290 
JOURNA-L  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTT AOE  GARDENER^  September  27,  1900. 
Secretaries  ol  All  Gardenlngr  Mutual  improvement 
Societies  are  requested  to  send  address  and  title  of  their  organisations 
to  the  Editor  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  at  12,  Mitre  Court 
Chambers,  Fleet  Street,  London,  for  insertion  in  the  coming  edition  of 
the  “Horticultural  Directory,”  which  is  published  at  the  beginning 
of  December. 
Scottish  Horticultural  Association, — At  a  meeting  of  this 
association  held  recently  in  Edinburgh  under  the  presidency  of  Mr. 
McKenzie  of  Warriston,  Mr.  Eckford  gave  an  interesting  dissertation  on 
the  Sweet  Pea,  covering  in  fact  the  same  ground  as  was  dealt  with  by 
Messrs.  H.  Eckford  and  C.  H.  Curtis  at  the  Crystal  Palace  conference. 
Several  well  known  and  experienced  members  of  the  audience  made 
remarks  on  various  aspects  of  Sweet  Pea  culture  before  an  interesting 
and  instructive  meeting  was  brought  to  a  close. 
Awards  at  Hdlnburgh  Show. — Gold  medal  to  Messrs.  Sutton 
and  Sons  ;  silver  medals  to  Messrs.  D.  &  W.  Buchanan,  Dobbie  &  Co., 
and  R.  Wallace  &  Co.  ;  awards  of  merit  to  Messrs.  Brown  Bros.  &  Co., 
R.  Bolton,  M.  Campbell,  Cocker  &  Son,  M.  Cuthbertson,  H.  Deverill, 
H.  Eckford,  J.  Forbes,  Harkness  &  Sons,  C.  Irvine,  Jones  &  Sons, 
Laing  &  Mather,  A.  Lister  &  Son,  C.  Page,  J.  Philips,  Storrie  &  Storrie, 
Wells  &  Co.,  and  T.  M.  Whitehead;  and  special  awards  to  Messrs. 
Cunningham,  Fraser  &  Co.,  J.  Downie,  J.  Grieve  &  Son,  R.  B.  Laird  and 
Sons,  Ltd.,  T.  Methven  &  Sons,  and  J.  Rowatt. 
Cardiff  Gardeners’  Association. — This  society  opens  its  winter 
session  next  Tuesday,  when  Mr.  Garhold  will  lecture  upon  “  British 
Residences  and  Gardens,”  illustrated  with  limelight  views.  The  syllabus 
promises  a  long  and  attractive  programme  extending  over  twelve 
meetings.  Among  the  subjects  to  bo  treated  may  be  mentioned  “  Sweet 
Peas,”  by  Mr.  J.  C.  House;  “Chemical  Manures  on  Fruit  and  Kitchen 
Garden  Produce,”  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Shrivell  ;  “  The  Rock  Garden,” 
by  Mr.  W.  W.  Pettigrew  ;  and  “  Peaches  and  Nectarines,”  by  Mr.  H.  R. 
Farmer.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  good  work  of  this  society  will 
bear  fruit  a  hundredfold  by  promoting  the  emulation  of  its  excellent 
example. 
Croydon  Gardeners’  Society. — During  the  autumn  and  early 
winter  months  the  following  subjects  will  be  dealt  with  : — October  2nd, 
“  Hardy  Flowers,”  by  Mr.  Soaplehorn  ;  October  16th,  “  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums,”  by  Mr.  M.  B.  Mills ;  October  23rd,  “  A  Talk  on  Horticultural 
and  Botanical  Books  and  Exhibition  of  Book.s,”  by  Mr.  John  Weathers  ; 
November  6th,  “Hardy  Fiuit ;  ”  November  20th,  “  Cattleyas,”  by  Mr. 
W.  E.  Humphreys  ;  December  4th,  “Yews;  Historical  Trees,  Clipped, 
and  Hedges,”  by  Dr.  Brook  Ridley;  December  18th,  “Advantages  and 
Usefulness  of  Horticultural  Mutual  Improvement  Societies,”  by  Mr. 
W.  J.  Simpson,  chairman.  The  hon.  sec.  is  Mr,  John  Gregory,  60, 
Canterbury  Road,  West  Croydon. 
Flower  Sbows  in  Hew  York, — One  of  the  best  and  most 
important  lessons  taught  by  the  recent  horticultural  exhibition  in  New 
Y.ork  is  that  the  gardeners  and  florists  of  the  city  and  neighbourhood 
are  capable  of  putting  on  view  a  display  of  plants  and  flowers,  unrivalled 
perhaps  anywhere  in  the  country.  With  this  knowledge  at  hand,  the 
suggestion  of  the  newly  elected  president  O’Mara  (at  all  times  practical, 
and  not  more  so  than  on  this  occasion)  that  the  Florists’  Club  begin  to 
consider  the  advisability  of  holding  a  flower  show  in  the  metropolis  in 
the  autumn  of  1901,  is  deserving  of  earnest  thought.  No  one  will 
question  the  truth  of  Mr.  O’Mara’s  comments,  that  “  New  York  has 
reached  that  stage  in  matters  horticultural  when  she  cannot  afford  to 
be  without  an  exhibition  of  these  goods  at  least  once  a  year,”  and  few 
that  give  the  subject  serious  consideration  but  will,  says  the  “  Florists’ 
Exchange,”  share  in  the  sanguineness  of  the  president  of  the  Florists’ 
Club  regarding  the  ultimate  success  of  the  venture,  when  viewed  in 
the  light  of  recent  experience — so  far  as  the  making  of  an  exhibition  is 
concerned,  at  all  events.  The  matter  of  its  paying  qualities,  from  an 
attendance  standpoint,  may,  however,  create  a  little  doubt  in  the  minds 
of -some  of  the  less  optimistic.  The  show  in  the  Grand  Central  Palace, 
as  far  as  the  general  public’s  appreciation  of  it  is  concerned,  can  hardly 
be  taken  as  a  gauge  of  the  city  people’s  interest  in  such  displays,  as 
“  society  had  not  yet  returned  to  town,”  yet  there  was  sufficient 
evidence  that  enthusiasm  in  affairs  of  the  kind  was  not  wanting.  With 
a  flower  show  well  advertised,  well  managed,  well  presented  at  a  proper 
season  of  the  year,  and  a  proper  admission  price,  all  of  which  can  be 
done  in  New  York,  were  it  so  willed,  we  believe  no  fear  need  be 
entertained  on  the  score  of  patronage. 
Hatlonal  Chrysanthemum  Society — The  following  are  the^ 
dates  fixed  for  the  exhibitions  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society 
in  1901  : — Early  autumn  exhibition  of  Chrysanthemums,  Tuesday, 
Wednesday,  and  Thursday,  October  9th  lOth,  11th  ;  great  autumn  com¬ 
petition  and  fete,  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  Thursday,  November  6th, 
7th,  8th;  early  winter  exhibition,  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  Thursday, 
December  4th,  5th,  6th. 
Colony  for  Vegetarians. — To  the  vegetarian — the  consistent, 
constitutional  vegetarian — an  ordinary  menu  is  a  loathsome  thing,  and  a 
man  with  whiskers  eating  ox-tail  soup,  or  even  a  maiden  fair  who  takes 
the  leg  of  the  chicken  in  her  fingers  and  gnaws  at  it,  is  disgusting. 
Wherefore  the  president  of  the  Vegetarian  Society  of  America,  Rev.  H.  S. 
Chubb  of  Philadelphia,  has,  asserts  the  “  Chicago  Tribune,”  gone  south 
to  look  for  a  place  where  the  vegetarians  may  colonise  and  establish 
regulations  that  will  conform  to  their  tastes  and  practices. 
Grants  for  Agricultural  Research. — The  annual  report  was 
issued  recently  on  the  distribution  of  grants  for  agricultural  education 
and  research  in  1899-1900,  with  statements  respecting  the  several 
colleges  and  institutions  aided  and  the  experiments  conducted.  The 
awards  to  each  of  the  institutions  receiving  assistance  from  the  Board 
of  Agriculture  are  set  out  in  the  usual  form,  the  total  distributed 
amounting  to  £7750,  compared  with  an  expenditure  of  £7350  in  the 
year  1898-99.  These  sums  do  not  include  the  expenses  incurred  by  the 
Board  in  the  necessary  inspection  of  the  educational  and  experimental 
work  of  the  several  institutions  aided,  or  of  the  inspection  of  the  similar 
work  of  certain  county  councils  conducted  at  the  request  of  these  local 
authorities.  The  totals  are  also  exclusive  of  the  outlay  on  special 
investigations  now  being  conducted  by  certain  of  the  local  centres  on 
behalf  of  the  Board. 
The  Orchards  of  the  West. — The  Apple  orchards  of  the  West 
present  just  now  a  sight  worth  travelling  many  miles  to  see.  Those 
whom  business  or  late  holidays  take  through  the  counties  of  Somerset, 
Devon,  and  Worcester — the  cider  counties — will  find  plenty  to  interest 
them  in  the  orchards  visible  from  the  railways.  Though  the  Apples  are 
in  many  oases  very  small,  yet  the  yield  in  quantity  is  extremely  heavy. 
Trees  are  laden  to  breaking  point,  and  the  rich  ripe  fruit  is  clustered 
on  the  branches  su  thickly  as  to  resemble  ropes  of  Onions.  The 
orchards  of  the  West  are  perhaps  more  picturesque  than  those  of  other 
counties.  So  numerous  are  they,  and  so  naturally  flourishing,  that  they 
lend  a  distinct  character  to  the  country.  Alike  in  spring  time  and  in 
harvest  they  are  the  most  prominent  and  attractive  features  of  the 
landscape.  In  the  spring  the  delicate  snowy  beauty  of  abundant 
blossom  gives  promise  of  the  rich,  ripe,  ruddy  harvest  of  the  autumn. 
Just  now  the  orchards  are  ablaze  with  the  golds,  the  reds,  the  purples 
of  fruit  fully  ripe  and  ready  to  be  garnered.  All  along  the  Mendips 
and  the  Quantooks,  and  through  the  many  fertile  valleys  of  Somerset — 
in  the  combes  and  on  the  hillside,  on  the  fat  soil  of  the  lowlands — the 
orchards  are,  says  the  “Daily  News,”  freighted  with  golden  fruit. 
Plums,  too,  have  been  abundantly  plentiful,  and  their  rich  colouring 
has  not  yet  all  disappeared.  Nor  are  the  Apples  yet  picked.  When 
they  are  garnered  the  great  heaps  of  fruit  gathered  under  the  trees 
will  add  fresh  interest  to  the  sight. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Direction  of 
Wind. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Bain. 
1 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
1  Lowest 
Temperature 
on  Grass. 
1900. 
September. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
-O 
03 
<D 
3 
-4^ 
91 
1 
Sunday..  1(5 
Monday.  .17 
Tuesday  18 
Wed’sday  19 
Thursday  20 
Friday  ..  21 
Saturday  22 
E.S.B. 
s.w. 
s.w. 
s.w. 
s.w. 
s.s.w. 
s.s.w. 
deg. 
61- 7 
611 
68-4 
66-2 
64-6 
62- 6 
60-9 
deg. 
60-2  ' 
61-2 
57-2 
62-5 
61  0 
65-3 
68-9 
deg. 
81  0 
74-0 
69- 3 
69  3 
70- 5 
73-2 
722 
deg. 
67-8 
61-9 
62  9 
41  7 
39 '5 
39-5 
65  7 
ins. 
0*02 
deg. 
60  0 
60  7 
60-9 
69-5 
68'1 
67  6 
69-6 
deg. 
59-2 
69-6 
69  8 
69-9 
69  6 
69  2 
69-1 
deg. 
68-2 
58'1 
681 
68-1 
68-1 
68-1 
68-1 
deg. 
61-5 
43-6 
430 
30-7 
29- 6 
30- 9 
48-2 
Means  .. 
59-8 
66-6 
72 -S 
48-4 
Total 
0-02 
59 -5 
69-6 
631 
39 '6 
A  week  of  dull,  dry,  warm  weather  with  a  very  slight  shower  on 
the  16th  inst. 
