Marth  23,  1399. 
oOURI^AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDEELR. 
ZV^ 
IVIETEOROIiOGICAI.  OBSERV  ATI  Ola’S  AT  CHIS’VyxCK. 
— Taken  in  the  lloyal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens— height  above 
sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
© 
Temperature  of  tlie 
Air. 
Tenuieraturo  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.  VI. 
© 
18!)9. 
Man'll. 
a  — 
©^ 
fi- 
S 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
a 
M 
« 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
dee[). 
At 
4tt. 
lUei). 
o 
►J  S  g 
■y  w 
H 
dog. 
28 'O 
29'.') 
‘27':; 
24-6 
•22 '2 
32-1 
2.'-) -3 
Dry 
Hulb. 
IVet 
Hull). 
© 
t-H 
7) 
p 
© 
■  hj 
.Sunday  . .  12 
Monday. .  IX 
Tuesday  14 
Wed’sday  I.*) 
Thursday  Hi 
Friday  ..17 
Saturday  18 
w. 
K.N.K. 
N.N.E. 
N.N.K. 
N.N.E. 
S.S.E. 
S.S.E. 
•leg. 
48'o 
42-8 
•X2'8 
;j,5'4 
40'.') 
42-4 
deg. 
4i)'9 
42'(! 
32 '0 
3.'’i'2 
39-9 
41-7 
deg. 
liO-.') 
.'i4-4 
41-1 
48-9 
44 '8 
42'() 
44-9 
deg. 
37-8 
37-3 
29-7 
‘28-2 
27'.'') 
Hrrl 
29-9 
iuH. 
deg. 
41'.') 
43-7 
41'.'; 
39-2 
38 '(i 
49': 
39-9 
deg. 
41'() 
42-5 
42'8 
42-3 
41-9 
41 '.a 
41-7 
deg. 
43-3 
43 '.S 
43'r) 
43-8 
43-8 
43-8 
43-8 
Mka.xs  .. 
39-4 
38-4 
48-2 
32  "2 
Total 
40-0 
42-0 
43'(i 
27-0 
There  has  been  no  rain  since  the  8lh  inst.  The  week  ending  March  18th 
has  been  remarkable  for  five  nights  and  four  days  of  smoky  fog,  which  has 
left  its  mark  on  vegetation. 
-  The  National  Auricula  and  Primula  Society.— On 
page  213  it  was  stated  that  the  exhibition  of  this  Society  would  be  held 
on  April  19th.  This  was  incorrect,  as  the  date  is  April  I8th,  in  order 
that  the  exhibition  may  be  in  connection  with  the  meeting  of  the  Com¬ 
mittees  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  in  the  Drill  Hall. 
-  Chiswick  Gardeners’  Society. — At  the  meeting  of  tho 
Chiswick  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Association  on  Thursday, 
March  16th.  a  paper  was  lead  by  Mr.  K.  J.iewis  Cuslie,  Manager  of  the 
Woburn  Experimental  Fruit  Farm,  on  hirdy  fruit  culture,  problems, 
profits,  and  prospects.  'I’he  problems  w'ere  classed  under  the  heads  of 
tree  formation  and  fruit  production,  s]iocial  reference  being  made  to 
stocks,  budding  and  grafting,  pruning,  planting,  manures,  and  cultiv.ition 
as  affecting  growth  or  fertility,  while  as  regards  the  latter  particular 
attention  was  called  to  tho  influence  of  foreign  pollen,  and  tho  advantng  s 
of  interpollination  in  counteracting  sterility.  The  extreme  and  average 
gross  returns  per  acre  from  fruit  culture  were  noted,  and  the  average 
ospenses,  together  with  the  essentials  to  succe.ss.  In  regard  to  ilie 
prospects  it  was  contended  that  if  the  I’nilcd  Kingdom  is  favoured  wiih 
peucefid  times  there  is  a  great  future  before  the  cultivator  of  hardy  fi nits, 
ticcause  the  value  of  these  products  as  an  important  part  of  a  healthliil 
diet  is  rapidly  becoming  more  generally  recogi  i'ed.  The  diseussum 
was  opencil  by  Blr.  S.  T.  Wright,  Superintendent  of  the  Chiswick 
Gardens,  who  detailed  many  experiences  in  support  of  the  principal 
points.  Ho  was  followed  by  IMr.  E.  Camp,  Mr.  A.  Bridges,  Mr.  ,]■ 
Fraser,  and  several  other  members,  in  an  animated,  interesting,  tiiid 
prolonged  discus-sion,  at  the  conclusion  of  which  Mr.  Castle  hrielly  replied 
on  the  various  points,  and  tlie  proceedings  closed  with  a  unanimous  voie 
of  thanks. 
-  Town  Trees. — Is  tho  "  Irish  Farmers’  Gazette”  quite  correct 
ill  assuming  that  Blancs  make  the  best  town  trees  because  they  shed 
their  hark  regularly  ?  There  arc  many  trees  that  do  well  in  towns  tluit 
do  not  shed  their  hark,  or  at  least  do  not  do  so  in  the  conspicuous  way 
that  Planes  do  ;  yt  may  we  not  conclude  that  there  is  with  all  trees  a 
form  of  bark-sheiiding  analogous  to  lliatof  the  skiii-sliediling  which  o-ot  a 
on  in  animal  life,  and  is  just  as  ellicacious  in  remuving  soot  or  other 
<lirt  substances  as  is  seen  in  the  bark-shedding  of  the  Plane  ]  I  had 
thought  the  primary  cause  of  the  value  of  tho  Platie  as  a  town  tree 
laid  in  the  thick,  hard,  leathery  character  of  its  leafage.  We  see  the 
same  thing  in  the  Fig,  one  of  the  best  of  town  trees,  and  even  rot  m 
plants  are  all  the  more  ctipable  of  resisting  the  efTcets  of  sooty  foul  air 
and  fogs  the  thicker  or  stouter  the  leafage.  If  we  take  the  Lime  — a  rao>t 
unsatisfactory  town  tree — after  the  middle  of  summer  we  rind  leafage 
that  is  thin,  and  because  apparently  emitting  or  becoming  coated  with  a 
saccharine  sulidance,  which  attracts  aphis,  i.s  .soon  coated  with  this 
I  iibstanee  and  insect  excrement.  Nosucti  phenomena  arc  seen  in  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  Plane,  for  its  leafage  remains  clean  until  the  last,  and 
rarely  becomes  coated  with  soot  or  other  olTcn.sive  matter.  If  I  am 
wrong  in  those  conclusions  1  shall  ho  pleased  to  he  put  right,  hut  at 
present  I  fail  to  see  that  the  bark-sliedding  theory  as  put  forward  by  tlio 
‘‘Farmers’  Gazette”  is  tho  correct  one.  Is  it  proved  that  the  corky 
coating  we  call  hark  on  trees  really  has  stomata  or  hreathirg  [tores  to 
become  clicked  with  soot  1  —  Odserver. 
-  llEiiBACEous  Calceolarias  at  Reading.— The  author  i  f 
.Johnny  Gilpin  in  concluding  his  verse  expressed  a  w'arm  hojie  that  when 
next  his  hero  rode  abroad  that  he  might  be  there  to  :-re.  1  felt  very  much 
as  the  writer  did  when  he  penned  this  wish,  when  I  saw  the  other  day  tl.o 
remarkably  line  collection  of  plants  of  herbaceous  Calceolaiias  M  r.  J.  .Marlin 
has  grown  for  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons  at  their  Portland  Road  Niir.'cries. 
Whenever  tliese  go  forth  to  exhibition  may  I  be  there  to  see  them. 
Certainly  the  •  [ilanfs  are  now  in  luxuriant  condiliun.  some  of  them 
promising  to  make  a  diameter  when  in  bloom  c.f  3  feet,  ihey  would  present 
a  brilliantly  beautiful  spectacle  when  in  complete  hloem.  Tlicse  will  be 
furnished  at  the  end  of  May  next  without  douhr,  ample  evidence  that 
neither  in  culture  nor  in  form  is  there  anything  lacking  in  herbaceous 
Culceolaria«.  The  Hcailiug  strain  is  selected  w  th  the  same  care  and 
judgment  that  is  given  to  other  florists’  flowers,  such  as  ('yclaincns, 
Cinerarias,  Primulas,  and  others. — I). 
-  Chester  Paxton  Society. — At  tho  fortnightly  meeting,  held 
on  Ma'ch  18th,  Mr.  .lohii  Taylor,  Hoole  Hall,  and  the  Hon.  Secretary  of 
the  Society  delivered  short  addretses  on  the  Potatq  (in  the  absence  of 
Mr.  .John  .Jackson,  who  was  prevented  on  account  of  illness  trom  deliver¬ 
ing  his  paper  on  \'ir.e  Culture).  The  more  practical  points  dealt  with  by 
these  two  gentlemen  were  the  cutting  and  sprouting  of  tubers  botoie 
planting,  the  best  manures  to  use,  tho  classes  of  soils  best  suitoit  for 
successful  culture,  and  the  best  means  of  preventing  the  spread  of  fungoid 
diseases,  so  often  fatal  lo  Potato  crops.  Tho  best  varieties  to  use  for 
siicccssional  crops  were  also  commented  upon,  and  a  collection  of  some 
thirty-six  varieties  staged  by  members  contained  excellent  samples  of 
Up-lo-Dute,  The  Dick -.on.  Sultan’s  Reliance,  IMr.  Bresee,  Cheshire 
Prince,  Snowdroj),  and  Clarke’-s  Main  Crop,  which  was  generally  admitted 
to  be  the  best  flavoutod  variety  yet  introduced,  allhough  rather  behind 
other  varieties  in  tho  matter  of  cropping  properties.  On  tho  proposition 
of  the  President  (Mr.  .Jotiii  Wynne)  a  vole  of  thanks  w-as  accorded  to 
Mr.  Taylor  and  Mr.  Miln,  and  Mr,  N.  F.  Barnes,  Eaton  Gardens,  in 
seconding  this,  recommended  Early  Ringleader  as  being  the  best  and 
most  jirotilablo  variety  for  forcing  and  for  early  borders. 
-  Physianthu.s  ALKENS.-^In  reference  to  this  plant,  figured  iii 
l\\Q  Jourii'il  of  I/orticntture  for  Eehruary  23r(],  I  may  say  that  1  consider 
it.s  had  qualities  far  exceed  its  good  ones,  Iroin  a  bee-Uee[)er’.s  point  of 
view,  for  anyone  who  lias  a  [ilant  of  it,  and  will  look  carefully  into  it, 
will  find  a  bee  stuck  fast  in  nine  out  of  every  ten  flowers.  T'ho  furmatioii 
of  the  bloom  adiiiit.s  the  bee  in  search  of  honey,  and  when  iti  head  is 
inserted  into  the  base  it  closes  tightly  round,  and  jirevents  its  with¬ 
drawal.  Probably  that  has  something  to  do  witli  i:s  not  fnnting  freely 
in  some  places,  hut  such  is  not  the  case  hero,  as  ihe  jilant  carries  large 
numbers  of  fruit  annually.  To  anyone  having  a  siiitahio  as[iecf,  and  who 
tl'.ought  of  planting  one  of  them,  1  would  recommend  a  Siauntonia 
latifolia,  or  a  llhynchosperinum  jasininoide.s.  as  tlieir  flowers  ar*  more 
attractive  in  all  ways.  T'he  Slauntonia  aUo  has  curious-looking  trait 
throughout  tho  winter,  while  the  Rynchospermiiin  begins  lo  bloom  iu 
June,  and  continues  until  late  in  tlie  summer  ;  its  flowers  are  always 
acceptable.  They  will  botli  stand  a  eoiiiiderable  amount  of  frost,  but  in 
very  hard  wea  her  they  should  he  covered  with  a  lew  light  Spruce 
branches.  On  a  south  wall  20°  wid  not  harm  — at  least,  such  i.s  the  case 
here,  and  the  pluiits  now  look  wu  II. — Wm.  Camm,  iJattlo  Abh  'j/. 
-  Flowers  for  the  Workers.- For  tho  past  four  years  klr. 
John  Crostield,  a  prominent  gentleman  in  Warrington  public  life,  has 
made  arrangements  for  the  distribution  of  Hyacinth  Itulbs  to  any  ot  the 
householders  of  the  working  i  lass  who  should  appU  lor  them  ;  and  to  tho 
most  successful  cultivators  of  which  he  ofTerod  moiiey  pn/.i  s.  Biiring 
October  last  1500  bulbs  were  given  awaj-,  each  applicant  receiving  three 
one  each  of  red,  white,  and  blue  varieties.  Satunla}',  Marcli  Ith,  was 
fixed  for  tho  exhibition,  when  the  Hyacinths  were  staged  in  the  lecture 
room  of  the  Warrington  Museum.  There  were  four  classes  [iroviiled — 
namely,  two  bulbs  in  [lOts,  tw'o  in  glasses,  one  in  pot,  and  one  in  glass  ;  by 
this  arrangement  oacli  ricipient  had  two  chances  to  obtain  an  award. 
Tho  prizes  in  each  of  iho  two  former  classes  wen*  seven  in  nuiuhor,  and 
ranged  in  value  Iroin  12s.  to  Is.  In  each  of  the  other  cla.sses  there  were 
six  prizes  awarded,  these  ranging  from  On.  to  Is.  in  value.  Great  iiuerest 
Wits  taken  in  the  pirocecdings,  as  was  evidenced  by  the  largo  niiitdiers  ot 
both  amateur  and  [irofessional  gardeners  w  lio  vi^ited  tlie  show,  admis-ion 
to  which  was  tree.  The  c.xhihits  also  were  a  marked  improvement  <m 
previous  years,  as  no  doubt  tho  townsfolk  have  become  heitt  r  aequa  nte  . 
wiili  the  details  essential  to  succe.ssful  Hyacinth  culture.  'I’hore  is  lo 
doubt  that  the  results  are  pleasing  bolli  to  the  grower  and  to  the  do  lor 
who  in  various  ways  takes  an  active  interest  in  pr.>moiiug  and  tusti  ring 
the  love  of  horticulture  among  the  masses,  and  his  example  night 
advantageously  be  followed  by  many  people. — P.  W. 
