32 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  10,  1901. 
Death  of  IVIr.  Charles  Pilcher. — We  learn  with  regret  of  the 
death  of  Mr.  Chas.  Pilcher,  which  took  place  at  Wandsworth  on 
December  29th.  For  many  years  the  deceased  was  a  prominent 
metropolitan  gardener,  and  was  in  charge  of  Mr.  Rucker’s  gardens 
on  West  Hill,  Wandsworth,  when  these  were  famed  far  and  wide  for 
the  collection  of  Orchids. 
Xlverpool  Horticultural  Association. — The  system  adopted 
of  giving  two  separate  papers  on  last  Saturday  evening  was  not  quite 
to  be  commended.  However,  the  lectures  were  admirable.  Mr.  T. 
Foster,  the  chairman  of  the  association,  presided,  and  introduced  the 
late  chairman,  Mr.  T.  White  of  Aigburth,  who  spoke  quite  eloquently 
on  the  progress  of  horticulture,  dealing  with  its  literature  and  paying  a 
high  tribute  to  the  long  and  useful  career  of  th g Journal  of  Horticulture. 
Hybridising,  garden  lore,  in  fact  everything  that  had  tended  to  the 
progress  of  horticulture,  was  introduced.  The  chairman  expressed  his 
pleasure  at  seeing  the  Journal  representative  in  the  room,  and  stated 
that  he  was  one  to  take  it  from  its  commencement. 
Isle  of  Wight. —  Mr.  S.  Heaton,  F.R.H.S.,  late  technical  instructor 
n  horticulture  to  the  Isle  of  Wight  County  Council,  and  who  has  recently 
been  appointed  to  a  similar  position  to  the  Oxfordshire  County  Council, 
was  last  week  the  recipient  of  a  testimonial  from  the  Isle  of  Wight 
Horticultural  Improvement  Association,  of  which  Mr.  Heaton  was  the 
organiser  and  hon.  sec.  for  seven  years.  The  association  now  numbers 
400  members,  and  has  done  much  useful  work  in  the  island.  The 
presentation  was  made  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  association  at  the 
Newport  Town  Hall  by  the  chairman,  Dr.  Groves,  B.A.,  J.P.,  and 
consisted  of  the  complete  edition  of  twenty-five  volumes  of  the 
“  Encyclopedia  Britannica”  and  an  illuminated  address,  with  the  names 
of  the  subscribers  to  the  testimonial. 
Beckenbam  Horticultural  Society.  —  On  Friday  last  the 
members  and  friends  of  the  Beckenham  Horticultural  Society  met  to 
listen  to  an  essay,  entitled  “  A  Year’s  Work  in  a  Vinery,”  by  Mr.  W. 
Taylor,  gardener  to  C.  Bayer,  Esq.,  Tewkesbury  Lodge,  Forest  Hill. 
After  the  chairman,  Mr.  Price,  opening  the  meeting,  Mr.  Taylor 
proceeded.  He  described  what  he  considered  “  an  ideal  vinery,”  its 
dimensions  and  situation,  and  assuming  that  he  was  dealing  with 
established  Vines,  attention  first  was  given  to  thoroughly  cleansing  the 
house  itself,  and  then  the  Vines,  removing  the  effete  mulchings  and 
surface  soil.  The  essayist  then  dealt  with  the  operations,  such  as 
syringing,  damping,  disbudding,  tying  down,  stopping,  assisting  the 
setting,  thinning  the  crops  according  to  strength  of  Vine  and  variety, 
thinning  and  tying  out  the  bunches,  mulching  borders  with  prepared 
stable  manure  to  give  off  the  beneficent  ammonia.  The  essayist,  in 
concluding,  invited  those  present  to  “  pull  him  to  pieces.”  This  was 
not  attempted,  for  the  critics  were  disarmed  by  the  splendid  exhibit  of 
Alicante  Grapes  which  confronted  them  as  results  of  the  practice 
detailed.  After  a  long  and  usefu  discussion  a  very  hearty  vote  of 
thanks  was  acoorded  Mr.  Taylor.  On  the  18th  Mn  Stanbridge  will 
discourse  on  the  popular  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine.  — T.  C. 
Chester  Paxton  Society.  —  At  the  Grosvenor  Museum  on 
Saturday  a  social  gathering  of  the  members  and  friends  was  held  to 
inaugurate  the  opening  of  the  winter  session.  By  the  kindness  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Siddall,  the  officers  and  members  of  committee,  together  with 
wives,  sat  down  to  a  sumptuous  tea  in  the  art  gallery,  after  which  an 
open  meeting  was  held  in  the  lecture  theatre,  where  a  goodly  number 
of  members  was  present.  A  well  arranged  programme  of  music  was 
skilfully  executed  by  Mrs.  E.  Gratton  Lloyd,  Mrs.  Simon,  Mrs.  Miln, 
Miss  Welch,  the  Misses  Wells,  and  Messrs.  Peters-Jones,  John  Weaver, 
and  A.  Ward.  During  a  short  interval  in  the  programme  the  president 
of  the  society  (Mr.  N.  F.  Barnes),  in  the  name  of  the  committee  and  a 
few  friends,  presented  Mr.  John  Taylor  of  Hoole  with  a  handsome 
aneroid  barometer  bearing  a  suitable  inscription  on  the  occasion  of  his 
marriage.  Mr.  Taylor  in  returning  thanks  for  what  was  to  him  a 
pleasant  surprise,  said  that  what  he  had  done  for  the  Paxton  Society 
had  always  been  a  labour  of  love,  and  in  fact  the  most  pleasant  work  of 
his  life.  He  also  thanked  the  company  for  the  welcome  extended  to 
his  wife,  which  she  most  highly  appreciated.  On  the  initiative  of  Mr, 
Wakefield,  seconded  by  Mr.  Newstead,  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was 
accorded  to  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  bad  taken  part  in  the 
musical  portion  of  the  proceedings,  and  also  to  Mr.  Siddall,  who 
exhibited  an  interesting  series  of  lantern  pictures  of  the  fruit  and 
Chrysanthemum  exhibition  held  at  the  Town  Hall.  Mr.  G.  P.  Miln, 
the  hon.  sec.,  announced  the  names  of  eighteen  new  members,  after 
which  the  meeting  dosed  by  the  rendering  of  the  National  Anthem. 
Croydon  Horticultural  Mutual  Improvement  Society. — 
The  annual  general  meeting  of  members  and  subscribers  will  be  held  in 
the  society’s  room,  at  the  Sunflower  Temperance  Hotel,  George  Street, 
on  Tuesday  evening,  January  15th,  1901,  at  8  p.m.,  for  the  election  of 
officers  for  the  year,  and  other  business. 
January  Flowers  at  Hodsock  Priory. — The  following  list  of 
plants  in  bloom  here  on  January  1st  will  show  the  mildness  of  the 
season.  Snowdrops  and  Aconites  are  not  in  bloom,  and  since  the 
weather  has  taken  on  a  cold  spell  they  will  not  be  in  flower  for  some 
days  yet.  Anemone  St.  Brigid,  Antirrhinum,  Arabis  alpinus,  Carda- 
mine  rotundifolia,  Chrysanthemum  maximum,  Chrysanthemum  of 
sorts,  Cyclamen  Coum,  Erigeron  triloba,  E.  rosea,  Geum  coccineum, 
G.  coccineum  plenum,  Iberis  correefolia,  Polygala  ChamEebuxus, 
Carnation,  Roses  of  sorts,  some  fine  blooms  ;  Violets  of  sorts,  Marigold, 
Honeysuckle,  Primroses,  double  and  single,  every  shade  of  colour; 
Crocus  imperatus,  bedding  Violas  of  sorts,  Sweet  Coltsfoot,  Grape 
Hyacinth,  Helleborus  niger,  Helleborus  orientalis  of  sorts,  Groundsel, 
Scilla  amccna,  double  and  single  Daisies,  Jasminum  nudiflorum  and 
Clematis. — J.  Mallender,  North  Notts. 
Sussex  Weather. — The  total  rainfall  at  Abbots  Leigh,  Haywaids 
Heath,  for  December  was  3'49  inches,  being  0‘70  inch  above  the 
average.  The  heaviest  fall  was  0'70  on  the  30th  ;  rain  fell  on  twenty- 
three  days.  Total  rainfall  for  the  year  27  08  inches,  —  2  67  inches 
below  the  average  of  twenty  years.  The  maximum  temperature  was 
54°  on  the  4th,  5th,  and  12th  ;  the  minimum  28°  on  the  23rd.  Mean 
maximum  49'07°,  mean  minimum  39’10° ;  mean  temperature  44  08°, 
which  is  5‘60°  above  the  average  of  twelve  years. — R.  I. 
December  Weather  at  Hodsock  Priory. — Mean  temperature 
of  the  month,  44  6° ;  maximum  in  the  screen,  57'6°  on  the  20th ; 
minimum  in  the  screen,  27‘4°  on  the  23rd;  minimum  on  the  grass, 
17'2°  on  the  23rd.  Number  of  frosts  in  the  shade  three,  on  the  grass 
sixteen.  Sunshine  eighteen  hours,  or  8  per  cent,  of  the  possible 
duration.  Rainfall  3  00  inches ;  difference  from  average,  +  0  90  inch. 
Rain  fell  on  twenty  days;  maximum  fall,  1'08  inch  on  the  30th.  Rain 
from  January  1st,  2710  inch  ;  difference  from  average,  +  1  82  inch. 
The  warmest  December  since  observation  commenced  here  in  1876. 
The  nights  were  especially  mild,  and  the  mean  minimum  is  about  what 
we  generally  get  at  the  end  of  April. — J.  Mallender,  Worksop. 
December  Weather  at  Belvoir  Castle. — The  wind  was  in  a 
south-west  direction  twenty-five  days.  The  total  rainfall  was  4-10  inches ; 
this  fell  on  eighteen  days,  and  is  2‘02  inches  above  the  average  for  the 
month  ;  the  greatest  daily  fall  was  2-20  inches  on  the  30th.  Barometer 
(corrected  and  reduced)  :  highest  reading,  30  427  inches  on  the  16th,  at 
9  p.m.  ;  lowest  readiug,  28'738  inches,  on  the  28th,  at  9  a.m.  Thermo¬ 
meters  :  highest  in  the  shade,  56°  on  the  20th ;  lowest,  23°,  on  the  23rd. 
Mean  of  daily  maxima,  49'03° ;  mean  of  daily  minima,  38  64°.  Mean 
temperature  of  the  month,  43  83°;  lowest  on  the  grass,  18°,  on  the  23rd; 
highest  in  the  sun,  85°,  on  the  26th.  Mean  temperature  of  the  earth  at 
3  feet  (estimated,  owing  to  error  in  the  instrument),  44‘50°.  Total 
sunshine,  51  hours  55  min.,  which  is  nearly  five  hours  above  the  average 
for  the  month.  There  were  twelve  sunless  days.  The  very  heavy 
rainfall  on  the  30th  (2‘20  inches)  is  most  remarkable,  the  greatest 
amount  recorded  here  in  one  day  since  1876  is  156  inches  on  June  28th, 
1892  ;  the  records  previous  to  1877  are  imperfect. — W.  H.  Divers. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Cblswlck. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
*o 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temj 
At 
erature  of 
e  Soil. 
9  A.M. 
Lowest 
Temperature 
on  Grass. 
1900—1901 
rectlon 
Wind. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
Bain. 
At 
At 
At 
December. 
January. 
5 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Highest 
Lowest. 
1-ft. 
deep. 
2-ft. 
deep. 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Sunday  .  .30 
s.s.w. 
deg. 
45-6 
deg. 
44-9 
deg. 
62-0 
deg. 
33-9 
ins. 
0*62 
deg. 
42-7 
deg. 
45  8 
deg. 
48  "3 
deg. 
25-0 
Monday.  .31 
E.N.E. 
43  9 
42-7 
44  9 
39  0 
o-oi 
43  T 
45-6 
48-2 
37-7 
Tuesday  1 
S.S.E. 
37-0 
35  6 
39'7 
36  6 
— 
42-9 
45-6 
4S’i 
35-5 
Wed’sday  2 
S.S.W. 
33'2 
329 
44  '6 
33'2 
— 
42-9 
46-5 
4ST 
32-2 
Thursday  3 
W.N.W. 
34-5 
33-2 
404 
30  0 
— 
41 ‘1 
45-2 
48-0 
22-5 
Friday  ..  4 
E.N.E. 
38-2 
37-8 
38-4 
34-3 
— 
41-1 
44-6 
48-0 
30'0 
Saturday  5 
E.N.E. 
29-0 
28-2 
37-1 
28'5 
— 
40-4 
44-4 
47-8 
25-9 
Means  .. 
37-3 
30-5 
42-4 
33-6 
Total 
0-63 
42-0 
45-2 
48  T 
29*8 
The  weather  during  the  latter  part  of  the  week  was  characterised 
by  dense  smoky  fog  and  cold  biting  winds  from  the  north  and  east. 
