since  1876— viz,  1884,  total  rainfall  18'3l  inches  ;  and  1887,  total  rain¬ 
fall  19'46  inches  ;  and  it  has  been  the  warmest  year  since  1893,  with 
sunshine  much  above  the  average.  The  prevailing  direction  of  the  wind 
was  W.  on  116  days.  The  total  rainfall  was  19'63  inches,  which  fell  on 
160  days,  and  is  7T6  inches  below  the  average  for  the  year.  The  greatest 
daily  fall  was  0'96  inch,  on  August  6th.  Barometer  (corrected  and 
reduced),  highest  reading  30  629  inches,  on  .January  15th,  at  9  P.M.  ; 
lowest  reading  28-795  inches,  on  November  25th,  at  9  A.M.  Thermometers, 
highest  in  the  shade  88°,  on  September  8th  ;  lowest  20°,  on  February  21st. 
Alean  of  daily  maxima,  56  75° ;  mean  of  daily  minima,  41'53°.  Alean 
temperature  of  the  year,  49‘14°  ;  lowest  on  the  grass  13°,  on  February 
21st  ;  highest  in  the  sun  150°,  on  September  8th,  Alean  temperature  of 
the  earth  at  3  feet,  49'84°.  Total  sunshine  1581  hours  20  min.  There 
were  sixty  sunless  days.— H.  H.  Divers,  Belvoir  Castle  Gardens,  Grantham. 
-  Bohemian  Forests. — Bohemia  is  one  of  the  most  populcus 
countries  in  the  world  ;  its  climate  is  relatively  cool  with  rather  severe 
winters,  and  therefore  much  fuel  is  used,  which  is  largely  taken  trem  the 
forests  covering  the  mountain  sides.  Yet  after  the  many  centuries  during 
which  these  forests  have  furnished  fuel  and  building  material  for  a  dense 
population,  they  retain  nearly  their  original  area.  This,  says  Consul 
Alahin,  is  due  to  the  forethought  of  the  Government  in  ordaining  that  as 
trees  were  cut  down  others  should  be  planted  to  fill  the  vacancies.  Vast 
stretches  of  dense  forests  cover  the  mountain  slopes;  the  wood  is  mostly 
pine.  Trees  are  constantly  being  cut,  but  wherever  s  clearing  is  made 
small  trees  are  planted  the  next  spring.  What  at  a  distance  may  appear 
to  be  a  bare  spot  in  tne  forest,  on  a  nearer  view  is  found  to  be  covered 
with  little  trees  set  out  in  symmetrical  rows,  and  varying  in  height 
according  to  the  length  of  time  since  they  were  planted.  The  new  trees 
are  raised  from  the  seed  in  small  enclosures  scattered  in  the  mountains, 
and  are  thence  transplanted.— (“  .Journal  of  the  Society  of  Arts.”) 
-  A  Plague  op  J.ocusts  at  Ivimberley. — A  correspondent. 
under  date  of  November  I7th,  1898,  writes  to  a  contemporary  : — “  Jvocusts 
have  been  with  us  since  Alonday,  and  for  four  days  a  continuous  unbroken 
stream  of  little  brown  insects,  a  little  larger  than  a  bee,  with  legs  like 
grasshoppers,  have  been  hop,  hop,  hopping  past  my  door.  They  show  as 
yet  absolutel}'  no  sign  of  diminishing  in  numbers.  They  go  steadily  on, 
and  all  in  the  same  direction — north.  The  streets  running  east  and 
west  are  comparatively  free  from  them — a  few  millions  certainly  do  divert 
their  course  into  them  for  a  little,  but  merely,  it  would  appear,  to  have  a 
brief  rest  before  rejoining  the  madding  throng  to  hop  on,  and  on,  and 
on  — whither  ?  If  we  leave  our  gate  open  they  sw-eep  into  our  garden, 
in  which  is  a  tree  I  wanted  to  save.  I  have  bathed  it^in  tar,  in  paraffin, 
in  disinfectant — they  all  appear  to  whet  their  appetites.  It  takes  money, 
patience,  and  trouble  to  make  a  re.«pectable  garden  in  this  place,  and  now 
the  locusts,  just  at  the  beginning  of  the  summer,  will  eat  up  every¬ 
thing.  It  would  be  comic  were  it  not  for  the  pathos  of  it,  to  see 
women  spending  their  days  in  brush,  brush,  brushing,  with  as  hopeless 
a  task  before  them  as  the  great  Airs.  Partington,  at  the  inflowing  sea  of 
locusts,  trying  to  protect  their  gardens  from  the  rising  tide.  There  is  a 
ditch  round  the  public  gardens,  and  fires  arc  burned  in  it,  into  which  the 
locusts  walk  in  millions.” 
