February  9,  1890. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULrURE  AXE  (VTTAOE  QARDEXEl 
105 
-  Sussex  Weather. — The  total  rainfall  at  Stonehurst,  Ardingley, 
for  Januarj’,  was  3  34  inches,  being  1’21  inch  above  the  average.  The 
heaviest  fall,  0'53  inch,  on  the  15th.  Rain  fell  on  eighteen  days.  The 
maximum  temperature  was  52°  on  the  12th  and  18th,  the  minimum  2S° 
on  the  26lh.  Mean  maximum  45‘19°,  mean  minimum  36'22°,  mean 
temperature  40’70°,  which  is  4-21°  above  the  average.  Since  the  24lh  the 
wind  has  been  N.E.,  with  a  cooler  and  dryer  atmosphere,  giving  us  several 
days  of  bright  sunshine,  with  slight  frosts. — R.  I. 
-  January  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory. — liTean  tempera¬ 
ture,  39‘8''.  Maximum  in  the  screen,  56-2°  on  the  21st  ;  minimum  in  the 
screen,  18’8  on  the  2Gth.  Alinimum  on  the  grass,  12‘3°  on  the  2Cth. 
No.  of  frosts,  in  the  shade.  10  ;  on  the  grass,  24.  Sunshine,  33  hours,  or 
14  per  cent,  of  the  possible  duration.  Rainfall,  P90  inch  ;  difference  from 
averageO'lO  inch.  Rain  fell  on  twenty-two  days.  Maximum  fall,  0-34  inch 
on  the  1 5th.  Another  mild  month  with  very  little  frost.  Stormy,  but  no 
heavy  falls  of  rain.—  .T.  Mallender,  \Yorlisop. 
- The  Weather  Last  Month. — The  prevailing  direction  of  the 
wind  was  south  on  twenty-one  days.  The  total  rainfall  vvas  2‘70  inches  ; 
this  fell  on  twenty-two  da3'9,  and  is  0‘92  inch  above  the  average  for  the 
month.  The  greatest  daily  fall  was  0'53  inch  on  the  21st.  Barometer 
(corrected  and  reduced),  highest  reading  30-761  inches  on  the  26tb,  at 
9  A.M.  ;  lowest  reading  2S'851  inches  on  the  2nd,  at  9  A  II.  Thermometers: 
Highest  in  the  shade  5G°,  on  the  2Ist  ;  lowest  20°,  on  the  2oth  :  mean  of 
daily  maxima  45-87°  ;  mean  of  daily  minima  34’12°  ;  mean  temperature 
of  the  month  39-99° ;  lowest  on  the  grass  15°,  on  the  25th  ;  highest  in 
the  sun  88°,  on  the  26th  ;  mean  temperature  of  the  earth  3  feet  deep, 
41’48°.  Total  sunshine,  67  hours  35  minutes.  There  -were  eight  sunless 
days. — W.  H,  Divers,  Bchoir  Gasile  Gardens,  Grantham. 
-  January  Weather  at  Dowlais.  —  Rainfall,  9  81  inches, 
which  fell  on  twenty-two  days  ;  greatest  fall,  2-43  inches,  on  the  20th. 
Temperature,  mean  maximum,  41-548°.  Highest  reading,  46°,  on  the  5th  ; 
mean  minimum,  29-870°.  Lowest  reading,  16°,  on  the  25th  (being  1° 
lower  than  at  any  time  last  year).  Below  freezing  point  on  twenty  days, 
with  seventeen  sunless  days.  The  wind  was  in  the  S.  and  S.W.  on 
fourteen  days,  and  in  the  E.  and  N.E.  on  eleven  days.  On  the  1st  of 
the  month  we  had  hail,  rain,  snow,  thunder,  and  lightning  ;  a  heavy- 
storm  on  the  16th,  rain,  hail,  thunder  and  lightning.  A  terribly  stormy 
month,  the  wind  on  several  occasions  was  terrific,  especially  from  the 
20th  to  the  22nd  inclusive.  Since  then  it  has  been  quiet  with  very  sharp 
frosts.  From  December  25th  to  January  22nd  14-69  inches  of  rain  fell, 
the  greatest  daily  fall  being  2-82  on  December  26th. — Wm.  Mabrott. 
-  Trapping  Bullfinches.  —  Excellent  advice  “Avis,”  on 
page  8.3,  and  if  you  had  added  2  to  4  ozs.  of  softsoap  to  the  gallon,  and 
recommended  also  applying  the  mixture  as  hot  as  the  finger  can  be 
borne  in  it,  you  would  have  repeated  what  I  have  advised  hundreds  to 
use,  both  to  deter  birds  taking  the  buds  and  to  kill  insect  pests,  such  as 
aphides  and  red  spider.  I  found  these  hatched  out  a  fortnight  ago,  and 
how  they  will  stand  the  frosts  I  shall  be  anxious  to  see.  My  advice  re 
bullfinches  is  an  alternative  to  the  gun  and  the  damage  to  fruit  trees, 
their  general  fate  ;  and  as  people  will  have  cage  birds,  why  not  the  most 
destructive  bird  -w-e  have,  remembering  that  they  will  take  clean  out  and 
prevent  any  future  growth,  twenty  to  twenty-five  Green  Gage  buds  in  a 
minute?  Although  sixty-two  have  so  tar  placed  themselves  in 
cages  in  my  garden  this  winter,  there  will  be  a  plentiful  stock  left 
for  breeding,  for  I  heard  of  thirty  being  driven  from  our  nearest  fruit 
plantation  yesterday,  and  the  woods  are  alive  with  them. — J.  IIlAM, 
Astvooed  Bank,  Bedditch. 
-  Protecting  Orchards  from  Light  Frost.s.— It  was,  -we 
believe,  William  Saunders,  the  chief  of  the  Government  Experiment 
Gardens  at  Washington,  who,  some  fifty  years  ago,  insisted  that  the  text 
books  were  wrong  in  teaching  that  heated  air  ascended — that  is,  ascended 
in  an  active  sense.  It  was,  rather,  pushed  up  by  the  heavier  cold  air 
pressing  against  it.  It  seems  a  slight  distinction,  but  it  has  immense 
practical  importance.  For  instance,  those  who  understand  this  smile  at 
the  Florida  Orange  grower,  who  builds  fires  around  his  orchard  to  make 
smoke  when  he  fears  a  frost  is  coming.  He  lightens  the  atmosphere  at 
the  same  time  among  the  trees,  and  makes  it  all  the  easier  for  the  heavy 
cold  air  to  push  in  and  take  its  place.  The  modern  thought  to  spray 
with  water  is  more  philosophical.  Water  is  a  good  conductor  of  heat, 
and  would  add  to  the  chances  cf  resisting  cold  by  the  heat  it  w-oidd 
abstract  from  its  surroundings.  Horticulturists  have  long  known  that 
evergreens  are  quite  hardy  in  a  moist  atmosphere,  when  they  would 
easily  succumb  under  the  same  temperature  in  a  dry  one. — (**  Meehan’s 
Monthly.”) 
-  Royal  Meteorological  Society. — At  the  ordinarv  meeting 
of  the  Society,  to  bo  held,  by  kind  permission  of  the  Council,  at  Great 
George  Street,  V.'estminster,  on  Wednesday  the  15th  inst.,  at  7.30  i-.vi., 
the  following  papers  will  be  read  : — “  Report  on  the  Phenological  Observa¬ 
tions  for  1898,”  by  Edward  Mawley,  F.R.Met.Soc.,  F.R.H.S.  “  The 
Circulation  of  the  Atmosphere,”  by  Prof.  W.  M.  Davis,  M.A. 
-  Clematis  indivisa. — There  are  few  more  charming  membtrs 
of  the  Clematis  family-  than  the  variety  mentioned  above,  and  perhaps 
there  are  none  more  useful.  The  pillars  and  walls  of  a  cool  conservatory 
or  corridor  suit  it  admirably,  as  the  plant  is  not  quite  hardy  enough  for 
outdoor  culture.  It  is  robust  in  habit,  quickly  covering  the  space 
allotted  to  it,  and  its  stout  green  foliage  possesses  the  characteristic  of 
keeping  remarkably  clean.  The  graceful  white  flowers  are  produced  in 
great  profusion  in  the  spring,  and  are  useful  for  many  forms  of  decora¬ 
tion.  The  flowers  are  borne  in  clusters,  and  will  last  some  time  in  a  cur, 
state  if  gathered  young.  Being  light  and  elegant  they  are  wi  11  suited 
for  the  make-up  of  wreaths,  crosses,  and  bouquets,  as  well  as  for  table 
and  other  decorations.  Given  a  free  space  for  rambling  and  a  fair 
rooting  medium  Clematis  indivisa  is  one  of  the  most  charming  of  climbing 
plants  for  a  cool  house. — H. 
-  A  Pleasing  Combination. — There  is  now-  no  lack  of  AVhito 
Roman  Hyacinths  for  decorative  purposes,  and  there  is  no  need  to  enlarge 
upon  the  sweetness  and  elegance  of  these  chaste  flowers.  Another  well 
known  and  popular  plant  is  now  also  in  bloom,  Cypripedium  insigrie, 
than  which  there  is  no  more  useful  and  accommodating  ineniber  of  the 
Slipper  Orchid  family.  The  blooms  of  this  Orchid,  used  in  conjunction 
with  White  Roman  Hyacinths,  make  a  most  happy  blend  for  table  and 
room  decorRion.  The  flowers  of  the  former,  of  course,  last  double  the 
time  of  those  of  the  latter,  but  when  the  Hy-acinths  are  beginning  to 
show  signs  of  failing  they  may  be  removed,  fresh  water  given,  and  others 
put  in  their  place.  As  a  decorative  flower  Cypripedium  insignft  is 
unique  on  account  of  its  elegant  habit  and  the  long  time  over  which  it 
will  keep  in  good  condition  after  being  cut.  The  two  flowers  mentioned 
and  tips  of  scarlet  Poinsettias  make  a  pleasing  decoration  fora  dinner 
table. — G. 
- Brownea  Crawfordi. — One  of  the  most  striking  plants  at 
present  in  flower  at  Kew  is  the  subject  of  this  note.  It  is  planted  out  in 
u  bed  of  loam  in  the  Palm  house,  where  it  has  formed  a  large  spreading 
bush  15  feet  high,  with  pinnate  leaves  2  feet  long.  Altogether  there  are 
upwards  of  twenty  heads  of  flowers  open  now,  and  a  fine  display  is  made- 
The  flowers  are  bright  red,  with  orange  coloured  anthers.  They-  are 
borne  in  dense  globular  heads,  7  to  8  inches  across  and  4  inches  deep. 
The  stamens  protrude  an  inch  or  more  from  the  mouth  of  the  corolla, 
and  twist  about  in  such  a  manner  as  to  resemble  a  tangled  mass  of  red 
thread,  with  orange-coloured  spots  here  and  there.  It  is  a  hybrid, 
raised  by  the  man  after  whom  it  is  named,  between  B.  grandiceps  and 
B  macrophylla,  and  is  an  improvement  on  both.  It  can  be  flowered  well 
in  pots,  but  does  much  better  under  the  more  generous  system  of  planting 
out.  In  addition  to  the  beauty  of  its  flowers,  the  foliage  when  young  is 
lovely,  the  younr  leaves  as  they  develop  being  mottled  with  beautifu 
shades  of  green  and  brown.  Anyone  with  room  in  a  large  stove  will  do 
well  to  give  this  plant  a  trial. —  Kewite. 
-  Salix  babylonica  Napoleona.— In  the  comprehensive  list 
of  Willow-s,  described  \)y  Mons.  Rebder  in  the  “Deutsche  Gartner- 
Zeitung,”  the  variety  known  as  Napoleon's  'Weeping  'Willow  does  not 
appear.  I  do  not  know  if  it  is  common  in  any  part  of  the  kingdom,  but 
it  will  be  interesting  to  know  that  there  is  an  old  and  flourishing  speci¬ 
men  growing  within  a  few  minutes’  walk  from  where  I  am  writing. 
Its  historv  appears  to  be  compaiatively  little  known  m  this  neighbour¬ 
hood,  Tradition,  however,  declares  that  it  is  a  scion  obtained  indirectly 
from  the  celebrated  Willow  growing  over  Napoleon’s  tomb  at  St.  Helena 
having  been  given  to  the  late  John  Cox,  Birmingham’s  celebrated  land¬ 
scape  painter,  by-  Napoleon  III.  from  a  specimen  growing  in  the  gardens 
of  the  Palace  of  the  Luxembourg  in  Paris,  when  the  artist  was  being 
conducted  over  the  gardens  by  the  late  Emperor,  His  iMajesty  requested 
Cox  to  take  any  thing  from  the  gardens  as  a  memento  of  his  visit  to 
Paris,  and  naturally-  he  selected  a  cutting  from  a  specimen  Weeping 
Willow  pointed  out  by  the  Emperor  as  a  descendant  of  the  original  or 
St  Helena  tree,  and  this  was  placed  in  the  grounds  of  Greenfield  House, 
the  residence  of  the  artist.  It  is  now  growing  by  the  sule  of  one  of  the 
substantial  brick-built  and  stonr-capped  carriage  entrance  gate  pillars, 
and  its  graceful  boughs  depend  both  over  the  gateway  and  a  portion  of 
the  public  road.  The  tree  appears  to  have  attained  the  normal  height 
of  the  variety,  about  16  feet,  according  to  “Johnson’s  Gardeners 
Dictionary.” — W.  G. 
