Marcli  2,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
1(15 
IVEETEOROXiOGXCAI.  OBSERVATION'S  AT  CHZS-WZCK. 
— Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens— height  above 
sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Direction  of 
Wind. 
Temperature  of 
Air. 
the 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.  VI. 
Lowe  it 
Temperature 
on  Gras.®. 
1899. 
February. 
At  9  A.  M. 
Day. 
Night 
Rain. 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At  At 
2-ft.  4-ft. 
deep. ,  deep. 
Dry  YVet 
Bulb.  Bulb. 
Highest 
Lowest. 
deg.  deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
ius. 
deg. 
deg.  deg. 
deg. 
Sunday  . .  19 
e.s.e. 
42-9  42-9 
52-3 
37-2 
_ 
42-6 
44-2  1  45-9 
30-8 
Monday. .  29 
F..N.E. 
4.5-2  43-9 
42-5 
_ 
44-0 
44-3  45-7 
40-3 
Tue.sday  21 
E.N.E. 
42-9  40  1 
45‘G 
41-1 
_ 
43-() 
44 -.5  45 -6 
.39-5 
VVed’sday  22 
E.S.E. 
41-8  '  37-8 
48-9 
.35-5 
_ - 
41-5 
44-5  45-6 
25-0 
Tliur-sday  23 
E.N.E. 
34-C  1  33-5 
.53-3 
32-0 
— 
39-6 
43-0  45-9 
19-5 
Friday  ..24 
S.E. 
27-8  27-8 
51*0 
38-6 
42-9  i  45-6 
18-0 
Saturday  25 
N.E. 
33-0  32-8 
42-6 
27-0 
— 
37-8 
42-2  i  45-3 
18-8 
Total 
IMeaxs  .. 
3G*5  35'8 
48-0 
36-2 
— 
40*0 
44-0  ’  45-5 
29-1 
No  rain  has  fallen  since  the  15th  ;  the  tt^mperature  has  been  steadily 
going  down,  and  the  wind  has  varied  between  N.E.  and  S.E.  Fog  has 
been  prevalent,  being  very  dense  on  the  24th  and  2r)th. 
- Fragrant  Freesias. — It  will  be  remembered  by  many 
readers  that  in  our  issue  of  January  5th,  page  12,  were  some  practical 
notes  from  ^Ir.  G.  Carpenter,  AVcst  Hall,  Byfieet,  on  Freesias  and  their 
culture.  As  illustrative  of  the  suitability  of  his  methods  of  procedure, 
Mr.  Carpenter  now  sends  examples  of  flowers  and  foliage,  than  which  for 
substance  and  richness  of  fragrance  no  one  need  wish  better,  and  it  is 
all  too  seldom  we  see  them  equally  as  good. 
-  Petunias. — Now  that  seed  stocks  give  of  double  varieties  such 
wonderfully  fine  flowers,  it  is  a  matter  for  surprise  that  those  plants  are 
not  more  generally  seen  as  pot  plants  both  in  the  conservatory  and  at 
exhibitions  ;  not  only  have  the  flowers  high  class  form,  but  generally 
the  petals  are  pleasingly  fringed,  and  the  colours  are  charming.  I  was 
recently  looking  over  a  large  collection  of  plants  of  Sutton  &  Sons’ 
strain,  and  the  grower  said  that  from  seed  50  per  cent,  at  least  came 
finely  double.  That  is  a  good  return  for  the  small  cost  of  a  pacbet  of 
seed,  especially  when  it  is  remembered  that  all  the  best  can  be  easily 
propagated  by  ‘the  aid  of  cuttings,  and  be  thus  perpetuated.  Plants 
from  autumn  rooted  cuttings  grown  in  7-inch  pots,  and  occasional!}’ 
pinched  to  make  them  bushy,  develop  into  fine  plants,  and  make  for  a 
long  season  a  beautiful  display,  and  are  most  attractive  as  exhibition 
specimens. — A. 
-  Camellia  ros.eflora.  —  The  beauty  and  usefulness  of 
Camellia  japonica  and  its  varieties  as  garden  plants  is  probably  respon¬ 
sible  for  the  fact  that  other  species  are  more  or  less  overlooked.  Some 
of  these,  though  of  no  use  for  cut  flowers,  are  worth  a  place  among 
greenhouse  plants,  as  they  flower  well  in  a  small  state,  and  make  a 
change  among  ordinary  plants  at  this  time  of  year.  The  plant  under 
notice  is  a  Chinese  species,  with  glossy  green  ovate  leaves  24  inches  long 
by  an  inch  across.  The  flowers  are  borne  several  together  in  great 
profusion,  plants  2  feet  high  often  bearing  from  fifty  to  100  or  more 
blossoms.  They  are  rosy  pink  in  colour,  semi-double,  and  about  1  inch 
across.  It  flowers  annually  in  the  temperate  house  at  Kew,  where  it  is 
much  admired.  A  figure  of  it  is  given  in  the  “Botanical  Magazine,” 
t.  5014.  Being  of  easy  cultivation  there  is  no  reason  why  this  plant 
should  not  be  added  to  the  collections  of  people  who  are  fond  of  variety 
among  greenhouse  or  conservatory  platits. — W.  D. 
-  Raising  Cannas  from  Seeds. — I  thought  just  at  this  time 
when  many,  no  doubt,  are  purposing  to  use  Cannas  for  bedding  a  hint  as 
to  raising  them  might  be  of  use  to  some  readers.  It  is  often  suggested 
soaking  them  for,  say,  twenty-four  hours.  On  March  the  1st  of  last  year 
I  put  some  seeds  in  a  bottle  and  stood  them  on  hot- water  pipes  in  a  viner; , 
and  occasionally  removed  those  that  were  comparatively  soft,  placing 
them  in  small  pots.  I  tested  them  on  the  flagstones  by  holding  them 
about  6  inches  from  the  floor  and  letting  them  drop.  If  they  were  still 
hard  I  put  them  back  in  the  w'ater.  The  others  remained  until  April  20th, 
when  I  became  impatient, and  took  out  all  and  cut  off  the  hard  outside  on 
one  side  of  the  seeds  sufficient  to  see  a  small  white  speck.  Then  they 
were  put  in  pans  in  brisk  bottom  heat,  all  being  through  the  soil  in  from 
five  to  ten  days  of  the  date  of  sowing.  I  raised  about  100  last  year 
in  this  manner,  and  flow'ered  them  in  four  months  from  the  time  of 
soaking.  This  is  the  second  season  I  have  adopted  the  plan  with  success. 
— R.  Barpoot,  Matjfield  Gardens. 
-  Liverrool  Horticultural  Association. — Mr.  H.  Sadler 
writes  : — “  I  have  been  requested  by  the  Committee  of  the  above  Asso¬ 
ciation  to  draw  your  attention  to  the  report  of  our  annual  meeting  which 
appeared  in  a  recent  number  of  your  paper,  in  which  it  was  stated  that  the 
balance  in  hand  at  the  close  of  the  year  amounted  to  £80.  I  enclose  you 
account  showing  tliat  this  is  an  error,  the  amount  being  £120.’  Me 
gladly  make  this  correction. 
-  Record  Cyclamen.  —  Noticing  “ 'vVanderer’s  ”  remarks 
(page  145)  on  Mr.  AY.  James’s  fine  collection  of  Cyclamen  at  Farnham 
Royal,  1  thought  perhaps  your  readers  would  bo  interested  in  what  I 
believe  the  finest  Cyclamen  plants  ever  exhibited.  They  were  shown  a; 
the  Brighton  horticulturists’  monthly  meeting,  February  16lh,  by  Mr. 
C.  Murrell  of  Franklands,  Burgess  Ilill,  and  were  awarded  the  first 
ptize  and  the  Society’s  certificate.  The  plants  in  question  carried  about 
150  finely  developed  flowers  each,  and  measured  just  over  2  feet  across. 
What  about  silly  Susse.x  ? — A.  G.  D. 
-  Trees  for  City  Streets.  —  Of  all  trees  those  which  are . 
found  to  do  best  in  the  murky  atmospheres  of  great  cities  are  the  Planes. 
The  reason  of  this  is  that  the  Planes  possess  the  characteristic  of  peeling 
off  their  outside  bark  at  regular  intervals,  so  that  they  are  continually 
presenting  fresh  surfaces,  as  it  were,  to  the  destructive  agencies  playing 
upon  them.  The  great  cause  of  the  failure  of  trees  in  cities  is  the  clogging 
of  the  little  openings  on  their  surfaces  with  particles  of  soot  and  other 
deleterious  substances  found  floating  in  such  smoky  atmospheres.  The 
saturation  of  the  soil  with  coal  gas  and  other  noxious  compounds  is  also 
a  fruitful  cause  of  failure. — (“Irish  Farmers’  Gazette.”) 
-  Reading  Gardeners’  Association.— By  the  aid  of  limelight 
views,  and  under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  C.  H.  Curtis  (an  old  Kevvite),  a  largo 
number  of  members  of  the  above  Association  spent  a  pleasant  evening  at 
the  club  room  of  the  Old  Abbey  Restaurant  in  inspecting  the  houses  and 
grounds  of  Kew  Gardens.  Before  separating  the  President  of  the  Asso¬ 
ciation,  C.  B.  Stevens,  Esq.,  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  ^Ir.  Curtis 
for  coming  to  Reading  and  giving  the  members  an  insight  to  Kew  Gardens 
without  having  to  go  to  Kew,  and  referred  to  the  interesting  way  in  which, 
the  ramble  had  been  conducted,  showing  that  their  gui<!e  had  a  thorough 
grasp  of  the  subject  and  an  excellent  acquaintance  with  the  ins  and  outs 
of  this  noted  educational  establishment. 
-  History'  of  the  London  Parks. — It  is  announced  that  a 
work  of  great  interest  to  Londoners,  written  by  Colonel  Sexby,  will  be 
published  in  a  few  months  by  Mr.  Stock.  The  book  is  a  history  of  the 
London  parks,  gardens,  and  other  open  spaces  under  the  supervision  of 
the  County  Council,  or  otherwise  available  for  public  recreation.  It  will 
be  a  striking  record  of  municipal  progress  in  a  humane  direction.  But 
besides  this,  the  history  of  many  of  these  parks  and  gardens  forms  an 
attractive  chapter  in  the  general  history  of  political,  social,  literary,  and 
artistic  London.  Colonel  Sexby  will  tell  us  about  the  famous  personages 
and  events  associated  with  the  London  parks  and  gardens,  and  the  once 
famous  buildings  that  stood  near  or  upon  them.  The  author’s  duties  in 
the  London  County  Council  have  made  him  familiar  with  all  details  of 
his  subject.  The  work  will  contain  a  very  large  number  of  illustrations 
and  plans  from  old  and  modern  sources. 
_  The  Soil. — What  a  change  in  the  condition  of  the  ground  and 
its  working  has  been  wrought  in  a  week  under  the  influence  of  dry  sunny 
days,  with  north-easterly  winds,  and  white  frosts  at  night.  At  the 
moment  of  writing,  after  a  week  of  such  weather,  the  soil  is  in  splendid 
condition  for  working,  for  sowing  and  planting.  How  rapidly  the 
evidence®  of  rain  have  disappeared,  and  with  the  dust  flying  in  our  streets 
and  roads  as  though  it  were  IMarch,  it  is  so  difficult  to  realise  that  but  a 
few  days  ago  and  all  seemed  in  danger  of  being  flooded  with  overflowings 
consequent  npon  the  heavy  rains.  Anyone  who  assumed  that  we  weie 
having  too  much  ruin  can  hardly  think  so  now — indeed,  many  rather 
desire  that  wo  may  have  many  falls  ere  the  summer  is  with  us.  But  the 
dry  weather,  in  thus  permitting  time  for  the  water  to  get  away  and  the 
soil  to  become  so  admirably  workable,  has  done  much  to  stimulate  labour 
in  gardens,  and  whether  early  or  not  very  many,  especially  where  the 
soil  is  naturally  porous,  arc  sowing,  besides  Peas  and  Beans,  Parsnips, 
Onions,  Carrots,  and  other  seeds,  the  state  of  the  soil  and  the  weather 
proving  to  be  so  tempting.  Whether  in  doing  so  thus  early  they  are 
wise  subsequent  weather  will  show.  It  does  not  do  to  jump  to  the  con¬ 
clusion  that  the  winter  is  gone.  M’e  have  yet  to  face  the  treacherous 
month  of  March,  and  we  may  have  through  it  some  severe  weather.  If 
it  keeps  dry,  and  the  temperature  is  but  moderately  low,  we  shall  have 
much  to  gain  in  keeping  tilings  in  check.  Already  there  seems  to  be  on 
the  part  of  trees  and  bushes  too  much  premature  movement  that  is  not 
welcome  to  the  gardener. — Observer. 
