260 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  28,  1901. 
Weather  In  London. — The  past  week  has  been  variable,  though 
almost  constantly  cold.  Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday  were  dull  and 
cold,  Sunday  was  a  brilliant  day  of  sunshine,  Monday  brought  constant 
heavy  snow  showers,  but  Tuesday  was  a  delightful  day — “  cold,  piping 
make  the  blood  dance  to.”  Wednesday  morning,  as  we  go  to  press,  is 
again  very  cold. 
Weather  In  the  North. — There  has  been  more  sunshine  during 
the  week  ending  the  25th  inst.,  and  latterly  a  return  of  frost,  there 
being  a  succession  of  frost  nights  from  21st  to  the  25th,  when  9° 
were  registered.  Cold  winds  from  the  north-east  have  also  prevailed. 
Monday  was  bright,  and  frosty  throughout. — B.  D.,  8.  Perthshire. 
Gift  by  the  Duke  of  Fife. — Through  the  generosity  of  the  Duke 
of  Fife  another  supply  of  trees  has  been  obtained  to  plant  on  the  streets 
of  Dufftown,  N.B.,  in  place  of  those  that  have  been  mischievously  cut 
down  during  the  last  three  years.  This  time  the  young  trees  are 
Sycamores,  from  9  to  10  feet  in  height,  this  tree  being  as  hardy  as  can 
be  obtained  for  street  decoration,  smoke,  &c.,  not  retarding  their 
growth  in  any  way.  Fifty  specimens  have  been  supplied,  and  these 
will  be  planted  in  Cowal  Street,  Fife  Street,  Balvenie  Street,  &c. 
To  Improve  British  Orchards. — Members  representing  rural 
constituencies  generally  seem  to  think  that  our  department  of 
agriculture  does  very  much  less  for  the  oldest  industry  than  is 
performed  by  similar  State  bureaux  in  foreign  countries,  or  even 
than  is  done  in  Ireland.  This  feeling  occasionally  finds  expression  in 
questions,  and  the  latest  inquiry  of  this  kind  stands  in  the  name  of 
Sir  James  Rankin.  He  proposed  to  ask  Mr.  Hanbury  whether  he 
will  consider  the  desirability  of  establishing  pomological  stations  in 
convenient  parts  of  the  country  for  the  purpose  of  making  experiments 
in  the  growth  of  the  Apple  and  Pear,  so  as  to  enable  persons  employed 
in  the  fruit  industry  to  obtain  reliable  information. 
Miss  Ormerod,  LL.D.,  V.M.H.,  &.c — We  announced  in  the  Journa 
last  week  that  Miss  Ormerod  had  added  another  title  to  her  previous 
honours  by  her  reception  of  the  Victorian  Medal  of  Honour  in  horti. 
culture.  Even  the  humblest  among  us  knows  something  of  her  record  ; 
how  for  twenty-four  years  she  has  furnished  a  very  comprehensive 
annual  report  on  injurious  farm,  garden,  and  ^insect  pests,  and  has 
each  year  occupied  herself  investigating  the  life-histories  and 
peculiarities  of  pests  which  at  the  time  were  more  or  less  virulent.  The 
result  has  been  to  gradually  complete  the  histories  and  suggest 
preventive  measures  for  most  of  our  worst  insect  pests.  Amongst 
others  of  her  well-known  works  she  has  published  a  “  Guide  to  Methods 
of  Insect-life,”  “Observations  on  Some  Injurious  Insects  of  South 
Africa,”  a  “  Handbook  of  Orchard  and  Bush-fruit  Insects,”  besides  a 
very  large  number  of  treatises  in  booklet  form.  We  are  pleased  to  be 
able  to  portray  Miss  Ormerod  on  page  257,  and  we  sincerely  hope  she 
may  be  spared  for  a  long  time  yet  to  enjoy  a  well-earned  rest  at  her 
St.  Alban’s  home. 
Fruit  from  Jamaica. — Every  success  has  attended  the  first 
consignment  of  fruit  from  Jamaica  by  the  Imperial  Direct  West  India 
Mail  Service.  The  fruit  consisted  chiefly  of  Bananas,  of  which  there 
were  18,000  bunches,  both  ripe  and  green ;  Pine  Apples,  Oranges, 
Pomelos  (or  Grape  fruit),  and  Mangos.  The  Pine  Apples,  according 
to  ‘  The  Times,”  were  of  two  descriptions — the  native  growth,  known 
as  the  Ripley ;  and  the  Smooth  Cayenne,  cultivated  mainly  in  the 
Azores,  but  now  being  grown  in  Jamaica  specially  for  the  English 
market.  A  dinner  was  given  on  Thursday,  the  21st  inst.,  by  Mr. 
Alfred  L.  Jones,  chairman  of  the  new  service,  when  there  was  a  good 
display  of  the  different  kinds  of  fruits  above  mentioned,  all  of  them 
being  in  splendid  condition.  Firms  contemplate  doing  a  large  trade, 
especially  in  Bananas,  Pine  Apples,  and  Oranges ;  and  certain  houses 
intend  in  due  course  to  import  Limes.  The  Bananas,  however,  arrived 
unpacked,  and  considerable  difficulty  has  been  experienced  with  the 
railway  companies,  who  have  hitherto  been  acoustomed  to  deal  with 
this  fruit  carefully  protected.  They  have  agreed  to  quote  terms  for  a 
ton  or  more  in  bulk,  but  they  decline  to  accept  it  for  delivery  in  small 
quantities. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Examination.  —  Intending 
candidates  are  reminded  that  the  above  society’s  examination  will  be 
held  on  April  24th,  so  that  they  will  require  to  work  diligently  from 
this  time  forward. 
Death  of  Sir  Edwin  Saunders. — On  the  15th  of  this  month 
this  venerable  gentleman,  the  president  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society,  died  at  his  residence,  Fairlawn,  Wimbledon  Common,  aged 
eighty-seven.  He  was  buried  at  Putney  Vale  Cemetery  on  the 
20th  inst. 
Who  Owns  Roadside  Trees  1— The  Norfolk  County  Council  have 
decided  to  ask  counsel  who  owns  the  trees  growing  by  the  roadside. 
A  resident  wrote  protesting  against  the  Council  planting  trees  on  each 
side  of  main  roads  for  commercial  purposes,  and  thus  “  degenerating 
into  the  Norfolk  County  Counoil,  timber  merchants,  unlimited.”  The 
clerk  said  that  the  roads  were  vested  in  the  County  Council. 
Forced  Strawberries, — Those  who  are  willing  to  pay  a  guinea  a 
portion  for  Asparagus  out  of  season  can  now  gratify  their  taste  for 
extravagance  by  giving  25s.  a  box  for  Strawberries.  In  the  height  of 
the  Strawberry  season  one  will  not  see  finer  fruit  than  that  now  offered 
in  one  or  two  London  shops  at  the  price  'named.  The  quantity  in 
a  box  is  2  or  3  lbs.,  but  the  fruits  are  large  and  most  carefully 
picked.  The  smaller  and  less  choice  fruits  can  be  bought  in  the 
ordinary  baskets  at  a  much  cheaper  rate.  These  Strawberries  are 
grown  in  France,  but  are,  of  oourse,  forced.  By  general  consent  the 
naturally-grown  British  Strawberry  has  no  rival  anywhere,  yet  we  are 
indebted  to  foreigners  for  forced  fruits  of  a  size  and  beauty  which  have 
not  beenexoeeded  in  our  best  seasons. 
The]  Weather  and  the  Crops. — The  weather  during  the  last 
week  has  been  of  a  very  winterly  character ;  the  north-easterly  winds 
have  been  keenly  felt,  and  the  month  has  been  noted  for  the  low  day 
temperature  and  the  absence  of  sunshine,  consequently  vegetation  is  in 
a  very  backward  state.  The  earlier  kinds  of  hardy  fruit  blossom,  such 
as  Apricots,  Peaches,  &c.,  are  unusually  late,  and  only  just  showing  the 
colour  of  their  blossom  buds,  so  that  hopes  are  entertained  that  blossoms 
have  not  been  injured.  Yesterday  (25th)  we  had  a  good  sample  of 
March  weather;  heavy  snowstorms  fell  at  frequent  intervals  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  day,  but  it  soon  melted,  followed  by  15°  of  frost 
at  night,  which  produced  ice  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick. — 
G.  R.  A.,  Kempston,  Bedford. 
“Thompson’s  Gardener’s  Assistant.” — The  Gresham  Pub¬ 
lishing  Company  informs  us  that  the  third  volume  of  the  new  edition 
of  “  Thompson’s  Gardeners’  Assistant,”  which  is  coming  out  under  the 
editorship  of  Mr.  William  Watson,  Kew,  and  which  has  been  con¬ 
siderably  delayed  in  publication,  will  be  ready  next  month.  The  delay 
that  has  taken  place,  Mr.  Watson  explains,  has  really  arisen  from  the 
effort  to  have  the  work  thoroughly  up  to  date,  to  secure  which  the  final 
revision  of  certain  important  articles  was  postponed  until  the  last 
moment,  when,  unfortunately,  it  was  found  impossible  to  get  these 
articles  put  through  with  sufficient  expedition,  owing  to  the  illness  of 
some  of  the  contributors.  The  necessity  of  waiting  for  certain  plants 
to  be  in  condition  for  illustration  has  also  caused  delay.  The  editor 
does  not  anticipate  that  similar  delays  will  occur  in  the  oase  of  the 
remaining  volumes. 
National  Sweet  Pea  Society.  —  At  a  well-attended  public 
meeting  of  persons  interested  in  the  culture  of  the  Sweet  Pea,  held 
at  the  Hotel  Windsor  on  the  26th  inst.,  Mr.  George  Gordon,  V.M.H., 
presiding,  it  was  unanimously  resolved,  on  the  recommendation  of  the 
General  Committee  of  the  Sweet  Pea  Bicentenary  Celebration,  to 
then  and  there  form  a  National  Sweet  Pea  Society,  and  an  Executive 
Committee  representative  of  all  classes  of  horticulturists  was  formed 
to  prepare  rules,  nominate  vice-presidents,  &c.,  and  a  draft  schedule  of 
prizes  to  be  offered  at  an  exhibition  to  be  held  during  the  coming 
summer.  Mr.  George  Gordon  was  appointed  chairman  of  the 
Executive  Committee,  Mr.  N.  Sherwood  treasurer,  and  Mr.  R.  Dean 
secretary  pro  tern.  In  order  that  no  time  should  be  lost  in  perfecting 
the  organisation,  the  Executive  Committee  will  meet  on  Friday  next 
at  5  P.M.  at  the  Horticultural  Club,  Hotel  Windsor.  A  considerable 
number  of  names  were  handed  in  as  members,  and  the  minimum  annual 
subscription  was  fixed  at  5s.  Communications  respecting  the  newly 
formed  society  may  be  addressed  to  Mr.  R.  Dean,  42,  Ranelagh  Road, 
Ealing. 
