January  24,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  UQTTAGE  GARDENER. 
71 
Recent  Weather  In  London.  —  No  great  variations  in  the 
weather  are  to  be  recorded  since  last  Sunday.  That  day  was  mild  and 
dull,  while  almost  spring-like  conditions  prevailed  on  Monday  and 
Tuesday.  Wednesday  opened  with  a  sharp  white  frost. 
Death  of  -IVIr.  Douglas,  jun. — Horticulturists  will  sympathise 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Douglas  in  the  loss  of  their  second  son  in  South 
Africa.  He  was  killed  by  a  lightning  flash  on  the  10th  inst.  at 
Stormberg.  Mr.  Douglas’  elder  son  has  been  all  through  the  war, 
and  was  one  of  those  shut  up  in  Kimberley.  Both  brothers  were  in 
the  Cape  Mounted  Police. 
Mushrooms  In  January.  —  “  H.  E.  A.”  writes  to  a  daily 
contemporary  : — While  walking  through  the  grounds  of  the  Dutch 
Almshouses  at  Charlton,  Kent,  on  Monday  morning  I  saw  the 
gardener  of  the  establishment  pick  some  Mushrooms  from  the  grass, 
and  on  examination  they  proved  to  be  three  fine  specimens.  Surely 
this  is  a  most  unusual  occurrence  in  January,  especially  after  the 
recent  severe  weather. 
Gardening  Appointments. — Mr.  C.  Martin,  late  of  Clarence 
House  Gardens,  East  Cowes,  has  been  appointed  horticultural  instructor 
to  the  Isle  of  Wight  County  Council,  and  commenced  his  duties  cn 
January  1st.  Mr.  J.  Cook,  foreman  at  Presdales,  Ware,  Herts,  has  been 
engaged  as  head  gardener  to  W.  G.  Phillips,  Esq.,  Berwick  House, 
Shrewsbury,  and  enters  on  his  duties  January  26th.  Mr.  C.  Russell, 
late  head  gardener  to  R.  H.  Reade,  Esq.,  Wilmont,  Dunmury,  Belfast, 
has  been  appointed  and  taken  up  his  duties  as  gardener  to  Sir  Richard 
Musgrave,  Bart.,  Tourin,  Cappoquin,  co.  Waterford. 
Woolton  Horticultural  Society. — The  second  annual  meeting 
of  this  society  was  held  last  week  in  the  Mechanics’  Institute,  Mr.  J. 
Stoney  presiding.  The  balance-sheet  showed  a  credit  of  £34  12s.  8d. 
A  notable  feature  was  the  large  increase  in  cottage  exhibits,  and  it  was 
announced  that  a  handsome  silver  challenge  cup  would  be  given  by 
Neil  Gossage,  Esq.,  for  the  cottagers’  section.  The  last-named  gentle¬ 
man  was  appointed  treasurer,  and  Mr.  Learoyd  secretary.  Miss  Tate 
and  Miss  Brunner  received  votes  of  thanks  for  the  good  work  done  on 
behalf  of  the  society,  as  did  also  Miss  Manson  for  the  lovely  bouquet 
recently  presented  to  the  Lady  Mayoress. — R.  P.  R. 
City  Gardener  for  Edinburgh — An  Inverness  Man. — Mr. 
John  M'Hattie,  The  Gardens,  Lea  Park,  Milford,  Surrey,  was  appointed 
head  gardener  by  the  Edinburgh  Town  Council  on  Jan.  15th.  There 
were  138  applicants  for  the  vacancy.  Mr.  M'Hattie  is  forty  years  of 
age,  and  a  Scotchman.  On  leaving  school  at  the  age  of  fifteen  he 
entered  the  gardens  of  the  Mackintosh  of  Mackintosh  at  Moy  Hall, 
Inverness-shire,  where  he  served  his  apprenticeship  under  the  late  Mr. 
Rhind.  Leaving  there,  he  afterwards  served  in  the  gardens  at  Cantray 
House,  Altyre  House,  Raith  House,  Fife;  Knightshayes  Court,  Devon¬ 
shire  ;  Oxenfoord  Castle,  Dalkeith.  Nine  years  he  was  head  gardener 
to  the  Most  Noble  the  Marquis  of  Lothian  at  Newbattle  Abbey, 
Dalkeith,  and  for  the  last  eight  years  superintendent  of  his  Grace  the 
late  Duke  of  Wellington’s  gardens,  parks,  and  pleasure  grounds  at 
Strathfieldsaye,  Hampshire. 
Droughty  Terry  Horticultural  Association. — The  opening 
meeting  for  session  1901  was  held  last  week,  when  the  president,  Mr. 
William  Grant,  Fernhall  Gardens,  occupied  the  chair.  He  said  that 
during  the  century  just  closed  horticulture  had  made  steady  and  rapid 
progress.  While  the  culture  of  plants  under  glass  had  developed  to  an 
enormous  extent,  horticulturists  looked  confidently  forward  to  still 
greater  strides  of  progress  in  the  future.  He  then  gave  an  interesting 
review  of  the  principal  changes  in  the  gardening  world,  with  a  special 
reference  to  the  history  of  the  past  fifty  years.  Dundee,  he  said,  was 
making  a  bid  for  botanical  gardens;  window  gardening  was  in  the  city 
enoonraged  by  the  Corporation ;  the  School  Board  vied  with  the 
municipal  authorities  in  their  interest  in  floral  cultivation  ;  and  he 
ventured  to  express  the  hope  that  Broughty  Ferry  might  not  lag  behind 
in  these  respects. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. —  The  next  fruit  and  flower  show 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  January 
29th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster ;  1  to  4  p.m. 
A  lecture  on  “  Some  of  the  Plants  Exhibited  ”  will  be  given  by  the 
Rev.  Professor  G.  Henslow,  M.A.,  &c. 
Veltcb  Memorial  Fund. — At  a  meeting  of  the  trustees,  held  on 
January  15th,  it  was  decided  to  place  at  the  disposal  of  the  Glasgow 
and  West  of  Scotland  Horticultural  Society  two  Yeitchian  medals  and 
two  prizes  of  £5  each,  to  be  competed  for  at  the  exhibitions  proposed  to 
be  held  by  the  society  in  oonueotion  with  the  Glasgow  International 
Exhibition  of  1901.  They  also  decided  to  place  a  medal  and  prize  of 
£5  at  the  disposal  of  the  Wolverhampton  Floral  and  Cottage  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  and  the  Taunton  Deane  Horticultural  Society,  to  be 
competed  for  at  their  respective  summer  shows.  It  was  further 
decided  to  offer  a  large  Yeitchian  silver  medal  to  Mr.  R.  Irwin 
Lynoh,  A.L.S.,  curator  of  the  Cambridge  Botanic  Garden  ;  and  to 
Mr.  W.  B.  Latham,  curator  of  the  Birmingham  Botanic  Garden,  in 
recognition  of  the  eminent  services  rendered  by  them  to  horticulture. 
Chester  Paxton  Society. — Under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  Robert 
Wakefield,  Newton  Hall,  the  usual  fortnightly  meeting  was  held  in  the 
Grosvenor  Museum  on  Saturday,  when  Mr.  W.  Neild,  F.R.H.S.,  of 
Holmes  Chapel  College,  read  a  paper  entitled,  “Manures:  Organic 
and  Inorganic,  Special  and  General,  and  their  Effects  upon  Crops.” 
The  lecturer,  who  has  had  large  experience  both  as  practical  horti¬ 
culturist  and  as  a  teacher  upon  the  staff  of  the  Cheshire  County 
Council,  dealt  with  his  subjeot  in  a  very  practical  and  exhaustive 
manner.  Much  useful  information  was  gained  by  those  present,  and 
Mr.  Neild  emphasised  the  fact  that  to  understand  thoroughly  the 
nature  of  soils  and  manures  a  knowledge  of  practical  chemistry  was  a 
decided  advantage.  A  discussion  followed  the  reading  of  the  paper, 
and  the  meeting  closed  with  the  usual  votes  of  thanks. 
The  Devon  and  Exeter  Gardeners’  Association. — During 
the  next  three  months  this  society  will  celebrate  its  spring  session 
in  a  series  of  lectures  and  addresses,  of  which  the  following  programme 
indicates  the  attractive  titles  : — 30th  January,  by  Mr.  John  Coutts, 
“  Greenhouse  Hardwooded  Plants ;  ”  13th  February,  by  Mr.  W.  R. 
Baker,  “  The  Best  Dozen  Vegetables  for  Exhibition;”  27th  February, 
by  Mr.  F.  J.  Fletcher,  “Hardy  Fruit  Growing  for  Devonshire;”  13th 
March,  by  Mr.  James  Mayne,  gardener  to  the  Hon.  Mark  Rolle,  Bicton, 
“  Methods  of  Propagation;  ”  27th  March,  by  Mr.  R.  W.  Hodder,  gardener 
to  Mrs.  Trevor-Barclay,  Torquay,  “  Is  Gardening  a  Soienoe  ?  ”  10th 
April,  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Head,  assistant  gardener  at  Poltimore  Park,  “  The 
Treatment  of  Cool  Orchids.” 
Liverpool  Horticultural  Association. — The  fourteenth  annual 
dinner  was  held  at  the  celebrated  Bear’s  Paw  Restaurant  on  Saturday 
evening,  January  19th,  Mr.  R.  Wilson  Ker  being  in  the  chair,  and  ably 
supported  by  Mr.  T.  Foster,  ohairman  of  the  association.  Amongst 
those  present  were  noticed  Mr.  Herbert,  superintendent  of  the  Liverpool 
Parks ;  Mr.  J.  Hathaway,  superintendent  of  the  Southport  Parks ; 
Mr.  J.  Guttridge,  curator,  Wavertree  Botanical  Gardens  ;  Mr.  A.  W. 
Ker,  Mr.  B.  W.  Ker,  Mr.  H.  Ranger,  Mr.  J.  Mercer,  vice-chairman  of 
the  association,  and  members  and  representatives  of  the  various 
horticultural  trades  in  the  city  and  district.  The  general  attendance 
of  members  and  friends  exceeded  one  hundred.  After  dinner  and  the 
loyal  toasts,  Mr.  Ker  commented  upon  the  progress  of  horticulture 
during  the  last  oentury.  The  seventeenth  oentury  was  noted  for  its 
making  of  pleasure  grounds  and  the  planting  of  woods.  In  1820 
the  opening  up  of  the  colonies  brought  with  it  prosperity  to  gardens 
There  were  then  only  some  twenty  thoroughly  cultivated  greenhouse 
and  other  house  plants.  Then  followed  the  introduction  of  New  Holland 
plants,  Rhododendrons,  foliage  Palms,  and  on  through  Fortune’s  days  to 
the  introduction  of  his  Chrysanthemums  and  Coniferae.  Then  the 
Orchids  made  their  triumphal  entry.  Fruits  and  vegetables  were  being 
constantly  improved,  literature  had  marvellously  increased,  and  the 
weekly  journals  had  become  indispensable.  He  urged  the  claim  of  the 
gardening  charities,  and  reviewed  a  fifty  years’  improvement  in 
Liverpool’s  public  gardens,  and  what  was  interesting  to  many,  stated 
that  at  the  present  time  Mr.  Herbert,  the  courteous  chief  of  them,  had 
under  his  charge  forty-five  parks,  open  spaces,  and  playgrounds,  a 
staff  of  170,  and  new  additions  pending.  Mr.  Foster  vigorously  upheld 
the  good  work  of  the  association,  and  also  gave  a  review  of  other 
societies.  A  capital  programme  of  vocal  and  instrumental  music  was 
given,  Mr.  R.  Pinnington  proposing  the  vote  of  thanks. 
