April  28,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
.369 
Chester  Paxton. 
The  energies  of  the  committee  in  the  way  of  exhibitions  have 
hitherto  been  mainly  devoted  to  fruits  and  Chrysanthemums, 
although  two  spring  exhibitions  of  a  non-competitive  character 
have  been  held.  This  year,  however,  a  new  departure  was  made 
by  offering  a  number  of  medals  and  certificates  for  spring 
flowers,  with  the  result  that  an  excellent  display  was  made  in 
the  Art  Gallery  of  the  Grosvenor  Museum  on  Tuesday  and 
Wednesday  of  last  week.  Daffodils  played  the  most  prominent 
part  of  the  exhibition,,  and  a  group  of  the  newest  and  best 
varieties,,  staged  by  Hugh  Alder.sey,  Esq.,  of  Aldersey  Hall  (per 
Mr.  Chisholm)  left  little  to  be  desired,  and  was  rightly  awarded 
the  highest  honour  at  the  disposal  of  the  judges,  viz.,  a  .silver 
medal. 
The  president  of  the  society,  IMajor  MacGillycuddy,  Bache 
Hall  (per  Mr.  E.  Stubbs)  staged  a  very  effective  group  of 
flowering  plants  and  Daffodils,  which  included  some  particularly 
bold  specimens  of  Narcissus  .Johnstoni  Queen  of  Spain,  which 
Messrs.  Dicksons,  Ltd.,  and  Messrs.  McHattie  and  Co.,  the 
former  staging  an  excellent  exhibit  of  Daffodils,  and  the  latter 
a  collection  of  newest  Hyacinths.  Mr.  N.  F.  Barnes,  Jlaton 
Gardens,  and  Mr.  G.  P.  Miln  adjudicated,  and  their  awards 
gave  every  satisfaction. 
Royal  Meteorological. 
The  monthly  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  on  Wednesday 
evening,  20th  in.st,  at  the  In.stitution  of  Civil  Engineers,  Great 
George  Street,  Westminster,  Capt.  D.  AYilson-Barker,  F.R.S.E., 
president,  in  the  chair.  A  paper  by  Mr.  W.  L.  Dallas  on  “  The 
Variation  of  the  Population  of  India  Compared  with  the  Varia¬ 
tion  of  Rainfall  in  the  Decenniuni  1891-1901,”  was  read. 
The  author  showed  that  during  the  four  years  1891-1895,  the 
rainfall  was  generally  normal  or  heavy  over  nearly  the  whole 
country,  and  during  the  six  years  1895-1901,  the  rainfall  was 
greatly  deficient.  During  the  former,  or  “wet”  period,  the 
rainfall  was  deficient  over  Upper  Burma  and  Madras,  was  nor- 
Erica  hyemalis  (front  and  centre)  and  E.  gracilis.  (See  page  364.) 
were  awarded  a  first  class  cultural  certificate,  and  the  exhibit 
as  a  whole  a  silver  medal.  The  exhibit  sent  by  Dr.  Mules,  The 
Old  Parsonage,  Gresford,  N.  Wales,  was  quite  unique,  and  was 
also  awarded  a  silver  medal.  The  doctor’s  Daffodils  are  always 
particularly  fine,  and  upon  this  occasion  they  proved  to  be  no 
exception  to  the  rule.  His  specimens  of  Tulipa  Greigi  were  also 
remarkably  fine,  and  were  awarded  a  special  cultural  certificate. 
Mr.  Robert  "Wakefield,  The  Gardens,  Newton  Hall  (Miss  Hum- 
berston)  upheld  his  reputation  as  an  exhibitor  by  a  large  and 
representative  collection  of  hardy  border  flowers,  which  was 
awarded  a  large  bronze  medal.  Lieutenant  Townsend  Currie, 
Christleton  Hall  (per  Mr.  John  Weaver),  contrilnited  a  large 
exhibit,  consisting  of  Daffodils,  hardy  Primulas,  Auriculas,  and  | 
some  fine  specimens  of  Storrie’s  Albino  Kale,  awarded  a  large  | 
bronze  medal. 
Other  noteworthy  exhibits  wei'e  made  by  Mrs.  Tyrer,  Plas  ; 
Newton  (per  Mr.  Ellams),  Avho.se  Cineraria  stellata  AA'ere  particu-  ' 
larly  Avell  grown;  T.  Gibbons- Fro.st,  Esq.  (per  ]Mr.  Gilbert),  Avith 
Hydrangeas,  Ac.  ;  Mrs.  Arthur  Potts  (per  Mr.  Franklin),  Avith 
Auriculas,  Ac.  ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  Countess  Grosvenor  ! 
(per  Mr.  England),  Avho  staged  an  effective  group  of  Mar-  j 
guerite  Carnations.  Local  nurserymen  Avere  represented  by  ' 
mal  over  the  remainder  of  Burma,  Assam,  Bengal,  ana  the  west 
coast  of  the  penin.sula,  and  Avas  excessive  elseAvhere ;  Avhile 
during  the  latter,  or  “dry”  period,  the  rainfall  Avas  again 
deficient  over  Upper  Burma,  normal  or  excessive  over  the 
remainder  of  Burma,  Assam,  Bengal,  the  United  Provinces,  the 
North-AA  Cst.  Frontier  Province,  and  the  South  of  IMadras,  and 
Avas  deficient  elseAvhere,  most  so  over  Rajputana  and  neigh¬ 
bouring  areas. 
The  general  census  of  India  on  March  1,  1901,  shoAA'ed  the 
total  population  to  be  293,475,477,  AA'hich,  excluding  the  terri¬ 
tories  not  included  in  the  1891  cemsus,  Avas  an  increase  of  only 
1.3  per  cent.  The  population  had  thus  failed  to  increase  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  normal  rate  during  the  decade.  Part  of  this  failure 
Avas  no  doubt  due  to  epidemics.  The  author,  lioAveAmr,  shoAvs 
that  there  is  an  unmistakable  relationship  betAveen  the  A'aria- 
tions  of  the  population  and  the  variations  of  rainfall  during  the 
dry  years.  The  area  Avithin  Avhich  the  most  serious  decrease  of 
population  occurred  coincides  almost  exactly  Avith  the  area  of 
greatest  deficiency  of  rainfall.  A  paper  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Cohen  on 
“The  Cause  of  Autumn  Mists”  Avas  also  read,  in  Avhich  the 
author  describes  some  experiments  Avhich  he  made  on  Coniston 
Lake  some  time  ago. 
