398 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  1,  1900. 
Secretaries  of  All  Cardeolng:  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. 
Wargrave  Gardeners’  Society. — At  tbe  recent  fortnightly 
meeting,  Mr.  T.  Haskett,  gardener  to  J.  W.  Rhodes,  Esq.,  Hennerton, 
read  a  most  instructive  paper  on  “  Celery  Culture.”  Seed  sowing, 
pricking  out,  trenching,  earthing  up,  watering,  and  other  points  were 
described,  as  were  also  the  pests  and  remedies  for  their  eradication. 
A  discussion  took  place  in  which  many  members  joined. 
Evesbam  Cbrysanitaemum  Society.  —  The  schedule  of  the 
prizes  to  be  offered  for  competition  in  the  Town  Hall,  Evesham,  on 
Wednesday,  November  14tb,  has  been  forwarded  by  the  honorary 
secretary,  Mr.  G.  Witts,  Bengeworth.  Classes  for  Chrysanthemums 
number  half  a  score,  the  remaining  two  dozen  being  devoted  to  plants, 
fruits,  and  vegetables.  The  principal  class  is  for  a  group  for  which  an 
8-guinea  challenge  cup  and  £2  form  the  first  prize.  In  the  cut  bloom 
section  £7  are  offered  in  three  prizes  for  twenty-four  Japanese,  distinct. 
The  hon.  sec.  will  furnish  all  necessary  particulars  on  application. 
Bradford  Cbrysantbemum  Exhibition. — The  fourteenth  annua] 
show  of  the  Bradford  and  District  Society  is  to  be  held  in  the  St. 
George's  Hall,  Bradford,  on  November  16th  and  17th.  The  display 
brought  together  in  this  busy  town  is  invariably  a  fine  one,  and  there  is 
no  reason  to  suppose  that  this  year  will  prove  an  exception.  The 
classes  number  upwards  of  four  dozen,  and  it  is  clear  that  the 
committee  has  made  every  endeavour  to  meet  the  requirements  of  all 
growers.  The  honorary  secretary  is  Mr.  R.  Eichel,  Eldwick,  Bingley, 
who  will  forward  schedules  and  any  necessary  information  to  prospective 
exhibitors. 
Iieamlngton  Cbrysantbemum  Sbow. — The  exhibition  of  tbe 
Leamington,  Warwick,  and  District  Chrysanthemum  Society,  which  has 
been  fixed  for  November  22nd  and  23rd,  will  be  held  in  the  Royal 
Assembly  Rooms,  Leamington  Spa,  and  a  satisfactory  show  is  anticipated. 
The  schedule  comprises  just  thirty  classes,  some  of  which  are  open  to 
all  comers,  others  are  restricted  to  amateurs  and  single-handed 
gardeners,  while  cottagers  are  by  no  means  forgotten.  Chrysanthemums 
in  the  form  of  cut  blooms  and  groups  are  well  catered  for,  as  also  are 
fruits  and  vegetables.  Schedules  and  full  particulars  may  be  obtained 
from  the  secretary,  Mr.  Arthur  J.  Nicholls,  Portland  Street,  Leamington. 
Bolton  Cbrysantbemum  Sbow. — The  schedule  of  the  Bolton 
Horticultural  and  Chrysanthemum  Society,  which  we  have  just 
received,  embodies  about  sixty  classes,  including  those  for  plants, 
fruits,  and  vegetables,  as  well  as  Chrysanthemums.  The  class  that 
should  be  productive  of  the  finest  display  and  the  keenest  competition 
is  for  eighteen  each  Japanese  and  incurved,  for  which  £9,  £6,  and  £4 
are  offered  as  the  prizes  ;  to  the  first  is  added  a  silver  challenge  cup 
value  20  guineas,  which  becomes  the  property  of  any  grower  winning  it 
twice  in  succession.  Silver  cups  are  also  offered  in  other  classes  for 
cut  blooms  and  for  plants.  Tbe  show  is  to  be  held  in  the  Albert  Hall, 
Bolton,  on  November  16th  and  17th,  and  the  secretary  (Mr.  J.  Hicks, 
16,  Markland  Hill  Lane,  Heaton,  Bolton)  will  send  all  needful 
information. 
Bristol  Gardeners’  Association. — The  fortnightly  meeting  was 
held  at  St.  John’s  Parish  Room,  Redland,  on  Thursday,  October  25th, 
Mr.  G.  Brook  presiding.  The  lecture  was  given  by  Mr.  Shaddick  of 
Stoke  Bishop  on  “  Croton  Culture.”  He  claimed  at  the  outset  that  for 
decoration  hardly  any  plant  equalled  the  Croton,  it  being  equally 
valuable  for  table,  room,  or  conservatory  decoration.  He  dealt  very 
clearly  with  the  cultivation,  showing  the  various  methods  of  propa¬ 
gation,  urging  the  necessity  of  a  light  house,  well  heated,  both  for 
rooting  cuttings,  and  for  after  treatment,  giving  also  many  useful  hints 
on  potting.  He  enumerated  the  many  insect  pests  to  which  Crotons 
were  liable,  and  described  his  plan  of  getting  rid  of  them,  concluding 
with  a  list  of  the  varieties  he  thought  the  most  useful.  A  good  discussion 
followed,  and  Mr.  Shaddick  was  heartily  thanked  for  his  lecture  on  the 
motion  of  the  chairman.  Prizes  for  twelve  culinary  Apples  were  awarded 
Messrs.  Poole,  Atwell,  and  Ross  ;  for  two  Pitcher  plants  to  Mr.  White  ; 
certificates  of  merit  went  to  Mr.  Raikes  for  Croton,  Mr.  Poole  collection 
of  vegetables,  and  Mr.  Newberry  Odontoglossum  grande.  The  judges 
also  recommended  a  certificate  of  special  merit  to  Mr.  White  for  Pitcher 
plant. 
^rational  Amateur  Gardeners’  Association. — A  lec  ure  on 
“Sweet-scented  Leaves  and  Fragrant  Flowers”  will  be  given  in  the 
Great  Hall,  Winchester  House,  Old  Broad  Street,  on  Tuesday,  November 
6tb,  at  7  P.M.,  by  Mr.  Donald  McDonald,  of  Messrs.  Carter  &  Co.  The 
chair  will  be  taken  by  Sir  George  C.  M.  Birdwood.  The  secretary 
of  the  association  is  Mr.  V.  Stacy  Marks,  1,  Anglesea  Road,  Kingston. 
on-Thames. 
Middleton  Cbrysantbemum  Society. — So  far  as  we  are  aware 
this  is  the  only  society  that  keeps  its  annual  show  open  on  the  Sunday 
and  we  commend  the  committee  for  so  doing,  as  the  influence  of  flowers 
on  the  mind  of  everyone  cannot  be  other  than  for  their  good.  The 
exhibition  opens  on  Saturday,  November  I7th,  in  the  Co-operative  Hall, 
Middleton,  and  continues  over  Sunday.  The  schedule  is  not  an 
extensive  one,  as  it  only  embodies  thirty-six  classes,  but  we  hope  that 
the  prizes  will  be  sufficiently  good  to  insure  an  excellent  display.  The 
secretary  is  Mr,  J.  Entwistle,  Westfield,  Middleton,  to  whom  all 
applications  for  imformation  should  be  addressed, 
Sheffield  Cbrysantbemum  Society. — For  several  years  the 
exhibitions  held  under  the  axispices  of  this  society  have  occupied  a 
leading  position  among  Yorkshire  fixtures,  and  the  present  one,  to  be 
held  in  the  Corn  Exchange  on  November  9th  and  10th,  will  in  all 
probability,  thoroughly  uphold  tbe  well  earned  reputation.  Tbe 
schedule  is  a  particularly  generous  one,  and  the  keen  northern  growers 
will  doubtless  make  good  fight  for  the  handsome  prizes.  In  corro¬ 
boration  of  this  we  may  cite  the  classes  for  twenty. four  incurved  and 
twenty -four  Japanese,  both  in  not  less  than  eighteen  varieties,  which  have 
prizes  in  each  case  of  the  respective  values  of  £7  10s.,  £5,  £3,  and 
£2.  Then  we  find  a  total  sum  of  £14  allocated  to  a  class  for  a  group 
of  Chrysanthemums  with  other  flowering  and  foliage  plants.  In  all 
these  instances  the  society  adds  its  silver  medal  to  the  premier  prize. 
General  plants  and  fruits  also  receive  due  attention,  while  the  require¬ 
ments  of  the  smaller  growers  are  by  no  means  overlooked.  The  last 
day  for  receiving  entries  is  Saturday,  November  3rd,  and  they  must 
be  forwarded  to  Mr.  William  Housley,  28,  Joshua  Road,  Nether  Edge, 
SheflBeld,  who  is  the  energetic  secretary. 
Tbe  Winter — Zs  It  to  be  Severe  ? — Snow  has  fallen  in  Scot- 
land,  and  the  mountain  tops  are  wearing  their  white  caps.  This 
reminds  people  that  we  are  on  the  verge  of  winter,  and  the  question, 
“  Will  it  be  a  hard  one  ?  ”  is  anxiously  asked  by  many  persons.  A 
Paris  weather  prophet,  one  M.  Jaures,  has  attempted  a  reply.  He  is 
very  pessimistic.  We  are,  he  says,  to  have  the  coldest  winter  known 
for  many  years.  He  is  confident  of  this,  but  is  rather  vague  as  to  his 
reasons  why.  Householders,  however,  with  the  high  price  of  coals  in 
their  mind,  need  not  be  too  despondent  at  this  French  prophecy,  for  a 
contemporary  reminds  us  that  we  have  a  British  authority  much 
greater  than  the  Gallic  one,  whose  opinions  are  otherwise.  This  is  the 
famous  White  of  Selborne,  who,  being  dead,  yet  speaketh.  The  quaint 
old  author  and  keen  observer  of  Nature  held  that  a  cold  winter  was 
extremely  unlikely  when  there  had  been  a  dry  summer.  The  earth,  he  said, 
must  be  saturated  with  rain  before  a  really  cold  winter  was  possible. 
The  past  summer  was  exceptionally  dry,  and,  relying  on  White,  the 
deduction  is  that  the  coming  winter  is  not  greatly  to  be  feared. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Cblswlck. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Direction  of 
Wind. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Rain. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.  M. 
Lowest 
Temperature 
on  Grass. 
1900. 
October. 
At  9  A.  M. 
Day. 
Night 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
AO 
OQ 
V 
a 
Ad 
03 
<D 
o 
lA 
Sunday..  21 
Monday.  .22 
Tuesday  23 
Wed’sday  21 
'Thursday  25 
Friday  ..  26 
Saturday  27 
N. 
N.N.E. 
s.s.w. 
w.s.w. 
w.s.w. 
S.S.E. 
W.N.W. 
deg. 
41 -4 
41 -9 
47- 7 
62-8 
64-9 
48- 4 
48-4 
deg. 
41-4 
41'4 
47-2 
61-7 
53-5 
45-3 
44-0 
deg. 
60-3 
60-3 
67-6 
58-4 
66-7 
49-6 
52-6 
deg. 
32-4 
36- 9 
38-4 
46-2 
52-2 
43-8 
37- 4 
ins. 
0-02 
0.01 
0-08 
0-06 
0-16 
0-03 
deg. 
49-1 
47-3 
47-9 
49-5 
62-2 
61-0 
47-9 
deg. 
63-2 
62-6 
61- 9 
62- 0 
62'4 
62-8 
62-4 
deg. 
64-8 
64 -6 
44-5 
64-3 
63-9 
53-9 
63-9 
deg. 
22-1 
28-2 
28-6 
34-7 
62-0 
38-9 
296 
Means  .. 
48 -8 
46-4 
63-6 
41-0 
Total 
0-36 
49-3 
62-5 
64-3 
33 '4 
A  week  of  very  dull,  showery  weather,  with  cold  winds,  especially 
at  night. 
