December  li,  1902.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
545 
Gainsborough's  First  Public  Park. 
Gainsborough  will  soon  be  in  possession  of  its  first  public 
park,  which  is  to  be  laid  out  at  the  back  of  the  waterworks.  A 
tree-planting  ceremony  in  connection  with  the  event  took  place 
on  Saturday,  those  who  set  the  saplings  being  Mr.  Barlow,  the 
High  Sheriff,  the  Rev.  F.  H.  Dalby,  Miss  Barlow,  Miss  Jarman, 
and  Miss  Dixon. 
The  Chrysanthemum  Analysis. 
Mr.  Ed  win  Molyneux  informs  us  that  lie  hopes  to  be  able  to 
complete  this  year’s  Chrysanthemum  analysis  in  time  for  our 
next  issue,  December  18.  With  four  or  five  exceptions  the  voters 
have  now  (December  7)  returned  their  papers.  We  may  here' 
add  that  the  issue  containing  the  Rose  analysis  was  “  out  of 
stock  ”  in  the  same  wreek,  and  this  after  a  largely  increased 
impression  had  been  brought  off. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident'  Society. 
The  monthly  committee  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at 
the  Caledonian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  on  Monday 
evening  last.  Mr.  C.  H.  Curtis  presided.  Seven  new  members 
were  elected.  Twelve  members  were  reported  on  the  sick  fund. 
Two  members  were  granted  £T  10s.  each  from  the  convalescent 
fund.  A  cheque  for  £59  18s.  was  granted  to  a  lapsed  member, 
being  the  amount  standing  to  his  credit  in  the  ledger. 
Freedom  of  Reading  to  Martin  J.  Sutton,  Esq.,  J.P. 
Wednesday^  December  3,  was  a  most  eventful  day  in  Reading, 
the  occasion  being  a  dual  one— the  unveiling  of  the  statue  of  His 
Majesty  King  Edward  VII.,  presented  to  the  town  by  Mr.  Martin 
John  Sutton,  J.P.  (of  the  renowned  firm  of  seedsmen),  and  the 
conferment  of  the  honorary  freedom  of  the  borough  on  Mr. 
George  William  Palmer,  J.P.,  M.P.,  and  Mr.  M.  J.  Sutton,  as 
some  recognition  of  the  manifold  services  they  have  rendered  to 
the  town  of  their  birth  and  to  their  country.  The  statue  of 
King  Edward  is  an  imposing  ornament  to  this  lovely  Berkshire 
town. 
British  Folk  for  Canada. 
Some  weeks  ago  you  published  a  letter  of  mine  in  which 
attention  was  called  to  the  way  aliens  were  rushing  in  to  settle 
up  the  great  West  of  Canada,  the  finest  Wheat  belt  in  the 
Empire.  My  suggestion  was  that  English,  Scottish,  Irish,  and 
Welshmen  should  go  out  in  large  parties  to  take  advantage  of 
the  Canadian  Government’s  offer  of  160  acres  of  this  fine  Wheat 
land  as  a  free  homestead  to  each  man  over  eighteen  years  of 
age.  Hundreds  of  letters  have  been  sent  by  those  wishing  to 
go  asking  me  to  organise  a  large  national  movement  for  next 
March.  This  is  now  being  done1,  and  already  a  large  party  is 
forming  from  all  over  the  kingdom  for  March,  1903,  to  be 
followed  by  a  supplemental  one  in  1904.  Those  who  contemplate 
going  to  Canada  can  obtain  all  particulars  of  the  movement  by 
sending  a  stamped  addressed  envelope  to  my  private  address, 
Alexandra  Park  Road,  Wood  Green  N.  At  the  same  time,  it 
should  be  distinctly  understood  that  I  am  not  an  emigration 
agent,  and  that  I  receive  no  remuneration  whatever  from  anyone 
in  this  matter,  neither  am  I  in  a  position  to  render  financial 
assistance  to  those  who  might  like  to  go  but  cannot  find  the 
funds.  Every  man  must  pay  his  own  way,  and  should  be 
possessed  of  about  £100  upward,  though  others  who  have  much 
less  may  go  upon  homesteads  and  work  them  by  co-operating 
with  two  or  three  others  The  Canadian  Government  has  been 
approached  to  set  aside  a  large  area  for  the  exclusive  settlement 
of  this  party,  and  the  selection  is  now  being  completed  with  very 
satisfactory  results.  It  will  be  somewhat  larger  than  the  County 
of  Middlesex,  and  is  situated  in  the  now  famous  Saskatchewan 
Valley.  We  have  also  the  assurance  that  a  railway  will  be  laid 
through  the  settlement  in  1903,  to  be  completed  to  Edmonton  by 
1904.  Those  who  cannot  go  before  1904  will  probably  be  allowed 
to  pay  their  Government  registration  fee  of  £2  here,  so  that  a 
homestead  of  1G0  acres  may  be  held  for  them  in  this  same 
district.  I  am  told  that  the  prospects  of  the  whole  Saskatchewan 
Valley  are  so  good  that  by  1904  or  1905,  with  the  present  rate  of 
settlement,  the.  free  grant  lands  will  have  been  largely  appro¬ 
priated.  The  Americans  have  already  taken  up  a  large  amount ; 
now  let  us  put  in  a  good  solid  party  of  British  folks,  and  take 
the  rest  before  it  is  all  alienated. — (Rev.)  George  E.  Lloyd, 
Special  Deputation  Secretary,  Colonial  and  Continental  Church 
Society. 
Death  of  Eliza  Mary  Fenn. 
We  much  regret  to  announce  the  death,  on  December  6,  at 
Sydney,  Australia,  of  Eliza  Mary  (Lily),  eldest  and  dearly  loved 
daughter  of  our  old  contributor,  Robert  Fenn,  Cottage  Farm, 
Sulliam. stead,  aged  thirty-two. 
Sussex  Weather 
The  total  rainfall  at  Abbots  Leigh,  Haywards  Heath,  for  the 
past  month  was  3.4*  in,  being  0.13in  below  the  average.  The 
heaviest  fall  was  1.08in  on  the  8th.  Rain  fell  on  thirteen  days. 
The  maximum  temperature  was  COdeg  on  the  6th,  the  minimum 
26deg  on  the  21st- ;  mean  maximum  temperature,  49.26deg ; 
mean  minimum,  38.22deg;  meaji  temperature,  43.74deg,  which 
is  O.o4  above  the  average.  This  may  be  said  to  have  been  an 
average  November,  wet  and  stormy  the  second  and  fcfnrtli  weeks, 
otherwise  fair  weather,  but  with  little  sun.  The  first  frost  of 
the  season  occurred  on  the  18th  and  on  the  four  following  nights. 
— R.  I. 
November  Weather  at  Belvoir  Castle. 
The  prevailing  direction  of  the  wind  was  S.E. ;  total  nine 
days.  The  total  rainfall  was  1.53in;  this  fell  on  fourteen  days, 
and  is  0.87in  below  the  average  for  the  month.  The  greatest 
daily  fall  was  0.30  on  the  29th.  Barometer  (corrected  and  re¬ 
duced)  :  highest  reading,  30.436in  on  the  18th  at  9  a. in.  ;  lowest 
reading,  29.218in  on  the  28th  at  9  a.m.  Thermometers :  highest 
in  the  shade,  58deg  on  the  1st  and  6th;  lowest,  23deg  on  the 
22ncl ;  mean  of  daily  maxima,  48.33deg ;  mean  of  daily  minima, 
38.30deg. ;  mean  temperature  of  the  month,  43.31deg  ;  lowest  on 
the  grass,  20deg  on  the  22nd ;  highest  in  the  sun,  95deg  on  the 
1st  and  2nd;  mean  temperature  of  the  earth  at  3ft,  47.46deg. 
Total  sunshine,  68h  55m,  which  is  7h  3m  above  the  average  ; 
there  were  eleven  sunless  days.  The  temperature  has  been  a 
little  above  the  average.  Dahlias  and  Scarlet  Runners  were  cut 
by  the  frost  on  the  22ncl.  Roses  have  been  exceptionally  good 
this  autumn. — W.  H.  Divers. 
Bristol  Gardeners’  Association. 
This  society  held  a  meeting  at  St.  John’s  Rooms,  Redland,  on 
the  27th  ult.,  Mr.  E.  Poole,  F.R.H.S.,  occupying  the  chair.  The 
subject  for  the  evening  was  “  Fungus,”  the  lecturer  being  Mr. 
Harding,  of  Clifton,  and  it  need  hardly  be  said  that  his  lecture 
was  a  most  instructive  one.  Mr.  Harding  was  unanimously 
accorded  the  hearty  thanks  of  the  meeting.  His  lecture  was 
much  enhanced  by  fifty  water-colour  drawings  very  kindly  lent 
by  Mr.  Wheeler,  Queen’s  Road,  Clifton,  which,  to  say  the  least, 
were  beautiful  in  the  extreme,  and  he  was  voted  the  sincere 
thanks  of  the  association  for  his  kindness.  The  prizes  for  the 
evening  were  for  a  vase  of  autumn  foliage  and  berries,  for  under 
gardeners  only,  the  prizewinners  being  Messrs.  Heeford,  R. 
Poole,  and  W.  Coombs.  A  certificate  of  merit  was  awarded  to 
Lady  Cave  (gardener,  Mr.  Poole),  who  takes  such  a  kindly 
interest  in  the  doings  of  the  association,  for  a  Pineapple  and  a 
collection  of  Fungi;  one  also  being  awarded  to  Mr.  A.  Cole 
(gardener,  Mr.  Bird),  for  a  fine  bloom  of  Florence  Molyneux 
Chrysanthemum. — H.  K. 
Newport  (Mon.)  Gardeners’. 
On  Wednesday,  November  26,  the  usual  meeting  of  the  above 
association  was  held,  and  a  very  able  and  practical  paper  on 
“  The  Cultivation  of  the  Strawberry  ”  was  read  by  Mr.  P.  Gar¬ 
nish,  of  the  Bristol  Gardeners’  Association.  The  lecturer,  who 
showed  by  the  very  able  manner  in  which  he  handled  his  subject, 
that  he  was  a  thorough  master  of  Strawberry  culture,  first  made 
some  remarks  on  the  introduction  of  the  various  varieties  of  the 
Strawberry,  then  proceeded  to  give  practical  directions  to  en¬ 
sure  the  very  best  results.  He  gave  directions  as  to  the  pre¬ 
paration  of  the  soil,  also  the  runners,  advocating  growing  plants 
specially  for  the  proxluction  of  the  runners,  not  allowing  them 
to  fruit.  A  discussion  followed,  in  which  Messrs.  Jones,  Harris, 
Pegler,  Sharratt,  and  others  took  part.  A  most  hearty  vote  of 
thanks  was  accorded  Mr.  Garnish  for  his  paper.  Certificates  of 
merit  were  awarded  to  Mr.  Parkes  for  a  well-flowered  plant  of 
Oncidium  Forbesi,  to  Mr.  Sharratt  for  two'  well-flowered  plants 
of  Cattleya  labiata,  and  to  Mr.  Long  for  four  splendid  bunches 
of  Grapes.  Votes  of  thanks  were  accorded  to  Messrs.  Wiggins, 
Harris,  Daniels,  and  others,  who  staged  various  plants.  Mr. 
Daniels  presided  over  a  good  attendance. 
