June  9,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  CCTTAGE  GARDENER. 
493 
The  Cactus  House,  Kew. 
Tlie  rebuilding  of  this  structure  is  now  being  undertaken  in 
the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew.  The  new  house  will  be  of  the  same 
dimensions  as  the  old  erection,  but  it  will  be  heightened  by 
the  addition  of  a  lantern  ventilator.  The  glass  will  be  broad 
and  deep. 
Mp.  F.  Q.  Clatwopthy. 
Writing  fi'om  Kxeter,  Mr.  Charles  Berry,  County  Instructor 
in  Horticidtui’e,  announces  that  Mr.  F.  Q.  Clatworthy,  head 
gardener  to  F.  Bradshaw,  Esq.,  Lifton  Park,  Lifton,  is  resigning 
his  charge  there.  He  is  a  very  excellent  and  able  gardener, 
and  is  open  for  re-engagement. 
Royal  Meteopological  Society. 
The  next  ordinarv  meeting  will  be  held  in  the  rooms  of  the 
society,  70,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  S.W.,  on  the  15th 
inst.  at  4.30  p.m.,  when  the  following  papers  will  be  read: — 
“  Effects  of  a  Lightning  Stroke  at  Earl’s  Fee,  Bowers  Gifford, 
Essex,  April  13,  1904,”  by  Rev.  C.  F.  Box;  “An  Instrument 
for  Determining  the  True  Direction  and  Velocity  of  the  \vind 
at  Sea,”  by  A.  Lawrence  Rotch,  M.A.,  F.R.Met.Soc.  Tea  and 
coffee  will  be  served  from  4  to  4.30  p.m. 
The  New  Bpitish  Gapdeneps’  Association. 
This  was  established  with  .some  eclat  on  AVednesday  evening, 
June  1.  Among  those  on  the  platform  there  were  representa¬ 
tives  of  public  parks,  botanic  gardens,  private  and  commercial 
establishments,  and  of  the  gardening  Press.  The  executive 
council  also  very  fairly  represents  the  different  sections  of 
professional  gardening.  Unanimity,  as  enjoined  in  our  last 
week’s  leader,  is  now  what  is  wanted,  with  subscriptions  to 
enable  the  work  to  proceed.  Elsewhere  we  publish  a  brief 
report  of  the  meeting,  and  we  print  the  prospectus  in  full, 
together  with  the  names  of  the  members  of  the  executive 
council.  Mr.  AA’^.  Close,  who  used  our  pages,  it  will  be  remem¬ 
bered,  to  ask  for  a  poll  of  the  opinions  of  gardeners,  which  he 
hoped  to  present  to  the  meeting,  w'as  able  to  say  that  he 
received  fifty-three  letters,  and  these  showed  that  thirty-nine 
were  in  favour  of  an  association  embracing  all  branches ;  twelve 
desired  it  to  be  confined  to  private  gardeners  only  ;  one  sug¬ 
gested  a  nurserymen’s  association,  and  one  was  opposed  to  an 
association  of  any  form. 
Notes  fpom  Newton  Meapns,  N.B. 
Alay  has  now  gone,  and  with  its  departure  has  left  behind 
it  a  trace  of  summer  weather.  The  first  two  weeks  of  the 
month  were  very  cold  and  changeable,  while  the  latter  two 
were  mild  and  showery.  The  chief  features  of  the  month  w^ere 
the  absence  of  east  winds  and  of  spring  frosts.  Not  for  many 
years  have  we  had  such  . high  temperatures.  AA’ith  the  belated 
spring  and  the  absence  of  sharp  frosts,  the  country  at  present 
is  showing  a  most,  picturesque  appearance.  The  greenness  of 
the  hedges  and  the  trees,  together  with  the  brightness  of  the 
pasture  lands,  tends  to  show  us  that  a  good  summer  lies  in 
front,  and  we  will  no  doubt  welcome  it,  as  it  is  now  four  years 
since  we  had  a  decent  season.  Gooseberries,  Strawberries, 
Pears,  and  Plums  have  now  passed  their  blossoming,  and 
already  a  goodly  amount  of  fruit  has  .set,  showing  us  that  1904 
will  be  a  record  year  for  fruit.  The  Apple  trees  at  present  are 
in  their  best  state,  and  all  over  the  country  quite  a  mass  of 
“  flourish  ”  is  to  be  seen.  The  Apple  tree  when  loaded  with 
fruit  is  a  very  comely  sight,  but  give  me,  for  beauty,  the 
Apple  tree  in  bloom.  The  whole  country  does  not  present  a 
more  lovely  sight  than  an  orchard  of  Apple  blo.ssom.  The  bees 
are  exceptionally  busy,  and  with  plenty  of  forage,  hives  are 
being  brought  up  to  the  standard.  No  swarms  have  come  away 
yet,  but  la.st  Sunday  (29th  ult.)  a  hive  threatened  to  come  off, 
but  was  prevented  by  the  timely  a.ssistance  of  extra  frames  and 
supers.  Should  the  fine  weather  continue,  we  are  looking 
forward  to  having  .some  good  supers  this  sea.son,  nhich  should 
lepay  us  for  the  past  two  or  three  seasons,  these  being  com¬ 
pletely  a  failure. — N'.  R. 
The  Gandeneps’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. 
The  anniversary  fe.stival  in  aid  of  the  funds  will  be  held  in 
the  AA’hitehall  Rooms  at  the  Hotel  Aletropole  on  Tuesdays  June 
28,  at  7  p.m.,  when  Harry  J.  A^eitch,  E.s((.  (treasurer)  will 
preside. 
The  Alake  of  Abeokuta. 
The  AA’est  African  chief  who  is  now  sojourning  in  England 
visited  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  on  Saturday,  and  was  escorted 
by  the  director.  During  his  visit  to  the  greenhouse  the 
gorgeous  Calceolarias  chiefly  attracted  the  Alake’s  attention. 
The  Veitchian  Vase. 
The  A^eitchian  vase  or  cup,  value  55  guineas,  which  was 
presented  by  Messrs.  James  A’^eitch  and  Sons,  Ltd.,  Chelsea,  to 
mark  the  completion  of  the  firm’s  fiftieth  business  year  in 
London,  was  won  by  Alessrs.  AA"m.  Paul  and  Son,  AA^altham 
Cross,  at  the  Temple  Flower  Show.  A  figure  of  it  is  given  on 
page  499. 
Bapp’s  Green  Primpose. 
Blue  Primroses  are  now  sufficiently  numerous  to  satisfy 
most  folks,  but  the  true  green  Primrose  has  yet  to  be  exhibited. 
It  will  come,  however,  for  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons  possess  a 
perfectly  green  flowered  sort,  which  they  name  Novelty.  AAdien 
this  is  as  well  developed  as  they  desire  it,  the  variety  will  be 
placed  up  for  certificate. 
Notes  from  Hamilton. 
A  wave  of  heat  is  meanwhile  passing  over  the  district.  Yes¬ 
terday  and  to-day,  3rd  and  4th,  thermometer  in  shade  registered 
80deg  Fahr.  Flower  seeds  sown  eight  days  ago  are  now  above 
the  ground.  Everything  has  been  marvellously  forwarded  by 
the  sudden  change.  Rhododendrons  are  flowering  profusely. 
Fruit  prospects  are  good  all  over  the  district,  and  there  is  now 
little  or  no  fear  of  danger  from  frost.  At  present  everything 
points  to  a  good  all-round  season. — D.  C. 
Crops  in  the  Vale  of  Evesham. 
The  rain  which  came  on  Alay  21,  the  warm  showers  of  last 
w'eek,  and  the  heavy  rain  of  Thursday  and  Friday  last  hayo 
been  very  welcome  to  gardeners  and  farmers  alike.  Although 
there  was  plenty  of  moisture  in  the  subsoil,  the  surface  was  very 
dry,  and  the  absence  of  rain  w^as  becoming  serious.  Last  week 
the  growth  of  all  crops  was  wonderfully  rapid,  and  it  would  be 
difficult  to  over-estimate  the  beneficial  effects  of  the  downpour. 
The  washing  the  fruit  trees  had,  on  Friday  particularly,  should 
help  to  clear  them  from  blight.  Aphis  blight  has  recently 
appeared  extensively  in  many  of  the  gardens  in  the  A"ale  of 
Evesham,  and  has  been  laying  a  heavy  toll  upon  the  Plums.  A 
great  deal  of  the  fruit  has  also  fallen  off  the  Plum  trees,  and 
there  are  many  Pear  trees  which  gave  wonderful  promise,  but 
will  cany  very  little  fruit.  Nevertheless,  there  is  likely  to  bo 
an  abundance  of  fruit  of  all  sorts,  although  Plums  will  perhaps 
not  be  the  great  crop  at  one  time  anticipated.  Growers  ai-e 
expecting  to  make  satisfactory  prices  all  through,  and  many 
have  already  sold  large  quantities  of  Plums.  One  grower  sold 
100  tons  of  Plums  .several  months  ago.  After  the  long  rainy 
season  of  winter,  conditions  have  greatly  favoured  the  gar¬ 
dener,  and  the  outlook  this  season  is  very  promising.  On  the 
wdiole,  the  spring  crops  have  sold  very  well  in  spite  of  bad  trade 
in  many  of  the  big  centres.  Green  Onions  have  done  badly  all 
through,  and  Gillyflowers  were  not  a  very  good  trade,  but  most 
other  crops  have  done  well.  Cabbages  have  sometimes  made 
high  prices,  and  good  Cabbages  have  sold  well  all  through. 
It  is  not  thous^ht  that  they  will  be  very  cheap  now',  as  Peas  will 
be  late.  Peas  generally  are  not  looking  w’ell,  but  may  quickly 
improve  now.  Radishes  were  a  profitable  crop.  Lettuces  have 
not  done  so  well  as  was  anticipated.  Asparagus  has  come  into 
the  market  .steadily.  There  has  never  been  a  glut,  although 
the  supply  on  .some  days  has  been  great,  and  the  price  has  never 
been  better  maintained.  In  one  of  the  Evesham  markets  alone, 
for  the  week  ended  May  21,  nearlj  a  million  of  Asparagus  was 
sold  by  auction,  and  it  probably  averaged  Is.  6d.  per  100.  The 
public  taste  for  Asparagus  seems  to  grow,  and  there  is  much 
competition  among  salesmen  for  the  Evesham  product.  Alany 
Covent  Garden  and  other  salesmen  spend  a  week  or  two  before 
the  Asparagus  season  in  canvassing  growers  in  the  Eve, sham 
district. 
