April  4,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
279 
Gift  of  Camellias  for  Aberdeen  Parks. — At  a  meeting  of  the 
Links  and  Parks  Committee  of  the  Aberdeen  Town  Council  on  Thursday 
afternoon,  March  28th,  a  letter  was  read  from  Mr.  Wm.  Paul,  Waltham 
Cross,  Herts,  offering  the  Council  some  splendid  Camellias  for  the 
public  parks.  The  committee  resolved  to  accept  the  gift  with  thanks. 
Mr.  Paul  is  the  father  of  Mrs.  Gordon,  wife  of  the  town  clerk  of 
Aberdeen.  Whether  the  Camellias  will  sucoeed  ontdoors  at  Aberdeen 
may  well  be  doubted,  though  probably  they  may  be  housed. 
Apple  and  Pear  Growing'. — In  answer  to  a  question  put  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  Mr.  Hanbury  informed  Sir  J.  Rankin  that  stations 
for  agricultural  and  horticultural  experiments  had  not  hitherto  been 
established  directly  by  the  State  itself.  In  the  case  of  Apples  and 
Pears,  which  depended  so  much  on  the  climate  in  which  they  were 
grown,  no  one  central  station  would  be  of  much  use,  and  it  was  only  by 
local  agency  that  such  stations  could  be  established  in  so  many  varying 
districts.  Both  in  the  north  and  south  of  England  there  were  institu¬ 
tions  aided  either  by  local  taxation  grants  or  by  direot  grants  from  the 
Board,  in  which  experiments  were  made  in  the  growth  of  Pears  and 
Apples,  and  this  appeared  to  be  the  proper  system  to  be  adopted  in 
districts  where  there  was  a  special  interest  in  the  growth  of  these  fruits. 
The  Southern  Counties  Carnation  Society. — The  report  of 
this  society  for  1900  has  been  sent  out.  It  inoludes  a  number  of  short 
papers  on  the  culture  of  Carnations  and  other  phases  of  interest  in 
regard  to  the  flower,  which  tend  to  make  the  report  specially  valuable. 
The  society  has  arranged  to  include  a  number  of  Sweet  Pea  classes  at 
their  Carnation  Show  to  be  held  at  the  Royal  Pier,  Southampton,  on 
July  24th.  Prizes  of  £1,  12s.,  10s.,  and  lesser  sums  for  a  few  varieties 
of  Sweet  Peas,  are  being  offered.  The  full  notice  of  these  will  be  found 
in  the  report,  which  may  be  had  by  writing  to  Mr.  Wm.  Garton,  jun., 
York  Buildings,  Southampton.  The  society  has  the  goodly  balance  of 
£93  to  its  credit. 
Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists. — The  first  of  the  shows 
held  by  this  very  old  floricultural  society  will  be  held  on  April  17th, 
and  is  chiefly  devoted  to  Auriculas,  Polyanthus,  Tulips,  and  other 
bulbous  flowering  plants.  The  second  show  is  announced  for  May  22nd, 
when  Tulips  will  again  be  paramount;  and  the  third,  or  July  show, 
takes  place  on  the  17th  of  that  month.  Another  small  show  occurs  on 
September  4th,  and  the  large  Chrysanthemum  show  has  been  fixed  for 
November  13th,  14th,  and  15th,  at  which  some  very  substantial  prizes 
are  offered.  The  total  receipts  last  year  were  £594  16s.  4d.,  and  the 
expenditure  £586  Is.  9d.,  leaving  a  balance  of  £8  14s.  7d.,  which, 
when  added  to  the  society’s  bank  account,  leaves  a  total  of  £197  4s.  5d. 
The  committee  have  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  position  of 
affairs.  The  secretary  is  Mr.  George  F.  W.  Oman,  A.S.A.A., 
38,  Petergate,  York. 
Instruction  Gardens. — An  experimental  garden  of  2  acres  was 
started  at  Droitwioh,  Worcestershire,  in  January,  1896.  This  garden 
increases  in  interest  and  instruotiveness  yearly.  Fruits  are  represented 
in  many  varieties.  Vegetables  are  cultivated  under  two  different  sets 
of  manurial  conditions,  as  represented  by  plots  devoted  to  stable 
.manure;  mixed  chemical  manures  ;  garden  refuse  ;  stable  manure  and 
mixed  chemical  manure  ;  no  manure  ;  sulphate  of  ammonia  ;  nitrate  of 
soda;  kainit,  and  superphosphate  of  lime  respectively.  Visitors  who 
take  an  interest  in  hardy  flowers  will  find  representatives  of  that 
department  of  horticulture,  but  we  believe  the  two  first  mentioned 
departments  receive  most  attention.  Planting,  root  and  branch 
pruning,  manuring  and  liming,  trenching  and  digging,  sowing  seeds  and 
transplanting,  budding  and  grafting,  making  cuttings,  Bpraying  and 
grease  banding,  thinning  and  weeding,  and  the  usual  details  of 
cultivation  in  their  due  season  are  practised  in  this  experimental 
garden.  It  is  stated  that  2339  persons  visited  the  garden  during  1900, 
as  compared  with  1809  in  1899,  1495  in  1898,  and  991  in  1897  ;  the 
largest  number  upon  one  day  was  106,  on  Saturday,  July  14th  ;  so  that 
to  those  who  use  their  observation,  an  influence  for  good  should  be 
the  result  of  these  visitations.  A  large  named  selection  of  hardy  fruit 
trees  and  bushes  are  included  in  the  garden,  and  form  one  of  its  most 
instructive  and  valuable  features.  The  report  of  this  experimental 
garden  (which  has  just  been  issued)  goes  on  to  state  how  the  orohard 
and  trees  are  treated,  what  returns  were  got  from  this  or  the  other 
course  of  treatment,  with  remarks  on  the  different  varieties.  Vegetables 
also  oome  under  critical  observation ;  while  the  grafting  experiments 
and  trials  against  garden  pests  make  this  report  exceedingly  useful. 
The  garden  is  under  the  management  of  Mr.  J.  Udale,  chief  horti- 
cultural  instructor  for  Worcestershire. 
Awards. — We  are  asked  to  state  that  Laolia  Jongheana  var. 
Kromeri  received  a  first-class  certificate  at  the  last  Drill  Hall  meeting ; 
whereas  we  reported  it  to  have  received  only  an  award  of  merit. 
Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  Finn,  formerly  head  gardener  to 
Mrs.  West,  Kiloroney,  Bray,  has  assumed  a  similar  position  in  the 
gardens  at  Beaumont,  Drumcondra,  the  Convalescent  Home  of  The 
Mater  Hospital,  Dublin. 
Woking  Horticultural  Association. — The  annual  report  of  this 
Surrey  association  shows  how  well  the  past  year’s  work  and  doings  have 
been  enacted.  The  “garden  party”  arranged  last  July  was  new,  and 
proved  to  be  popular  and  successful;  while  the  monthly  meetings, 
especially  when  the  lectures  are  accompanied  by  the  limelight  lantern, 
were  well  attended,  and  evoked  a  considerable  amouut  of  interest.  In 
place  of  the  deficit  of  £13  appearing  twelve  months  ago  the  association 
now  possesses  £20,  and  is  perfectly  free  of  liabilities.  Mr.  H.  A.  Needs, 
Heath  View,  Horsell,  Woking,  acts  as  secretary. 
Richmond  Horticultural  Society.— The  annual  report  for  last 
year  refers  with  pleasure  to  the  visit  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society’s  president  and  committees  to  Richmond  Show  last  June.  The 
committee  are  also  glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  arrangements  have 
been  made  for  the  National  Rose  Society  to  hold  its  popular  Southern 
Counties  Show  in  conjunction  with  the  Richmond  Show  to  be  held  on 
26th  June  next.  A  new  rule  has  been  adopted,  whereby  contributors  of 
£10  in  one  amount  may  be  elected  life  members  of  the  society,  and 
1  guinea  subscribers  will  henceforth  be  entitled  to  a  greater  number 
of  tickets  for  the  show.  The  financial  position  of  the  society  may  be 
bettered  by  these  adoptions. 
National  Dahlia  Society. — The  annual  report  of  the  Dahlia 
Society,  now  issued,  points  out  that  the  exhibition  of  Cactus  Dahlias  in 
pots  (1900)  was  not  encouraging.  The  reason  of  the  poor  turn  out  was 
that  several  intending  competitors  in  this  class  had  mistimed  their  plants. 
Greater  success  is  expeoted  another  year.  The  committee  state  that 
all  classes  of  Dahlias  are  welcomed,  they  are  unwilling  to  set  up  any 
particular  type  as  being  the  ideal  one.  The  list  of  Cactus  Dahlias  that 
has  been  published  annually  by  the  society  for  some  years  will  not  in 
future  be  issued.  It  has  been  decided  instead  to  revise  the  official 
catalogue  at  intervals.  Dahlia  or  other  horticultural  societies  offering 
not  less  than  £5  in  prizes  for  Dahlias  can  now  be  affiliated  to  the 
National  Dahlia  Society.  The  arrangements  for  1901  include  the 
annual  exhibition,  which  will  be  held  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on  Friday 
and  Saturday,  September  6th  and  7th.  Then  a  committee  meeting  will 
be  held  at  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  S.W.,  on  Tuesday,  September 
24th,  for  the  purpose  of  awarding  certificates  to  seedling  Dahlias. 
Entries  must  be  made  to  the  hon.  secretary,  at  the  Drill  Hall,  before 
11.30  a.m.,  on  the  morning  of  thrf  meeting.  At  the  meeting  at  the  Drill 
Hall  there  will  be  a  class  for  six  blooms  of  Cactus  Dahlias  in  a  vase 
with  any  foliage,  to  be  judged  both  for  quality  of  flowers  and  effective 
arrangement.  Mr.  J.  F.  Hudson,  M.A.,  Gunnersbury  House,  Acton,  W., 
is  secretary. 
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. 
d 
‘3 
S3 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
Lowest 
Temperature 
on  Grass. 
1901. 
March. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
-A3 
m 
S 
■d 
bo 
S 
© 
* 
O 
Sunday  ..24 
Monday . .  25 
Tuesday  26 
Wed’sday  27 
Thursday  28 
Friday  . .  29 
Saturday  30 
N.E. 
E.N.E. 
N.W. 
N.W. 
N. 
W.N.W. 
S.S.W. 
deg. 
38-0 
35-5 
32- 7 
34  2 
33- 5 
35  0 
43-3 
deg. 
35-7 
34-6 
320 
32  0 
31-8 
30'9 
41'4 
deg. 
44-5 
38-0 
38-3 
38- 3 
39- 4 
43-2 
50-4 
deg. 
32  8 
31-3 
27*0 
27-0 
25-3 
241 
34*9 
Ins. 
0.03 
0.07 
0-49 
deg. 
40-3 
39*8 
38  7 
38-2 
37-8 
37'4 
33-8 
deg. 
42*2 
42'2 
42-0 
41*5 
41-3 
40-9 
40-9 
deg. 
44-2 
44-2 
44-2 
44-0 
43’9 
439 
43-7 
deg. 
23-4 
22-1 
22-0 
19-6 
19-1 
180 
S3'2 
Means  .. 
36-0 
34  1 
41  7 
28'9 
Total 
0-59 
387 
41'6 
44-0 
22-2 
A  week  of  very  wintry  weather,  with  intervals  of  bright  sunshine, 
snow,  sleet,  and  extremely  cold  winds.  There  was  a  heavy  gale, 
accompanied  with  rain,  on  the  30th  ult. 
