130 
February  16,  1899.- 
fOUIi-XlL  OF  HORTICULTURE  ANL  COTTAGE  GARBEKER. 
and  to  these  the  tendrils  will  cling.  Numerous  roots  are  made  while  the 
growth  is  vigorous  and  healthy.  Whhn  planting  time  comes  around  the 
plants  are  fully  1  foot  high  and  especially  healthy,  and  start  at  once  into 
free  growth.  The  sowing  of  a  quantity  of •  P*ai' in  small  pots  may  entail 
more  labour  ;  but  I  am  sure  the  efficacy  of  the  system  well  warrants  the 
extra  trouble  involved. — E.  M.  :  - 
Peas  and  Verdun. 
As  attention  is  now  being  turned  in  the  direction  of  Pea  sowing,  pre¬ 
cautionary  measures  have  to  be  taken  in  man}'  places  against  mice  and 
other  vermin  which  devour  the  seeds  whilst  they  are  in  the  ground.  A 
few  years  ago  it  was  my  lot  to  have  jtp  grow  Peas  in  a  kitchen  garden 
partially  surrounded  by  a  wood.  Out  of  this  natural  shelter  the  sharp- 
pointed  field  mice  came,  in  great  numbers,  and  were  responsible  for  the 
spoiling  of  more  than  ,  one  promising  rosy,  Peas  by  extracting,  the 
germinating  seeds  from  the  ground  and  partially  devouring  them.  Baited 
traps  were  set,  and  many  of  the  pests  caught,  but  still  the  mischief  con¬ 
tinued  until  a  simple,  preventive  was  adopted,  and  proved  successful  in 
stopping  the  ravages. of  the  mice. 
The  modus  operfindi  consisted  of  placing  dry  powdered  red  lead  in  a 
shallow  box.  The  peas  jnst  prior  to  sowing  were  moistened  with  water 
and  rolled  about  in  the  powder.  The  moistening  causes  the  red  lead  to 
adhere  to  the  peas,  and  in  that  condition  they  were  scattered  in  the  drills. 
I  never  knew  the  dressing  to  have  any  effect  on  the  germination  of  the 
seeds,  though  I  have  heard  the  matter  questioned  as  to  this.  The  method 
of  treatment  is  simple,  and  proved  quite  successful  in  checkmating  the 
mischievous  creatures  which  caused  such  annoyance  before  its  adop¬ 
tion. — G. 
CONSUMPTION  OF  POTATOES  IN  THE  UNITED 
'  KINGDOM. 
The  Potatoes  consumed  in  this  country  are  for  the  most  part  of  home 
production,  imported  varieties  constituting  only  a  very  small  proportion 
of  our  annual  supply.  The  area  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  this  vege¬ 
table  in  the  United  Kingdom  is,  according  to  the  latest  agricultural 
returns,  about  1,200,000  acres,  whereas  thirty  years  ago,  when  the  returns 
were  first  collected,  the  extent  of  land  similarly  cultivated  was  estimated 
at  1,600,000  acres. 
The  loss  of  400,000  acres  in  the  total  area  is  mainly  due  to  a  large 
contraction  in  the  Irish  acreage.  In  England  and  Wan  s  there  has  been 
comparatively  little  change,  the  slight  decrease  in  the  principality  being 
more  than  counterbalanced  by  an  extension  in  England.  Relatively  to 
population,  the  British  area  now  represents  an  acre  for  every  sixty-eight 
persons  of  the  population,  compared  with  an  acre  for  every  fifty  persons 
thirty  years  ago  ;  while  in  Ireland,  where  a  partial  abandonment  of  the 
crop  has  been  to  a  large  extent  consequent  upon  a  reduction  of  the  popu- 
tion,  the  personal  ratio  is  now  roughly  equivalent  to  an  acre  for  every 
seven  persons,  as  against  an  acre  for  every  five  at  the  earlier  period. 
Estimates  of  the  quantity  of  Potatoes  produced  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
exclusive  of  the  Channel  Islands  and  the  Isle  of  Man,  have  been  published 
annually  since  1884  ;  but  for  Ireland  alone  estimates  of  production  are 
available  for  the  past  thirty  years.  The  average  estimated  yield  per  acre 
during  the  past  five  years  for  the  entire  country  has  been  4*62  tons.  The 
Potato  fields  of  Great  Britain  alone  yielded  in  that  period  6*05  tons  per 
acre  ;  but  in  Ireland  the  average  crop  per  acre  turned  the  scale  at  only 
tons. 
Our  average  requirements  of  Potatoes  for  all  purposes  would  appear 
from  the  above  figures  to  amount  to  about  5,509,000  tons  yearly.  Of 
this  quantity  all  but  3  per  cent,  is  furnished  by  the  home  production. 
The  Channel  Islands  and  France  are  the  principal  purveyors  of  the 
small  imported  supply.  From  the  former  we  receive  annually  nearly  60,000 
tons,  and  the  consignments  from  France  amount  to  between  40,000  and 
60,000  tons  in  the  year.  The  imports  from  the  Channel  Islands  con¬ 
sist  almost  entirely  of  fearly  varieties  which  reach  our  markets  before 
the  British  crop  is  ready  for  lifting,  and  consequently  command  a 
higher  price.  Their  average  declared  value  in  recent  years  has  been 
from  9s.  to  9s.  6d.  per  cwt.,  whereas  the  French  cargoes  have  usually 
been  valued  at  5s.  to  6s.  4d.  per  cwt.  Germany,  Holland,  and  Belgium 
are  the  more  important  of  the  other  countries  distinguished  in  the 
trade  returns  as  exporters  of  Potatoes  to  this  country. 
The  total  exportation  of  Potatoes  from  the  United  Kingdom  to  all 
countries  last  year  only  slightly  exceeded  24,000  tons.— (•*  Journal  of 
the  Board  of  Agriculture.”) 
— —  Sweet  Peas. — Where  a  quantity  of  these  charming  flowers  is 
required  through  the  summer  for  decorative  purposes,  it  is  well  to  insure 
an  early  supply  of  bloom  by  commencing  with  plants  raised  under  glass. 
Some  growers  advocate  sowing  out  of  doors  early  in  February,  but  my 
oxperience  is  that  the  seeds  .invariably  lie  in  the  soil  some  time  before 
germinating,  and  the  tiny  seedlings  are  in  danger  of  slugs  and  other 
enemies  as  soon  as  they  show  through  the  surface.  I  therefore  prefer  to 
fill  a  number  of  4-inch  pots  about  half  full  of  old  potting  soil,  and  on  this 
scatter  about  half  a  dozen  seeds,  covering  them  with  soil  nearly  up  to  the 
rim  of  the  pots.  The  latter  are  thqn  placed  close  together  in  a  frame  or 
near  the.  glass  in  .a  CQol  house,.  They  are  grown  cool  and  retain  a  sturdy 
habit  till  they  can  be  safely  planted  outdoors.  Treated  in  this  way  no 
enemies  affect  them,  and  earlier  flowers  are  obtained  than  by  sowine  out¬ 
doors.— G. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY, 
Annual  General  Meeting  of  Fellows. 
The  meeting  of  Fellows  at  the  Society’s  offices  on  Tuesday  afternoon, 
under  the  presidency  of  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  was  a  moderately 
large  one.  Amongst  those  supporting  the  Chairman  were  the  Rev.  G.  H. 
Engleheart,  Sir  J.  T.  D.  Llewelyn,  Bart.,  and  Sir  W.  T,  Dyer,  with 
Messrs.  T.  B.  Haywood,  H.  J.  Veitch,  H.  J.  Elwes,  C.  E.  Shea,  and  P. 
Crowley,  while  in  the  body  of  the  room  were  amongst  others  Messrs.  G. 
Paul,  G,  Bimyard,  G.  Wythes,  G.  Gordon,  H.  J.  Pearson,  C.  E. 
Pearson,  J.  Willard,  R.  Dean,  A.  Sutton,  H.  Selfe  Leonard,  H.  Turner, 
W.  P.  Wright,  H.  H.  Raschen,  A.  Dean,  and  J.  Douglas,  the  two  latter 
being  appointed  scrutineers  of  the  ballot  for  the  election  of  members  of 
the  Council. 
Report  of  the  Council  for  the  Year  1898-99. 
The  year  1898-99  has  been  one  of  increased  prosperity  for  the 
Society. 
The  Council  have  felt  justified  in  spending  a  considerable  amount  on 
the  Lindley  Library,  namely  £170,  to  assist  the  Trustees  in  completing 
and  publishing  a  catalogue  of  the  library,  and  also  in  purchasing  various 
books  which  the  catalogue  showed  to  be  wanting. 
The  catalogue  was  published  in  December  at  a  price  of  2s.  6d.,  in  the 
hope  that  many  Fellows  would  purchase  it,  not  only  to  inform  themselves 
what  books  the  library  contains,  but  also  because  it  forms  in  itself  a  sort 
of  reference  list  to  the  bibliography  of  gardening.  Some  Fellows  might 
also  take  note  of  books  still  wanting  to  the  library,  with  a  view  to 
presenting  them. 
During  the  past  year  valuable  books  have  been  presented  by  the 
Director  of  the  Royal  Gardens  at  Kew,  Dr.  Maxwell  Masters,  F.R.S., 
T.  J.  Bennett-Poe,  Esq.,  Miss  Ormerod,  Mrs.  Holborn,  Signor  Alnio,  and 
many  others,  to  all  of  whom  the  best  thanks  of  the  Society  are  due.  A 
full  list  will  be  published  on  April  1st  in  the  Society’s  Journal,  vol.  xxii., 
part  4.  Acting  in  conjunction  with  the  Trustees,  the  Council  have 
purchased  for  the  library  : — “The  Silva  of  North  America,”  Prof.  Sargent ; 
“The  Flora  of  Northern  America,”  Britton  and  Brown  ;  “Nature,”  from 
its  commencement,  fifty-six  vols.  ;  “Flora  of  Tropical  Africa  ;  ”  “Flora 
Germanica,”  Reichenbach,  twenty -two  vols.;  “Flora  Pyrenaica,” 
Bubani :  “  Atlas  des  Plantes,”  Bois  ;  “  The  Water  Garden,”  Tricker  ; 
“  Flora  of  Berkshire,*'  Druce  ;  “  Chemistry  of  the  Garden,”  Cousins  ; 
“Garden  Making,”  Prof.  Bailey;  “British  Orchids,’  Webster;  and 
others. 
Under  the  head  of  ordinary  expenditure  at  Chiswick,  £1850  has  been 
spent  on  the  general  work  and  maintenance  of  the  gardens.  Amongst 
other  work,  house  No.  9  and  the  potting  shed  attached  thereto  have 
been  painted  and  thoroughly  repaired,  houses  Nos.  3,  14,  16,  and  21  have 
all  been  repaired  and  painted,  as  have  also  many  of  the  frames.  All  this 
work  has  been  done  by  the  Society’s  own  staff  of  men.  The  receipts  by 
sale  of  surplus  produce  amount  to  £357,  making  the  net  ordinary  cost  of 
the  gardens  £1493. 
At  Westminster  twenty- two  Fruit  and  Floral  meetings  have  been  held 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  "Victoria  Street,  and  seven  Committee 
meetings  have  been  held  at  Chiswick,  besides  the  larger  shows  in  the 
Temple  Gardens  on  May  25th,  26th,  and  27th,  and  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
on  September  29th,  30th,  and  October  Ist.  Lectures  have  been  delivered 
at  nineteen  of  the  meetings.  The  number  of  awards  granted  by  the 
Council,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  various  Committees,  has  been  as 
follows  : — 
Aavaud. 
At  Provincial 
Shows. 
Affiliated 
Societies. 
On  1 
c5 
<D 
-1^ 
p  'c 
S 
^  c: 
o 
o 
Floral  1 
Committee,  g 
Orchid 
Committee,  g 
Narcissus  ^ 
Committee. 
Total. 
Gold  Medal  . 
1 
— 
6 
5 
3 
14 
Silver.gilt  Flora . 
3 
— 
— 
3-2 
4 
— 
42 
Silver-gilt  Knightian 
— 
— 
16 
— 
— 
-  ■ 
16 
Silver-gilt  Banksian 
1 
— 
5 
84 
— 
— 
40 
Silver  Flora  . 
4 
14 
— 
70 
12 
5 
105 
Silver  Knightian . 
— 
— 
22 
— 
— 
— 
22 
Silver  Banksian  ...  ,.. 
6 
26 
28 
74 
28 
3 
165 
Bronze  Flora  . 
1 
8 
— 
6 
— 
— 
15 
Bronze  Knightian . 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
Bronze  Banksian  ... 
— 
22 
5 
12 
5 
1 
45 
First-class  Certificate 
1 
— 
11 
26 
31 
4 
73 
Award  of  Merit  . 
— 
— 
49 
167 
68 
8 
292 
Botanical  Certificate 
— 
— 
— 
3 
16 
— 
19 
Cultutal  Commendation  ... 
— 
— 
32 
L 
3 
23 
— 
58 
Total  . 
17 
70 
173 
432 
193 
21 
906 
In  addition  to  the  above  : — One  silver-gilt  Flora  medal  has  been  awarded 
to  Miss  0.  Harrrsson  for  having  passed  first  in  the  Society’s  examination 
and  four  Hogg  Memorial  medals  have  been  awarded  ;  eighty-five  bronze 
Banksian  medals  have  also  been  granted  to  Cottagers'  Societies. 
The  Council  are  fully  aware  (as  all  Fellows  visiting  the  Drill  Hall 
shows  must  also  be)  how  very  meritorious  the  groups  of  flowers,  frnits, 
vegetables,  &c.,  are,  and  how  thoroughly,  as  a  rule,  they  deserve  the 
medals  recommended  by  the  Committees.  The  Council  entirely  recognise 
