250 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
' .  September  10,  190|3|,,,.i 
and  otlier  winners  of  first  prizes  in  tliis  section  were  W.  Ander¬ 
son,  J.  Currie,  D.  Brown,  T.  Downie,  J.  Wright,  J.  Burton, 
J  .Friendship,  J.  Blake,  Jas.  Harkness,  W.  Veitch,  J.  Thomson, 
T.  Henderson,  E.  Cameron,  T.  Taylor,  A.  Carlvle,  J.  Irving,  and 
B.  Bell.— S.  .  . 
Croydon  Improvement. 
A  new  departure  in  the  programme  of  the  C'roydon  and  Dis¬ 
trict  Horticultural  Mutual  Improvement  Society  was  successfully 
carried  out  at  their  rooms.  Sunflower  Temperance  Hotel,  on 
Tue.sday  evening,  when  “  Discussions  on  Floral  Decorations  with 
Deijionstrations  ”  created  a  very  enjoyable  two  hours’  entertain- 
iiient.  The  principal  interest  was  centred  on  three  dinner 
tables,  which  had  been  tastefully  and  artistically  decorated  by 
Messrs.  M.  Pi.  Mills,  A.  Maslen,  and  P.  F.  Bunyard  respectively, 
and  the  decorative. excellence  in  the  floral  art  clispla.yed  by  these 
gentlemen  called  forth  a  very  meritorious  word  of  praise  from  all 
present. 
Edinburgli  Autumn  Show. 
,  The  great  annual  autumn  exhibition  of  the  Caledonian  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  was  held  on  Wednesday  and  Tlmrsda^  .of,  this 
week,  and  was  a  great  success.  The  entries  all  over  were  very 
large,  though,  owing  to  the  poor  .season  some  sorts  of  fruit  were 
not  so  numerous  as  usual,  and  the  total  entries  were  thus  slightly 
fewer  than  those  of  last  year.  Grapes  were  a  very  fine  show, 
both  in  quantity  and  quality,  while  plants  and  cut  flowers  were 
up  to  former  years. 
The  exhibits  by  nui'serymen  were  very  numerous  and  highly 
attractive.  Year  by  year  an  increasing  number  of  the  trade 
ace  anxious  to  exhibit  their  specialities  in  the  capital  of  Scot¬ 
land,  till  it  is  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  all  the  exhibits 
can  be  accomiyodated  even  in  the  capacious  Waverley  Market. 
At  the  time  of  our  going  to  press  it  is  impossible  to  give  a 
detailed  report  of  this  fin.e  exhibition,  and  this  must  stand  over 
till  next  week.  Just  as  we  go  to  press  our  reporter  wires  the 
decisions  of  some  of  the  leading  classes,  as  follows;  — 
In  the  fruit  classes,  Mr.  J.  H.  Goodacre,  of  Elvaston  Castle, 
Derby,  who  was  invincible  at  Shrewsbury,  here  in  the  further 
North  was  first  for  the  fruit  on  the  decorated  dessert  table, 
though  only  third  for  the  decorations.  Mr.  D.  Kidd,  of  Car- 
herry  Towers,  Musselburgh,  was  second  for  fruit,  and  first  for 
decoration ;  while  Mr.  W.  Smith,  from  Oxenford,  was  third  for 
fruit  and  second  for  decorations. 
For  the  ten  dishes  of  fruit  Mr.  Goodacre  again  was  foremost ; 
Mr.  Mackinley,  of  Ampthill,  Beds,  coming  second.  Messrs. 
D.  and  W.  Buchanan,  of  Kippen  Vineyard,  Stirling,  were  the 
champions  for  six  bunches  of  Grapes;  and  second  Mr.  Beisant, 
of  Castle  Huntly.  For  the  four  bunches  Mr.  Goodacre  was 
leader,  and'Messrs.  Buchanan  .second,  the  struggle  being  as  tight 
as  at  Shrew.sbury. 
For  the  brace  of  Muscats.  Mr.  Hughes,  of  Kingsmeadows, 
beat  Mr.  Goodacre.  The  latter  won  for  the  two  bunches  of  Ham- 
burghs.  The  Dunn  Memorial  Medal  and  first  prize  for  a  collec¬ 
tion  of  Scotch-grown  Apples  fell  to  Mr.  R.  Sinclair,  of  Congleton, 
Pla-st  Lothian.  The  leading  prize  for  a  collection  of  vegetables 
was  ably  won  by  Mr.  Gibson,  of  Danesfield,  Great  Marlow  (whose 
e.ssay  'we  note  in  the  report  of  the  meeting  of  the  sister  horti¬ 
cultural  society  of  Edinburgh,  i.e.,  the  Scottish  Horticultural 
Association).  Mr.  Harper,  of  Tulliebelton,  was  second. 
Mr.  Geo.  Wood,  of  Oswald  House,  Edinburgh,  was  first  for  a 
group  of  plants  set  up  for  effect.  In  the  nurserymen’s  classes, 
Me.ssrs.  Cocker  and  Son,  from  far  Aberdeen,  led  the  wa.y  for  a 
collection  of  hardy  border  flowers;  and  they  added  firsts  in  the 
classes  for  thirt,v-six,  eighteen,  and  twelve  Roses  respectively, 
Messrs.  D.  and  W.  Croll,  of  Dundee,  coming  second  in  these 
latter  classes,  and  Mr.  Hugh  Dickson,  of  Belfast,  third.  For  the 
dozen  vases  of  Roses  Mr.  Ferguson,  of  Dunfermline,  was  first, 
Messrs.  Cocker  second,  and  D.  and  W.  Croll  third.  It  was  a 
fine  show,  and  drew  a  large  number  of  visitors. 
Amongst  trade  exhibits  which  were  being  arranged  when  our 
reporter  wrote  were  Messrs.  R.  B.  Laird  and  Sons,  a  very  large 
group  of  Palms,  Liliums,  and  Azalea  mollis;  Mr.  John  Downie, 
Messrs.  Dickson  and  Co.,  Me.ssrs.  Thos.  Methven  and  Sons, 
Messrs.  Stbrrie  and  Storrie,  Dundee;  Messrs.  Dobbie  and  Co., 
Rothesay;  Me.ssrs.  Grieve  and  Sons,  Redbraes;  Mr.  A.  F. 
Dutton,  Bexley  Heath;  Mr.  Jannock,  Dereham;  Mr.  Forbes, 
Hawick.  Messrs.  Todd  and  Co.,  florists,  show  a  very  beautiful 
table  of  bouquets  and  designs,  all  most  tastefully  executed  in 
Roses. 
- - - 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
Bulbs. 
Bakers’,  67,  Lichfield  Street,  Wolverhampton. 
R.  Veitch  and  Sons,  54,  High  Street,  Exeter. 
Vilmorin-Andrieux  and  Co.,  4,  Quai  de  la  Megisserie,  Paris.— Also 
Strawberries. 
Wm.  Watson  and  Son,  Clontarf  Nurseries,  Dublin. — Carnations. 
Weather  Notes. 
Temple  House  Gardens,  Great  Marlow,  Bucks. 
The  register  of  rainfall  here  for  August,  1903,  was  4.00in,  and 
for  August,  1902,  3. Coin.  The-  maximum  temperature 
for  Augu.st  month,  1903,  was  76deg  on  Augmst  8,  and  the 
minimum  40deg  on  tlie  21st.  The  maximuiu  for  August, 
1902,  was  78deg  on  the  29th,  and  the  minimum  44deg  on 
the  10th  of  the  month.  In  Augu.st,  1903,  there  was 'hail  and 
thunder  on  the  10th,  a  gale  on  the  15th,  thunder  on  the  17th, 
heavy  thunder  and  rain  on  the  24th.  On  the  latter  date  0.94in 
was  registered  between  9  a.m.  and  4  p.m. — George  Groves. 
Sussex  Weather. 
The  total  rainfall  at  Abbots  Leigh,  Haywards  Heath,  for  the 
past  month  was  4.05in,  being  L.(i4in  above  the  average.  The 
heaviest  fall  was  0.93in,  on  the  14th.  Rain  fell  on  fifteen  days. 
For  the  fourth  time  since  1880  we  have  had  an  August  rainfall  of 
over  4in,  viz.,  1881,  4.63in  ;  1893,  5.83in  ;  and  1902,  4.18in.  The 
maximum  , temperature  was  73deg,  on  the  13th;  the  minimum 
40deg,  on  the  23rd;  mean  maxima,  68. 28deg;  mean  minima, 
50.20deg;  mean  temperature,  59.24deg,  which  is  0.74deg  below 
the  noymal.  This  has  been  a  wet,  sunless,  stormy  month,  and  a 
very  bad  one  for  both  gardeners  and  farmers.  The  land  has 
been  so  continuously  saturated  that  it  has  been  impossible  to  get 
Potatoes  out  of  the  ground,  and  now  there  are  about  two-thirds 
of  them  diseased  and  completely  useless.  Late  Peas  do  not  fill 
out,  and  except  we  get  brighter  weather  will  be  a  failure.  The 
harvest,  which  is  generally  finished  by  now,  is  still  mostly  in  the 
fields,  and  is  much  damaged  by  wind  and  rain. — R.  I. 
Notes  from  Hamilton,  N.B. 
The  weather  is  an  ever  prominent  topic  of  discourse  here.  The 
whole  of  August  was  very  wet,  varied  with  a  few  storms  of  high 
winds,  which,  of  course,  did  much  harm  in  gardens  and  fields. 
The  whole  year  has  been  inauspicious,  but  many  had  hopes  that 
August  would  turn  in  to  compensate,  in  a  measure,  for  the  past ; 
but  despite  the  German  prediction  that  the  month  of  August 
would  be  on  the  whole  a  good  one,  it  was,  in  fact,  among  the 
worst.  And  now  September  is  with  us,  and  those  of  us  in  whose 
breast  hope  springs  eternal,  looked  forward  to  this  month  for 
better  luck,  but  have,  as  yet,  been  unrequited,  for  every  day 
since  the  month  began  has  been  wet. 
Strange  to  say,  wasps  have  been  a  veritable  plague  among 
indoor  fruits.  I  do  not  remember  of  seeing  so  many  for  years, 
and  never  under  similar  conditions.  Probably  this  is  due  to  the 
dearth  of  outside  fruit.  District  flower  shows  have  suffered  from 
the  backwardness  of  the  season. — D.  C. 
Trade  Notes. 
Clibrans’  New  Grounds. 
In  their  new  Carnation  and  Pansy  list,  just  published,  Messrs. 
Wm.  Clibran  and  Son  have  the  following  notice: — “All  our  glass 
houses,  offices,  packing  department,  &e.,  are  now  removed  from 
Oldfield  to  a  new  site  at  Bank  Hall  Lane,  Hale,  15  minutes’  walk  from 
Hale  Station.” 
Thos.  S.  Ware,  Ltd. 
Messrs.  Ware,  in  sending  their  bulb  catalogue,  point  out  that  they 
have  opened  a  London  shop  and  dep6t  at  25,  York  Road,  Waterloo 
Station  approachi 
- - 
Narcis.se'S  Tazetta. — That  variety  of  the  Polyanthus  Nar¬ 
cissus  which  we  grow  here  in  England  (often  in  fancy  bowls 
simply  filled  with  pebbles  and  water)  as  the  Sacred,  or  Good 
Luck  Lily  of  China  and  Japan,  owing  to  the  facilities  offered 
by  the  trade  for  securing  good  bulbs  cheaply,  has  long  been  one 
of  the  leading  favourites  amongst  the  kinds  that  are  early 
forced.  The  flowers  ai’e  deliciously  scented,  and  not  too  power¬ 
ful,  while  the  white  perianths  and  yellow  cups,  in  clu.sters,  are 
charmingly  sweet.  Each  bulb  pi’oduces  several  flower  spikes. 
Large  numbers  of  amateurs  wdio  have  but  little  greenhouse  or 
plant-frame  accommodation,  can  grow  this  Chinese  Sacred  Lily. 
And  it  is  most  interesting  to  watch  the  growths  as  they  quickly 
grow — quick,  that  is  to  say,  as  far  as  plants  are  compared.  It 
will  make  twenty  inches  in  forty  days.  In  basins  or  bowls,  the 
bulbs  can  be  grown  in  dwelling-houses,  placing  the  plants  near 
the  window  by  day,  but  away  from  it  (or  from  draughts  and 
chills)  during  the  night.  Our  illustration  is  from  Sutton  and 
Sons. 
