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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  13,  1900. 
Recent  Weather  In  london.— On  more  than  one  morning 
during  the  past  few  days  there  have  been  indications  of  slight  frost, 
but  these  have  given  place  to  cold  winds.  Monday  and  Tuesday  were 
dry  and  cool  with  indications  of  fog,  while  on  Wednesday  it  was  very 
dull. 
Weather  In  the  N'orth. — The  past  week  has  been  one  of  almost 
continuous  gloom  and  wet.  There  were  short  cessations,  as  on  the 
4th  inst.,  when  there  was  a  slight  touch  of  frost,  and  the  morning  was 
bright  for  some  hours ;  and  again  on  the  10th,  when  there  were  a  few 
fitful  gleams  of  sunshine  and  a  dry  hour  or  two  ;  otherwise  there  has 
been  incessant  rain,  and  latterly  disagreeable  squalls.  Prom  all  parts 
of  the  country  come  reports  of  swollen  streams  and  flooded  lands,  from 
which  the  Turnip  crop,  and  in  several  districts  not  even  Potatoes,  have 
yet  been  removed. — B.  D.,  8.  Perthshire. 
Death  of  Mons.  de  la  Devansaye. — We  regret  to  learn  of 
the  death  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  at  Fresne,  near  Royant,  of  Mons. 
de  la  Devansaye,  whose  collection  of  Aroids  and  Bromeliads  was 
particularly  good.  He  took  part  in  the  Hybridisation  Conference  held 
at  Chiswick  iu  1899.  The  deceased  was  president  of  the  Horticultural 
Society  of  Maine  and  Loire,  and  was  present  at  most  of  the  large 
Continental  exhibitions  and  congresses. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. — T’h®  next  Fruit  and  Flower  Show 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  December 
18th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Westminster,  1  to  4  p.m.  The 
committees  will  meet  as  usual  at  12  o’clock.  An  election  of  new  Fellows 
will  take  place  at  3  p.m. 
Journal  ot  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — Vol.  xxv.  of 
this  publication  contains  parts  1  and  2,  and  in  addition  to  matters  of 
general  business,  includes  magniBcent  portraits  of  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence, 
Bart.,  the  president,  Mr.  Philip  Crowley  the  treasurer,  and  the  Rev.  W. 
Wilks,  the  secretary  of  the  society  ;  these  are  accompanied  by  brief 
life  sketches.  The  text  of  the  following  papers  is  given  : — ‘‘  Ornamental 
Trees  and  Shrubs,”  by  Mr.  Geo.  Bunyard,  V.M.H.  ;  “The  Evolution  of 
Plants,”  by  Mr.  R.  Irwin  Lynch j  “The  Cultivation  of  Narcissus,” 
by  the  Rev.  S.  Eugene  Bourne ;  “  On  Problems  in  Heredity,”  by  Mr. 
W.  Bateson  ;  “  Aquatic  Plants,”  by  Professor  G.  S.  Boulger ;  “  The 
More  Varied  Uses  of  Roses,”  by  Mr.  George  Paul,  V.M.H.  ;  on 
“Lilies,”  by  Mr.  R.  Wallace;  on  “Cherries  and  Plums  in  Pots,”  by 
Mr.  H.  Somers  Rivers;  on  “  Montbretias  and  Crocosmias,”  by  Mons. 
Emile  Lemoine ;  the  “  Strawberry  and  Gooseberry  Mildews,”  by  Mr. 
Ernest  S.  Salmon  ;  the  “  Gooseberry  Rust  and  Gooseberry  Leaf 
Mildew,”  by  Mr.  T.  W.  Kirk;  and  “  Saving  the  Rain,”  by  Mr.  Peter 
Kay,  V.M.H. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  —  Scientific  Committee. — 
December  4th  :  On  this  occasion  there  were  present  C.  E.  Shea,  Esq., 
in  the  chair;  and  Messrs.  Michael,  Wilks  (Rev.),  and  Dr.  Masters. 
Seed-vessels. — Her  Grace  the  Duchess  of  Cleveland  sent  fruits  of  the 
following  plants  : — Arauja  albens,  fruit  consisting  of  two  thick  oblong 
follicles ;  Mandevilla  suaveolens,  fruit  of  two  long,  narrow,  slender 
follicles ;  Stauntonia  latifolia,  fruit  a  long,  thick,  oblong  obtuse 
berry ;  Cercis  siliquastrnm,  with  legumes  like  those  of  a  Pea,  but 
compressed ;  Magnolia  Soulangeana,  a  long  cluster  of  follicles,  bursting, 
and  revealing  a  seed  covered  with  an  orange-red  investment.  Weeping 
Chrysanthemum  “Pioneer.” — This  was  one  of  eleven  seedlings  from  a 
cross  between  Eva  Knowles  and  Viscountess  Hambledon,  raised  by  Mr. 
Austen,  Ditting  Court,  Maidstone.  The  peculiarity  of  all  eleven  plants 
consisted  in  the  downward  geotropic  direction  of  the  branches,  which 
were  bent  downwards  like  those  of  a  Weeping  Ash,  but  upturned 
heliotropic  at  the  ends  when  flowers  are  produced.  This  peculiar  habit 
would  render  the  plant  very  useful  for  certain  decorative  purposes.  No 
cause  could  be  assigned  for  the  drooping  tendency.  Double  Cyclamens. — 
Some  remarkable  flowers  were  sent  by  Mr.  Ker  of  Liverpool,  on  which 
Dr.  Masters  undertook  to  report  at  the  next  meeting.  Qer  mination  of 
Leucodendron, — Dr.  Masters  showed  a  drawing  of  seedlings  raised  by 
hin>,  and  presenting  a  curious  outgrowth  from  the  caulicle  (hypocotyl), 
similar  to  that  in  the  Pea  shown  on  the  last  occasion. 
new  Iilmlted  Company. — The  old  firm  cf  Alex.  D'ckson  and 
Sons,  seed  merchants  and  nurserymen,  of  55,  Royal  Avenue,  Belfast, 
and  The  Royal  Nurseries,  Newtownards,  has  just  been  registered  as  a 
private  limited  liability  company.  We  believe  that  there  is  no  intention 
to  offer  any  of  the  shares  to  the  public,  and  the  conversion  has  been 
effected  principally  with  regard  to  family  arrangements,  and  to 
facilitate  the  control  of  the  already  extensive  business. 
Fox  Hunt  In  Hew  Gardens. — The  tactics  of  a  fox  around  Kew 
Gardens  are  evidently  modelled  on  those  of  De  Wet.  With  seventy  of 
the  staff  at  his  heels  he  has  evaded  them  for  a  whole  week,  doubling 
back,  and  raiding  with  the  coolness  of  the  Boer  leader.  Several  times 
he  has  been  “hemmed  in,”  only  to  break  through  the  lines,  while  the 
news  that  his  capture  was  imminent  invariably  heralded  the  admission 
of  another  regrettable  incident — in  the  shape  of  commandeered  poultry 
and  a  black  swan.  His  position  on  Monday  was  regarded  as  hopeless. 
Brighton  Spring  Show. — The  queen  of  southern  seaside  resorts 
has  long  been  celebrated  for  the  excellence  of  its  spring  exhibitions. 
The  tenth  of  these  will  be  held  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  March  26th 
and  27ih,  1901,  and  the  secretary  kindly  forwards  us  an  advance  copy 
of  the  schedule.  It  embodies  upwards  of  six  dozen  classes,  including 
forty-five  open  to  all ;  seventeen  for  gentlemen’s  gardeners  and  amateurs, 
and  fourteen  for  amateurs  only,  with  others  in  which  special  prizes  are 
offered.  The  awards  are  of  good  average  value,  and  the  Brighton  and 
Sussex  Horticultural  Society’s  next  show  should  be  equal  if  not  superior 
to  any  of  its  predecessors. 
Death  of  Baroness  Schroder. — Horticulturists  will  learn  with 
regret  of  the  death  of  Baroness  Schroder,  wife  of  Baron  Schroder,  of 
The  Dell,  Old  Windsor,  who  passed  away  on  the  5th  inst,,  after  an 
illness  of  comparatively  short  duration.  She  was  a  Russian  by  birth^ 
and  married,  a  little  more  than  half  a  century  ago,  Barron  Schroder, 
whose  ancestors  were  among  the  leading  merchants  of  Hamburgh, 
and  whose  father  was  in  1868  honoured  with  a  title  by  the  King  of 
Prussia.  He  came  to  this  country  many  years  since,  and,  with  the 
Baroness  Schroder,  identified  himself  with  the  benevolent  works  carried 
on  by  Princess  Christian  of  Schleswig-Holstein.  The  deceased  lady, 
who  was  about  seventy  years  of  age,  leaves  no  family.  Only  in 
September  Baron  and  Baroness  Schroder  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding,  when  they  received  the  felicitations  of  the  Queen,  the 
German  Emperor,  and  other  royal  personages. 
Public  Bowling  Greens  for  Xondon. — The  Parks  and  Open 
Spaces  Committee  of  the  London  County  Council  at  Tuesday’s 
meeting  of  the  council,  reported  that  they  had  considered  the 
formation  of  bowling  greens  at  the  Island  Gardens,  Poplar,  Victoria, 
and  Ravenscourt  Parks  at  the  expenditure  of  £105,  £91,  and  £98 
respectively.  The  committee  reported  that  the  greens  which  had 
already  been  formed  by  the  council  afforded  the  means  of  healthy 
recreation  to  large  numbers  of  people,  and  had  been  extensively  useo, 
and  they  thought  that  the  playing  of  this  game  should  be  encouraged. 
At  each  of  the  places  named  there  was  space  which  could  conveniently 
be  set  apart  for  the  game.  The  work  of  forming  the  greens  was  one 
which  should  be  carried  out  during  the  winter  months,  and  if  taken  in 
hand  now  the  greens  would  be  ready  for  play  next  summer.  The 
work  would  be  carried  out  under  the  supervision  of  the  chief  ofiioer 
of  the  Parks  Department.  The  cost  could  be  defrayed  out  of  savings 
under  other  heads,  and  to  this  course  the  Finance  Committee  had  given 
theii  assent. 
Mushrooms  and  the  Poison  Scare. — At  this  season  of  the 
year  the  juicy  Mushroom,  with  steak  or  Yorkshire  ham,  is  to  be  seen 
on  many  breakfast  tables.  It  is  often  eaten  in  much  needless  fear,  and 
more  often  still  passed  by  in  favour  of  a  fungus  that  is  not  really  a 
Mushroom.  The  result  comes  about  because  the  careful  housewife 
persists  in  believing  that  if  the  cap  can  be  readily  peeled  “  it  ”  is  all 
right.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  distinction  is  this.  The  ordinary  edible 
Mushroom  in  its  infancy  has  its  head  covered  with  a  membranous 
covering  which  grows  on  the  middle  of  the  stem.  When  the  vegetable 
arrives  at  maturity,  however,  the  firm  flesh  cup  expands  and  repulses 
the  membrane,  leaving  a  distinct  ring  like  a  gill  around  the  stem,  and 
also  a  pendant  frill  round  the  edge  of  the  cap,  which  is  rarely  more 
than  4  inches,  and  never  expands  to  more  than  5  inches,  in  diameter. 
The  gills  underneath  the  cap  are  at  first  white,  but  afterwards  change 
to  a  salmon  colour,  and  are  at  maturity  of  a  black  brown.  In  these  days 
of  wholesale  poisoning,  says  the  “  Daily  Express,”  it  is  well  that  these 
facts  should  be  known  to  Mushroom  lovers,  whose  name  is  legion. 
