512 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  15, 1904. 
granite,  liere  and  there  a  change  being  made  by  the  use  of  the 
red  granite  from  Peterhead,  a  little  farther  north.  But  so 
adept  are  the  masons  and  the  sculptors  of  the  city  that  these 
hard  stones  are  chiselled  into  the  finest  monuments  and  statues 
of  celebrities  to  adorn  all  the  principal  places,  and  the  designs 
of  the  villas  are  iiot  of  that  unending,  toy  ark  style  that  causes 
suburban  London,  as  an  example,  to  be  almost  abhorrent,  but 
they  are  varied,  changeful,  bright,  and  interesting.  To  those 
wlio  doubt  the  extent  of  the  perfections  or  architectural  excel¬ 
lencies  of  Aberdeen  according  to  my  descriptions,  let  them  make 
a  point  of  visiting  it.  Accommodation  there  is  plenty,  and  tiiat 
of  the  best,  and  reasonable  charges,  and  the  swift  electric  cars 
will  bear  him  or  her  into  every  district  within  the  municipality. 
Do  not  fail  to  go  and  see  one'^of  the  splendid  quarries,  and  the 
hewing  of  the  stones  and  the  raising  of  the  blocks  from  hun¬ 
dreds  of  feet  below  to  the  surface  will  afford  a  topic  to  talk  of 
on  many  future  occasions. 
Though  Aberdeen  has  all  the  substantial  comforts,  its  parks 
and  open  spaces  are  conspicuous,  at  least  from  a  horticultural 
point  of  view.  One  may  briefly  refer  in  this  place  to  Duthie 
Park,  which  was  presented  to  the  city  by  Messrs.  Duthie  in 
1883,  and  is  laid  out  agreeably,  with  each  of  the  features  that 
make  public  parks  attractive.  It  has  open  lawns,  belts  of  shrub¬ 
bery,  ornamental  v-ater  enlivened  with  feathered  life,  also 
statuary  here  and  there,  and  broad,  well-kept  paths  and  drives. 
The  handsome  winter  garden  conservatory  in  the  midst  of  the 
park  is  particularly  well  filled.  Amongst  the  shrubs,  one  may 
mention  the  golden  Hollies,  Deutzias,  Deodars,  Pyrus  Aria, 
Lilacs,  purple  Beech,  Sycamores,  Laurels,  Rowan  trees,  Berberis 
Wallicki,  Rhododendrons,  Azaleas,  and  Ericas.  The  borders 
were  gay  with  Foxgloves,  CEnotheras,  Sunflowers,  Montbretias, 
Chrysanthemums,  Stocks,  Gaillardias,  Nemesias,  Pyrethrums, 
and  many  other  similar  plants.  The  area  of  the  park  covers 
forty-seven  acres,  and  Mr.  Harpur  is  superintendent. 
Under  glass,  of  course,  anything  can  be  grown,  for  the  gar¬ 
dener  then  makes  his  own  climate,  so  to  speak.  As  already 
stated,  the  winter  garden  is  a  large  and  commodious  structure. 
It  contains  amongst  other  subjects  such  things  as  Bougainvilleas, 
Passifloras,  Cobma  scandens,  Rex  Begonias,  Coleus,  Schizanthus, 
Tibouchina  macrantha,  Abutilon  megallanicum.  Banana  plants, 
palms  and  ferns  in  variety.  Hydrangea  paniculata,  Lilium  specio- 
sum,  double  Petunias,  Cannas,  Roses,  Hibiscus  Cooperi,  Daturas, 
Camellias,  Abutilon  Boule  de  Neige,  Streptosolen  Jamesoni, 
Begonia  fuchsioides,  Bignonia  grandiflora,  and  a  great  many 
other  things — somewhat  of  a  medley,  one  might  think — but  it 
must  be  remembered  that  there  are  cool  ends  for  greenhouse 
subjects  and  warm  corners  for  the  tropical  ones. —  J.  H.  D. 
The  Metric  System  of  Weights  and  Measures. 
The  following  paragraphs  are  from  the  report  written  by 
Edwyn  Anthony,  of  the  Weights  and  Measures  Committee  of  the 
Herefordshire  County  Council  (so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  Metric 
system),  which  was  presented  to,  and  unanimously  adopted  by, 
the  Council,  April  9,  1904  : — 
Your  committee  have  cai  efully  considered  the  communication 
from  the  Decimal  Association,  which  was  referred  to  them  by 
the  Council  at  its  last  meeting.  They  do  not  recommend  the 
council  to  support  the  AVeights  and  Measures  (Metric  System) 
Bill  which  was  introduced  in  the  House  of  Lords  early  this 
se.ssion.  They  are  of  opinion  : — 
1.  That  the  subject  is  so  diflScult,  far-reaching,  and  impor¬ 
tant  that  it  should  be  dealt  with  by  the  Government  of  the  day, 
and  not  by  private  legislation. 
2.  Hiat  the  Bill  as  it  stands  does  not  attempt  to  meet  and 
minimise  the  serious  inconvenience,  confusion,  and  expense 
necessarily  attendant  upon  the  compulsory  adoption  throughout 
the  country  of  metric  weights  and  measures. 
3.  That  the  decimalisation  of  our  coinage  is  as  important 
as  that  of  our  weights  and  measures,  and  that  either,  without 
the  other,  is  robbed  of  more  than  half  its  value.  Legislation  on 
either — or  at  least  in  regard  to  the  metric  system — should  not 
be  taken  in  hand  without  previous  decision  and  public  announce¬ 
ment  b.v  the  Government  of  thq  course  they  intend  to  pursue 
with  reference  to  the  other. 
Metric  weights  and  measures  are  not  at  present  used  either 
in  this  country,  its  Colonies,  or  in  the  United  States ;  in  other 
words,  the  system  has  not  yet  been  adopted  b.y  any  of  the 
English-speaking  peoples.  Moreover,  in  no  country  is  the 
metric  system  in  use  without  decimal  coinage,  while  Russia, 
Canada,  and  the  United  States  for  a  very  large  number  of  years 
have  had  decimal  coinage  witliotit  the  metric  system.  Nor  has 
any  country  introduced  metric  weights  and  measures  first,  and 
decimal  coinage  afterwards.  Hence  the  Bill  lacks  historical 
precedent ;  it  puts  the  cart  before  the  horse,  or  at  all  events  is 
premature  until  a  decision  has  been  reached  in  regard  (1)  to  the 
ad^sability  or  otherwise  of  the  adoption  of  decimal  coinage, 
to  the  actual  scheme  to  be  chosen,  if  one  be  adopted.  It 
should  be  addbd  that  a  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons 
in  18G2  reported  in  favour  of  the  adoption  of  a  decimal  coinage 
a.s  a  necessary  preliminary  to  the  adoption  of  the  metric  system 
of  weights  and  measures. 
Park  Royal  Show. 
The  sixty-fifth  annual  exhibition  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  England  will  be  held  at  Park  Royal,  AVillesden, 
London,  from  June  21  to  June  25  next.  Price  of  admi.ssion  on 
the  first  day  will  be  five  shillings,  on  the  second  and  third  days 
two  shillings  and  sixpence,  and  upon  the  two  last  days  one 
shilling. 
Mp.  Hutcheson  of  Stoppie  and  Stoppie. 
Mr.  D.  C.  Hutcheson,  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Storrie  and 
Storrie,  seedsmen,  Dundee,  has  been  the  recipient  of  a  hand¬ 
some  marble  clock  and  ornaments  subscribed  to  by  160  horti¬ 
culturists  on  the  occasion  of  his  marriage.  During  the  pro¬ 
ceedings  Mr.  David  Storrie  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  sterling 
qualities  the  recipient  had  shown  in  the  positions  he  had 
honourably  filled  as  an  apprentice,  journeyman,  manager,  and 
partner. 
Messps.  Alex.  Dickson  and  Sons’  Tulips  at  Temple  Show. 
On  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  the  King  to  the  Temple  Show, 
among  the  many  exhibits  which  attracted  his  attention  were 
the  Tulips  of  Messrs.  Alex.  Dickson  and  Sons  and  the  Cacti  of 
Messrs.  Cannell.  His  Majesty  remarked  upon  the  beauty  of  the 
former,  and  upon  the  curiously  spinous  character  of  the  iatter. 
We  regret  extremely  that  the  fact  of  Messrs.  Dickson  and  Sons 
having  obtained  a  silver  cup  for  these  fine  Tulip.s  should  have 
escaped  record  in  our  report,  owing  to  the  hurry  of  going  to 
press  on  the  same  day. 
Chpysanthemum,  Fpuit,  and  Vegetable  Exhibition. 
The  American  Institute  of  New  Y’ork  is  preparing  for  one  of 
the  largest  displays  of  fruits,  vegetables,  flowers,  greenhouse 
plants^  conifers,  farm  products,  and  farm  implements  ever 
held.  Already  applications  for  space  are  far  more  numerous 
than  ever  before,  and  it  would  not  be  surprising  if  the  Herald 
Square  Exhibition  Hall  will  be  crowded  to  the  utmost.  The 
trade  exhibits  will  be  very  elaborate  and  interesting.  One 
prominent  seed  house  has  offered  premiums  amounting  to  more 
than  fifty  dollars  for  vegetables  grown  from  seeds  purchased 
from  them.  The  premium  lists  are  now  in  preparation,  and  will 
be  distributed  at  an  early  date  in  order  that  exhibitors  may 
have  plenty  of  time  to  grow  for  the  liberal  prizes  offere'd. 
Swapms  of  Flies  in  North  London. 
Writing  from  8,  Bartlett  Road,  Old  Road  West,  Gravesend, 
a  correspondent  says  : — “  You  will  probably  have  noticed  sundry 
newspaper  paragraphs  about  “plagues  of  flies  ”  recently  noticed 
in  various  districts  of  North  London.  I  have  been  endeavouring 
to  ascertain  what  these  flies  are,  because  I  wished  to  know 
whether  they  were  of  a  kind  likely  to  injure  fruit  or  vegetation. 
As  yet  I  have  been  unable  to  get  samples,  but  the  general  testi¬ 
mony  seems  to  be  that  they  are  not  gnats  or  mosquitoes,  but 
stouter-bodied  flies,  not  all  of  the  same  size.  Some  are  said  to 
be  black.  In  several  districts  they  have  been  reported  as  biting, 
in  others  not.  I  am  rather  inclined  to  think  they  are  species 
bred  from  manure  or  offal.” 
Departmental  Committee  on  the  Fruit  Industry. 
By  the  end  of  this  month  the  Departmental  Committee  which 
has  been  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  present  position  of  fruit 
culture  in  Great  Britain,  will  conclude  its  sittings.  The  com¬ 
mittee,  of  which  Mr.  A.  S.  T.  Griffith-Bo.scawen,  M.P.,  is  chair¬ 
man,  began  to  take  evidence  in  .January,  the  inquiry  having 
been  instituted  in  consequence  of  complaints  made  by  fruit¬ 
growers  from  time  to  time.  These  complaints  were  so  varied 
that  evidence  has  been  taken — in  private— on  all  matters  affect¬ 
ing  the  industry,  however  slightly.  Representative  fruit¬ 
growers,  jam  manufacturers,  and  others  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  have  appeared  before  the  committee.  A  great  deal  of 
legal  evidence  has  been  taken,  and  information  has  been 
gathered  concerning  the  traffic  by  road  and  rail,  and  the  cost  of 
carriage.  It  is  expected  that  the  report  of  the  committee  will 
be  issued  before  Christmas. 
