June  6,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
477 
Irish  Fruit  Crop  Crippled. — The  storm  that  raged  last  week 
has  all  but  completely  destroyed  the  prospects  of  the  fruit  crop  in  a 
large  area  of  the  South  of  Ireland.  The  crop  was  a  promising  one, 
the  trees  being  laden  with  blossom.  The  visitation  is  said  to  have 
swept  the  branches  absolutely  bare. 
Rose  Freak. — Toward  the  middle  of  last  week  we  received  from 
Mr.  W.  R.  Raillem  a  remarkable  Rose  monstrosity.  This  we  had  hoped 
might  be  kept  fresh  enough  to  present  before  the  Scientific  Committee 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  at  their  sitting  on  Tuesday,  June  4th. 
Decomposition,  however,  made  it  necessary  to  expurge  the  glass  of  its 
interes'ing  subject.  Mr.  Raillem  describes  the  abnormality  as  “a 
remarkable  freak  in  a  bloom  of  La  France  Rose,  an  actual  and  perfeot 
stem  and  bud  growing  from  the  midst  of  some  small  petals.  Similar 
cases  of  abnormal  growth  are  not  uncommon  in  some  flowers,  or  even 
fruits,  but  I  never  saw  such  a  case  in  a  Rose.”  The  flower-petals 
formed  a  perfect  “collar”  to  the  slender  stem,  which  was  quite  4  inches 
in  length,  and  would  have  grown  on  like  any  ordinary  shoot.  Perhaps 
excessive  vigour  was  the  canse. 
Fruit  Prospects  at  Barford  Hill. — The  fruit  prospects  in  the 
open  air  at  Barford  Hill  are  wonderfully  good;  bush  fruits  are  carrying 
heavy  crops,  Pears  and  Plums  have  set  with  exceptional  fieedom,  and 
Apples  promise  to  set  equally  well.  I  also  noticed  an  excellent 
illustration  of  growing  Strawberries  in  a  barrel.  The  hcles  had  been 
made  about  9  inches  apart  round  the  sidep,  and  a  young  plant  inserted 
in  each,  as  well  as  on  the  surface  soil,  early  in  spring.  All  the  plants 
seemed  to  be  nearly  equal  in  vigour.  Unlike  other  cultivators  who 
adopt  the  barrel  system,  Mr.  Jones  makes  no  elaborate  arrangements 
for  watering  or  keeping  the  centre  of  the  barrel  filled  with  loose 
materials  ;  he  simply  places  9  inches  of  drainage  in  the  bottom,  then 
fills  the  space  with  soil  as  in  the  case  of  a  .large  pot,  and  he  finds  so 
simple  a  method  answers  perfectly. — Visitor. 
Appointment. — On  Saturday,  June  1st,  Mr.  W.  F.  Gullick  of 
Halton  Gardens,  Aylesbury,  became  Instructor  of  Horticulture  to  the 
Hampshire  County  Council.  Mr.  Gullick  lectured  on  horticulture  for 
the  Bucks  County  Council  in  1898  and  1899,  when  his  lectures  were 
very  much  appreciated.  He  is  very  popular  in  the  Aylesbury  district^ 
and  although  everyone  who  knows  him  will  be  glad  to  hear  of  his 
success  they  will  be  sorry  to  lose  him.  He  was  always  ready  and 
willing  to  give  practical  advice  on  gardening  matters.  On  leaving 
Halton  on  Friday,  May  lVth,  he  was  presented  with  a  handsome 
dressing  case  by  the  men  who  worked  under  him,  by  whom  he  was 
very  highly  respected,  as  a  token  of  their  esteem  and  hearty  good 
wishes  for  his  future.  The  dressing  case  was  mounted  with  a  silver 
shield,  on  which  was  inscribed,  “  Presented  to  Mr.  F.  Gullick  by  the 
men  of  Halton  Gardens,  May,  1901.” 
Fhenologlcal  Observations. — The  observing  and  recording  of 
Nature’s  phenomena  opens  a  tremendous  field  for  engrossment  and 
application  of  one’s  energies.  When  many  undertake  to  help,  however, 
a  marvellous  amount  of  useful  work  can  be  accomplished.  Stations 
are  arranged  for  in  all  parts  of  the  British  Islands,  and  reports,  after 
being  carefully  made  during  each  month  of  the  year,  are  posted  up  to 
headquarters.  Mr.  Edward  Mawley  of  Berkhamstead  prepares  the  final 
repoit  of  all  the  observations,  and  he  it  is  who  has  sent  us  the  printed 
pamphlet  detailing  the  seasons  of  1900.  In  this  concise  publication  the 
year’s  phenomena  are  discursively  compared  and  summarised,  which 
furnishes  exceedingly  interesting  reading  matter.  Those  who  are 
surrour  ded  by  ccuntry  fields,  and  the  usual  composition  of  rural  life 
and  scenes,  should  find  the  report  of  value  ai.d  instructive,  besides 
being,  as  we  have  said,  entertaining.  Last  spring  was  backward  all 
over  tie  land  ;  and  in  that  respect  this  spring  but  repeats  its  immediate 
predecessor.  The  sun  mer  of  last  year  was  warm  in  all  parts  of  the 
kingdom.  It  will  be  remembered  that  a  great  change  to  extreme  heat 
took  place  about  July  10th,  and  fhis  lasted  for  three  weeks. 
Previously  the  prcsj  ects  had  led  one  to  presume  a  very  late  harvest, 
but  the  opposite  was  the  case.  With  these  facts  in  our  minds  we  may 
feel  fortified,  and  in  this  country  at  least  we  must  be  patient,  and  take 
the  idiosyncrasies  of  the  weather  clerk  with  equanimity.  Numerous 
neatly  prepared  tables,  including  the  date  of  song  and  migration  of 
insects  or  birds  seen  at  different  stations,  and  their  numbeis,  together 
with  the  state  of  crops,  &c.,  in  the  different  months  of  the  year,  are 
special  features  of  the  compilation.  We  do  not  know  the  prioe  of  the 
“  Report,”  but  application  could  be  made  to  the  author. 
Horticultural  laecture  at  Thorne, — Mr.  Thomas  Reddmgton 
of  the  Yorkshire  College,  Leeds,  lectured,  on  June  1st,  to  a  good 
attendance  of  fruit  growers  in  Mr.  James  Servant’s  garden  on 
“  Practical  Gardening.”  Later  in  the  evening,  Mr.  Reddington  gave 
practical  illustrations  in  Mr.  Temperton’s  orchard  on  “  How  to  Destroy 
the  Pests  which  Infeot  the  Fruit  Trees  without  Doing  any  Injury  to 
the  Fruit.”  This  is  the  third  lecture  of  its  kind  given  in  Thorne 
this  year,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  if  the  instructions  given  are 
carried  out  there  will  be  very  little  rotten  fruit  in  Thorne  this  season. 
The  Colchester  Flower  Show.— Owing  to  the  site  in  Lexden 
Park  being  unobtainable,  the  Committee  of  the  above  Society  have 
been  compelled  to  abandon  the  idea  of  an  exhibition  in  connection 
with  the  Essex  Agricultural  Society’s  visit  to  Colchester.  The  summer 
exhibition  will,  therefore,  be  held  in  the  charming  grounds  at  East  Hill 
House,  the  residence  of  the  Mayor  of  Colchester.  In  order  to  make 
the  schedule  suitable  to  the  later  date,  several  alterations  have  been 
rendered  necessary,  but  the  Committee  did  all  that  lay  in  their  power 
to  avoid  the  postponement,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  the  members  will  so 
assist  them  in  their  efforts  that  the  Society  will  not  suffer.  Forms 
of  entry  are  to  be  returned  to  the  Assistant  Secretary,  not  later  than 
June  22nd. 
Fruit  Prospects  In  Brin. — The  prevailing  impression  regarding 
the  fruit  prospects  is  good,  viewing  all  types  of  fruit.  Outdoor 
Peaches  in  some  quarters  are  likely  to  be  a  failure  ;  nevertheless,  I  have 
noticed  a  fairly  heavy  crop  in  several  gardens  in  widely  separated 
areas.  Such  a  percentage  may  not  be  true  over  a  large  district ;  report 
speaks  unfavourably  of  this  crop.  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  &o.,  have 
evident  signs  of  heavy  crops.  Gages,  Cherries  (always  uncertain  as 
a  crop),  are  fairly  promising.  Strawberries  look  well.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  our  cultivators  will  not  overlook  the  point  of  thinning 
their  trees,  with  the  view  to  have  finer  and  larger  fruit.  This  is  a 
point  to  be  borne  in  mind,  as  growers  here  seem  to  forget  immature 
fruit  in  quantity  can  always  be  disoerned  when  the  period  of  inspection 
arrives. 
IVXUd  Weather  In  Cumberland. — The  mildness  of  the  Brampton 
district  is  seen  by  the  faot  that  Mr.  J.  G.  Atkinson  oommeuced  to  take 
up  early  Potatoes  on  Tuesday  last  from  hie  gardens.  The  Potatoes 
have  been  grown  in  the  open,  never  requiring  to  be  covered  during  the 
whole  of  the  season.  There  has  not  been  such  a  show  of  fruit  in  the 
district  for  many  years.  The  Strawberries  were  never  so  promising, 
as  the  entire  blossom  has  escaped  the  frosts. 
Sussex  Weather. — The  total  rainfall  for  the  past  month  at 
Abbots  Leigh,  Haywards  Heath,  was  1‘32  inch,  being  036  inch  below 
the  average.  The  heaviest  fall  was  0  39  inch  on  the  8th.  Rain  fell  on 
seven  days.  The  maximum  temperature  was  82°  on  the  29  th,  the 
minimum  34°  on  the  8th.  Mean  maximum,  65'25°;  mean  minimum, 
42  09°.  Mean  temperature,  53  67°.  May  in  mid-Sussex  has  been  a 
dry,  ungenial  month.  The  mean  temperature  was  up  to  the  average 
only  through  bright  sunshine.  The  wind  was  twenty-one  days  in  the 
North,  chiefly  N.E.,  and  was  at  times  extremely  dry  and  oold.  Small 
fruits  a  fine  crop.  Apple  and  Pear  trees  that  carried  heavy  crops, 
and  suffered  from  drought  last  year,  have  no  fruit  this  year,  while 
trees  that  did  not  bear  last  year  have  full  crops. — R.  I. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens— height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
O 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
© 
fi 
-2* 
1901 
§■«' 
s.s 
2* 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
‘S 
OS 
At 
At 
At 
Ho 
a_§ 
May 
and 
June. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
93 
© 
ja 
bf 
s 
+3 
m 
© 
& 
o 
>-3 
1-ft. 
deep. 
2- ft. 
deep. 
4-ft. 
deep. 
H 
Sunday  .  .26 
N.N.E. 
deg. 
51-8 
deg. 
60-0 
deg. 
62-0 
deg. 
48T 
Ins. 
deg. 
677 
deg. 
65  0 
deg. 
52-0 
deg. 
47-5 
Monday . .  27 
W.N.W. 
60-9 
539 
71  0 
40-3 
— 
66-5 
65-0 
62  0 
31  8 
Tuesday  28 
s.  w. 
64-9 
665 
74-5 
44-3 
— 
58'3 
55-3 
62  2 
35-3 
Wed’sday  29 
s.s.w. 
71  9 
61-7 
82  5 
60  "5 
0-07 
69-7 
55  9 
62  2 
4!  0 
Thursday  30 
s.s.vv. 
65-4 
60  0 
67-4 
58  3 
0-05 
62-0 
50-7 
62-5 
53  2 
Friday  . .  31 
S.YV. 
69  9 
60  8 
70  0 
57  3 
— 
00-5 
57  1 
62  9 
55  5 
Saturday  1 
S.S.W. 
62-4 
65  2 
70-3 
46  3 
0-02 
69  8 
57-2 
63'1 
35  6 
Means  .. 
02-5 
65-4 
711 
49-3 
Total 
0T1 
69-2 
66  0 
624 
431 
Warm  sunny  weather  with  a  few  slight  showers  towards  the  latter 
part  of  the  week.  Total  rainfall  for  May,  0  45  inch. 
