February  11,  1904. 
JOUBNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
119 
Robert  Fenn  and  the  Potato  Society. 
The  secretary  of  the  National  Potato  Society  writes  to  say 
that  since  Mr.  Fenn’s  letter  appeared  on  page  100  of  last  week’s 
Journal  (where  he  declared  he  was  a  society  within  himself,  and 
niu.st  remain  so!)  the  latter  has  “succumbed”  to  the  solicitations 
of  our  friend.  “He  has  subserihed  £1  to  the  N.P.S.,  and  does 
not  think  any  V.M.H.  holder  should  send  less.” 
Retardation  v.  Forcing. 
In  France,  and  in  some  of  the  largest  nurseries  and  privato 
gardens  in  England,  there  exist  cold-rooms  or  stores,  pitch-dark 
and  packed  full  of  Lily  of  the  Valley  crowns.  Lilacs,  and  other 
bulbs  and  plants.  When  blooms  from  these  are  wanted  for 
market  or  other  purposes,  no  matter  at  what  time  of  the  year, 
the  roots  are  removed  from  the  cold  store  and  are  planted  in  an 
ordinary  hothouse.  Judging  from  the  trend  of  i>resent-day 
practice,  retardation,  a.s  opposed  to  forcing,  is  coming  more  and 
more  into  favour. 
Who’s  Who,  1904. 
This  biographical  annual  grows  more  and  more  bulky,  because 
a  larger  number  of  biographies  are  yearly  included.  To'  persons 
whose  associations  take  them  much  into  the  society  of  their 
fellow-men  .such  a  book  as  thi^  becomes  of  priceless  value,  and 
we  wonder  how  journalists,  commercial  travellers,  and  public 
men  would  succeed  without  it.  One  hears  a  name  ;  a  reference 
is  made  to  “  Who’s  W^ho,”  and  biographical  notes  of  that  person 
are  sure  to  be  found  therein.  The  price  is  7s.  6d.  net,  from  all 
booksellers. 
New  Apple  on  the  Market. 
In  future  years  the  English  fruit-grower  will  have  to  face 
further  competition  from  the  imports  of  summer  Apples.  Here¬ 
tofore  the  American  fruit  has  consisted  of  autumn  and  winter  or 
late  keeping  varieties.  Now  competition  with  early  Apples  will 
have  to  be  .studied.  A  new  variety,  the  Randolph,  has  been 
tested  and  found  to  be  suitable  for  shipment.  It  has  an  acidu¬ 
lated  but  pleasant  flavour.  Its  great  attraction,  however,  con- 
si.sts  in  its  colour,  the  skin  putting  on  a  vivid  scarlet.  The  tree 
bears  heavy  crops,  and  the  fruit,  on  account  of  its  skin,  commands 
a  free  sale  whenever  offered.  It  is  said  to  be  the  most  promi.sing 
commercial  Apple  introduced  during  recent  years. 
“The  Estate  Magazine.;’’ 
The  issue  for  February  1  has  reached  us,  and  proves  this  publi¬ 
cation  to  be  one  of  a  useful  character  for  country  gentlemen  and 
estate  agents.  It  is  is.sued,  indeed,  as  a  supplement  to  the 
“  Country  Gentlemen’s  Estate  Book,”  which  we  have  reviewed  in 
past  years.  There  ax’e  a  number  of  features  of  special  interest 
to  our  readers,  such  as  the  articles  on  Studley  Ro3’al,  the  pro- 
ixerty  of  the  Marcjuis  of  Ripon,  and  full  particulars  of  the  co¬ 
operative  creamery  in  which  his  lord.ship  takes  a  great  intere.st ; 
besides  articles  on  “  Measuring  Standing  Timber,”  “  The  Paving 
and  Surface  Drainage  of  Stables,”  “  Electric  Lighting  for  Country 
Houses,”  “A  Word  for  the  Fens,”  “Agriculture  and  the  New 
Fiscal  Policy,”  “Farm  Poultry  Houses,”  “The  Potato  Boom,” 
“  The  Preparation  of  Fore.st  Trees  for  Planting,”  “  The  Garden¬ 
ing  Outlook,”  Ac.  The  price  is  6d. 
Scottish  Instruction  in  Forestry. 
A  conference  was  recently  held  betAveen  delegates  from  the 
University  Court  and  from  the  Edinburgh  and  Ea.st  of  Scotland 
College  of  Agriculture,  to  consider  a  letter  received  from  the 
secretary  to  the  Scotti,sh  Education  Department  regarding 
instruction  in  forestry.  The  following  heads  of  agreement  were 
adopted  for  report  to  the  University  Court  and  the  Governors 
of  the  College  : — (1)  That  the  UniA’ersity  of  Edinburgh  is  the 
proper  party  to  undertake  the  central  work  of  forestry  teach¬ 
ing  in  Scotland  ;  (2)  that  the  agricultural  colleges  are  the  proper 
parties  to  carry  out  the  work  in  the  provinces  ;  (3)  that  these 
agencies  .should  keep  in  touch  with  each  other  to  prevent  over¬ 
lapping  ;  (4)  that  a  grant  of  public  money  is  es.sential ;  (o)  that 
the  institution  of  a  degree  in  foi’estry  is  to  be  cordially  wel¬ 
comed.  With  regard  to  an  evening  class,  it  was  stated  that 
the  University  Court  would  not  bo  likely  to  undertake  any 
classes  that  were  not  arranged  upon  a  University  standard.  It 
was  the  intention  of  the  University  Court  to  found  a  degree 
in  forestry,  and  the  College  has  taken  over  certain  forestry 
classes  which  were  being  originated  by  the  County  Council  of 
Fife. 
Forestry  Problem  of  the  United  Kingdom. 
This  is  the  title  of  a  paper  to  be  read  at  the  Carpenters’  Hall, 
London  Wall,  on  February  2o,  at  8  p.m.  Free  tickets  can  be  had 
on  application  to  Mr.  J.  Hutton  Freeman. 
Appointments. 
Mr.  T.  W.  Turner,  for  a  number  of  years  general  foreman 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  Gardens,  Chiswick,  has  been  ap¬ 
pointed  Superintendent  of  Grounds,  Royal  Hospital,  Chelsea. 
*  "  Mr.  K.  Watkinson  left  Normanswood,  Farnham,  Surrey, 
on  the  8th,  to  become  head  gardener  at  Itchel  Manor,  Crondall, 
Hants. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
The  monthlj'  committee  meeting  of  this  societj^  was  held  at 
the  Caledonian  Terrace,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  oji  IMonday 
evening  last.  Mr.  (‘has.  H.  Curtis  presided.  Fourteen  new 
members  rvere  elected,  making  thirty-one  in  the  two  meetings 
this  year.  The  annual  general  meeting  will  be  held  at  the  above 
hotel  cn  Monday,  March  14,  at  8  ir.m. 
Where  the  “Journal”  Circulates. 
Those  who  take  an  active  and  kindly  interest  in  our  efforts 
Avill  long  ago  have  become  assured  that  the  circle  of  Journal 
readers  is  a  very  wide  one.  We  have  occasional  contributions 
from  New  Zealand,  Tasmania,  Australia,  South  Africa,  British 
Central  Africa,  the  Gold  Coast,  Egypt,  China,  Japan,  the  United 
States,  and  Canada,  as  well  as  from  the  centres  in  Europe.  But 
AA’hat  has  prompted  this  short  reference  is  the  receipt  of  a 
little  letter,  not  from  a  far-off  land,  but  from  Harris,  one  of 
the  larger  islands  of  the  Hebrides,  or  Western  Islands  of  Scot¬ 
land.  One  would  hardly  expeert  horticulture  to  flourish  there, 
but  our  correspondent,  Mr.  Robert  Sinclair,  manages  a  plant 
nursery  with  success. 
Floods  in  the  Thames  Valley. 
We  hardl.v  need  to  tell  our  readers  that  parts  of  the  Hiaines 
Valley  har’e  been  flooded  as  they  wore  last  3’ear,  for  the  daih’ 
newspafiers  have  convej’od  the  news  by  elaborate  descriptioirs 
and  illustrations.  But  Avhile  the  rains  have  given  us  frequeirt 
displeasure  of  late,  let  all  of  us  who  have  come  off  with  nothing 
worse  than  damp  feet  or  clothing  think  ourselves  fortuirate,  v.hen 
we  know  that  at  Maidenhead  and  elsewhere  people’s  dwellings 
are  surrounded  with  a  foot  of  water,  streets  are  fl.ooded,  and  acres 
and  acres  of  good  land  are  deeplj’  covered.  This  is  no  exaggera¬ 
tion.  In  a  journey  to  Reading  on  Saturday  last  this  interesting 
though  deplorable  condition  of  affairs  was  laid  before  us.  The 
Rennet  Valley  was  even  worse,  according  to  report.  In  a  recrea¬ 
tion  ground  east  of  Reading  only  the  top  back  bars  of  tlie  seats 
appeared  above  the  water.  *  *  M  e  learned  at  tho  Drill  Hall 
cn  Tuesday  that  some  Apple  orchards  in  Kent  are  one  foot  to  two 
feet  under  Avater. 
Shrewsbury  Show. 
The  annual  meeting  of  the  Shropshire  Horticultural  Society 
Avas  held  on  Friday.  Nothing  apparently  can  seriously  interfere 
Avith  the  prosperity  of  the  society  and  the  success  of  its  great 
summer  fete  at  ShreAAsbury.  The  ceaseless  rain  on  the  second 
day  of  the  exhibition  last  year,  which  will  long  be  remembered 
by  all  Avho  had  to  suffer  it,  and  Avhich  has  had  only  one  parallel 
in  the  tAventy-nine  year.s’  history  of  the  society,  ought  to  have 
caused  a  deficiency  on  the  accounts;  instead  of  that,  there  aaus 
a  profit  on  the  fete  of  about  £400,  and  the  total  takings  for  the 
year  amounted  to  the  big  sum  of  £4,418,  a  figAire  aa  IucIi  has  only 
been  exceeded  five  times,  in  the  years  189/,  1899,  1900,  1901,  and. 
1902.  Before  1897  the  largest  amount  receiA-ed  was  £4,228  2,s.  lOd. 
in  1890,  nearly  £200  less  than  host  year,  and  in  1890  the  takings 
reached  £4,000  for  the  first  time.  In  1898  the  income  fell  to 
£4,389,  a  drop  of  nearly  £130  on  the  previous  year,  AA'lien  the 
figure  Avas  £4,017.  The  receipts  in  the  four  years  1899-1902  Avere 
as  folloAVS  :  — 1899,  £4,739  10s.  lid.  ;  1900,  £4,040  13s.  Od.  ;  1901, 
.£4,740  10s.  Id.  ;  1902,  £0,001  lO.s.  Od.  Having  a  very  good 
reserve  fund,  the  committee  of  the  society  have  generously  A'oted 
most  of  last  year’s  profit  in  donations  to  dc'-erving  causes,  the 
lion’s  share  (100  guineas),  going  toAA’ards  the  erection  of  a  ncAV 
greenhouse  in  the  Quarry.  The  public  aaOII  he  intc'rc'sted  to  know 
that  the  total  takings  of  the  horticultural  society  since  its  incep¬ 
tion  in  1870,  Avhen  £791  aa  sis  thonght  a  sjAleNdid  income,  amount 
to  the  enormous  total  of  £84,004  IGs.  8d..  ;\n;l  ti.lOl  2s.  7:1.  has 
J  been  distributed  in  donations. 
