140 
JOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  12,  1903. 
Appointment. 
Mr.  C.  F.  Blackford  1  las  received  the  appointment  of  gardener 
to  Lord  Ronald  Siitlierlalrd  Gower,  of  Hainmerfield,  Penliunst, 
Kent,  formerly  in  the  occupation  of  General  de  Gouroff. 
Croydon  Horticultural  Society. 
A  paper  on  Peach  culture,  by  Mr.  Alderman,  of  Morden 
Hall  Garden.s,  was  read  before  this  society  on  the  3rd  inst.  The 
next  paper  will  be  “  Garden  Root  Crops,”  by  Mr.  Thomas  Bun- 
yard,  on  Tuesday,  February  17. 
Retirement  of  a  Well-known  Park  Superintendent. 
Having  comj)]eted  with  great  credit  the  long  period  of  thirty 
yeans’  service  in  the  public  gardens,  Mr.  AVilliam  Browne  is  now 
retiring  on  a  Civil  Service  pension  from  the  superintendentship 
of  the  Royal  Central  Parks,  London. 
Hamilton  Gardening  and  Forestry  Association. 
The  monthly  meeting  of  this  association  was  held  in  the 
Mining  In.stitute  on  the  3rd  inst.,  the  Rev.  T.  M.  B.  Paterson 
presiding.  Mr.  1).  Chisholm.  Udston  Gardens,  read  a  splendid 
paper  on  “  C  hemi.^try  for  the  Garden.”  The  lecturer  made  some 
very  interesting  remarks  regarding  the  various  gase<s  in  the 
atmosphere  and  the  effects  they  have  on  the  soil.  There  was  a 
very  good  attendance  at  this  meeting. 
Southport  (Lancs.)  Municipal  Gardens. 
The  Boulevards  Committee  of  the  Southport  Cor^joration  are 
considering  Mr.  Hathaway’s  scheme  for  improving  the  Municipal 
Gaidens,  which  is  almost  certain  to  be  carried  out  in  its  entirety. 
The  present  fountain  is  to  be  left  intact,  but  the  bandstand  is 
to  be  removed  nearer  Lord  Street,  with  seating  accommodation 
round  for  2,000  persons.  Around  the  space  devoted  to  the 
public  an  ornamental  shrubbery  wiih  various  flower  bed  designs 
will  be  arranged.  The  base  of  the  fountain  is  to  be  embellished 
with  rockwork  suitably  planted,  whilst  on  the  side  nearest  Cam¬ 
bridge  Hall  a  row  of  trees  and  specimen  Hollies  will  be  a 
welcome  addition.  A  new  bandstand,  to  cost  £500,  will  be 
erected.  In  such  a  wealthy  district,  with  its  many  beautiful 
nttraction.«,  the  above  improvements  will  be  welcomed.— R.  P.  R. 
Death  of  Supevintendant  Jennings. 
Horticulturists  who  have  attended  either  as  visitors  or 
'exhibitors  at  the  splendid  shows  held  in  St.  George’s  Hall, 
Liverpool,  will  hear  with  unfeigned  regret  of  the  death  of  the 
popular  and  highly  respected  caretaker.  Superintendent  Jen¬ 
nings,  on  February  2,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six.  The  late  Mr. 
Jennings  was  an  old  Bluecoat  Boy,  and  during  his  career  had 
visited  almost  every  part  of  the  world.  He  was  a  first-class 
musician  and  composer,  and  was  also  a  painter  of  no  mean  order, 
and  a  writer  of  considerable  ability,  as  witnessed  by  the 
broclmre  setting  forth  the  history  of  this  stately  building. 
Horticulture  found  in  him  a  true  friend,  his  courtesy  to  all  ex¬ 
hibitors  being  proverbial.  An  ininiense  concourse  of  people  were 
pre.sent  at  the  funeral  at  St.  James’  Cemetery  on  Friday  last, 
amongst  the  many  wreaths  being  one  from  the  Liverpool  'Horti¬ 
cultural  Association.— R.  P.  R. 
Paignton  (Devon)  Gardeners. 
The  Paignton  Gardeners’  Association  on  Thursday  week 
di.scussed  British  Ferns,  Mr.  E.  German  showing  specimens  and 
■explaining  several  kinds  of  Ferns.  Mr.  J.  Crathorn  pre, sided 
over  a  fair  number  of  members.  Altogether  about  twenty-four 
Avere  dealt  with.  It  was  said  that  not  many  Briti.sh  Ferns  liked 
the  sun,  but  one  or  two  of  the  kinds  exhibited  would  grow  in 
a  southern  aspect.  For  British  varieties,  a  cold  frame  was 
e'cjually  as  good  as  glass  houses,  and  did  away  with  the  clanger 
of  thrip  and  other  pests,  although  some  kinds  of  fl,y  were  almost 
inevitable.  SjAores  did  not  alwajcs  generate  similar  kinds,  and 
for  one  better  there  were  scores  Averse.  As  to  the  habits,  they 
must  see  Avhere  Ferns  groAv  in  a  Avild  state,  and  treat  them 
accordingly.  Mr.  German  denied  that  peat  Avas  essential  to 
British  Ferns,  and  Avould  prefer  the  soil  at  Galmpton  Warboro’ 
to  any  peat,  too  much  of  Avhich  Avas  used  for  Ferns.  A  good 
compo.st  that  he  recommended  was  a  good  loam  rotted  in  tho 
open  air  and  some  leaf  mould  Avell  sifted,  to  Avhich  add  some 
coarse  sand.  Ferns  should  be  Avell  moistened,  and  plunged  in 
•■^oil  so  that  the  root  could  sink  doAvn. 
Royal  Meteorological  Society. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Meteorological  Society,  which 
Avill  bo  held  at  70,  Victor!^  Street,  Westminster,  on  the  evening 
of  the  18th,  Mr.  Echvard  Mawley,  F.R.H.S.,  Avill  read  a  paper 
entitled  “Report  on  the  Phenological  Observations  for  1902.” 
Weather  in  the  North. 
A  feAv  good,  but  dull  days  occurred  in  the  former  part  of  the 
past  Aveek,  but  since  the  afternoon  of  the  6th,  Avhen  a  Avild 
south-Avesterly  gale  sprang  up,  till  the  morning  of  Monday,  thei'e 
have  been  almost  continuous  gales  Avith  heavy  rain.  Extensrte 
flooding  has  been  the  consequence  all  over  the  country.  Monday 
Avas  fairer,  bub  dull. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
Temple  House  Gardens,  Great  Marlow,  Bucks. 
The  rainfall  here  for  January,  1903,  Avas  2.97iu.  The 
maximum  temperature  Avas  54deg  on  the  5th,  and  the  minimum 
19deg  on  the  14th.  There  Avere  six  foggy  days  during  the  month  ; 
A’^ery  sudden  thunder  and  lightning,  accompanied  Avith  heavy 
hailstorm,  at  11.20  a.m.  on  the  3rd;  a  continual  downpour  of 
rain  on  the  4th,  from  4  p.m.  and  during  tho  night;  rough 
Avinds  on  the  5th,  6th,  11th,  25th,  and  31st,  and  sleet  fell  on 
the  12th  and  17th.  The  maximum  for  January,  1902,  wa.s 
54deg,  and  the  minimum  20deg.  The  rainfall  for  January, 
1902,  was  0.83in.— G.  G. 
Scottish  Weather  Notes. 
In  the  Hamilton  district  the  Aveather  last  Aveek  Avas  excep¬ 
tionally  fine  for  the  season,  varied  Avith  shoAvers  and  winds.  In 
Haddingtonshire  the  conditions  Avere  quite  spring-like,  and 
Anemones,  Hellebores,  dtc.,  made  the  most  of  it.  In  a  later 
note,  our  Hamilton  correspondent  says:  “Saturday  Avas  one 
of  the  stormiest  days,  with  wind  and  rain,  that  has  visited  this 
district  for  years.  Sunday,  though  the  wind  moderated.  Avas 
not  much  better.  On  both  days  the  rain  fell  inoe.ssantly. 
Consequently  fields,  brooks,  and  rivers  Avere  flooded.”  The 
Clyde,  as  we  have  all  learnt  during  the  week,  broke  its  banks 
on  Monday  last,  overflowing  and  flooding  hundreds  of  acres  of 
land,  and  doing  great  damage  to  various  manufactories. 
January  Weather  at  Belvoir  Castle. 
The  prevailing  direction  of  the  wind  was  S.W.,  total  tweh^e 
days.  The  total  rainfall  Avas  1.83in;  this  fell  on  sixteen  days, 
and  is  0.05in  aboA’e  the  average;  the  greatest  daily  fall  was 
0.45in  on  the  5th.  Barometer  (corrected  and  reduced) :  highest 
reading,  30.668in  on  the  14th  at  9  a.m.  ;  loAvest,  29.119in  on  the 
7th  at  9  a.m.  Thermometers:  highest  in  the  shade,  53deg  on 
the  26th ;  loAA  est,  15deg  on  the  14th ;  mean  of  daily  maxima, 
■43.38deg  ;  mean  of  daily  minima,  33. 09deg ;  mean  tempei’ature  of 
the  month,  38.23deg:  loAvest  on  the  grass,  12deg  on  the  14th; 
highest  in  the  sun,  78deg  on  the  29th  and  31st;  mean  tempera¬ 
ture  of  the  earth  at  3ft,  40.64deg.  Total  sunshine,  68  hours 
50  min.,  which  is  14  hours  56  min.  below  the  average.  There 
Avere  nine  sunless  days. — W.  H.  Divers. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chis¬ 
wick,  height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
1  Date. 
I 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
0 
1903. 
February. 
i  1.1 
« !> 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
a 
'S 
Pi 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
122 
0  pt 
1 
!  Q 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
CD 
0) 
4: 
bo 
S 
•«a 
m 
O 
fe 
0 
ij 
^  s  § 
Q>  ® 
bi 
1  Sunday  ...  1 
s.w. 
deg. 
39  7 
deg. 
37-5 
deg. 
43-1 
deg. 
38-4 
Ins. 
002 
deg. 
42-7 
deg. 
43-5 
deg. 
44-6 
deg. 
33  0 
Monday  ...  2 
W.N.W. 
35-2 
32-4 
42-1 
28-3 
— 
40-1 
43  2 
44.7 
16  2 
Tuesday...  3 
S.W. 
38-8 
37-6 
47-5 
320 
— 
38-4 
42-3 
44.7 
22  6 
1  Wed’sday  4 
s.w. 
46-7 
44-1 
48-9 
38-3 
— 
40-8 
420 
44.7 
37-2 
1  Thursday  5 
s.w. 
46-3 
44.7 
47-1 
44-9 
— 
42-2 
42-5 
44-5 
42  0 
Friday  ...  6 
s.s.w. 
41'9 
40-2 
52-3 
40'2 
— 
42-4 
430 
44-5 
30-5 
Saturday  7 
s.w. 
49-S 
48-3 
52-6 
40  8 
0-03 
43  0 
43-2 
44-6 
340 
1  Means  ... 
42-6 
40-7 
47-7 
-  1 
37-6  ■ 
Total. 
005 
41-4 
42-8 
44  6 
30-8 
The  Aveather  during  the  greater  part  of  the  week  lias  been  dull, 
Avith  bright  sunshine  at  intervals. 
