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the simple funeral pyre, and in these days of Sanitary Reform let cremation and purification be substituted for corruption and putrefaction. None of you may prevent the appearance of the Saprolegnia ferax, but you may all aid each other in lessening its ravages. When the meteorological causes which produce the fungus are prevalent you may do much to improve your rivers and save your almon.

The gradual increase in the supply of salmon to the public markets-notwithstanding the prevalence of the disease in many of the best salmon rivers during the last five years, is very remarkable. The supply from our own river, the Wye, in which the disease this year destroyed so many fish, has never been exceeded in any previous year, and as Mr. Stephens, the lessee of the fishery, says, "Never in all my experience have I seen so many fishes with their heads up stream determined to pass all obstacles."

This, however, is not a mere matter of opinion, it is a commercial fact, as may be seen from the published account of the supply of salmon to Billingsgate Market. Mr. Henry Ffennell, in The Times of August 15th, 1883, says,—“I have before me figures giving the numbers of boxes of salmon received at Billingsgate for the last ten weeks ending on Friday last, and also figures showing the amount received for a corresponding period of last year. From this it will be seen that Londoners at least have had the opportunity of enjoying the benefit of a largely increased supply of salmon. The numbers of boxes of salmon received at Billingsgate respectively from Scotch, Irish, and English waters for the ten weeks of 1883 ending Friday last and the ten corresponding weeks of 1882, were as follows:

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From this it will be seen that there has been an increase of 12,612 boxes over the number received during the ten weeks of 1882, and as each box is calculated to hold 1501b. weight of fish, the figures I give represent, think, a substantial augmentation to the fish supply of London."

Or again, the arrival of salmon in London during the month of June for the last five years, as given in Professor Huxley's address at the Fisheries Exhibition (July 3rd, 1883,) shows this increase equally clearly::

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Thus we may take courage, and still grow cucumbers, with good faith that we

may enjoy salmon in its season for many a year to come.

THE WOOLHOPE CLUB AND HEREFORDSHIRE ORCHARDS.

To the many benefits the Woolhope Club has rendered to the district in which it exists (says the Journal of Horticulture) it has added another, which in our opinion far exceeds in importance and lasting good to the country any of its former achievments, important and useful as these may have been. It is an old cry that the varieties of cider apples which made the reputation of the Herefordshire orchards had died out, and that even their progeny had so far partaken of the senility and effeteness of their parents that they, too, had lost all the vigour that was necessary even to existence. This is an idea which we have always fought against; we have denied over and over again that there was any truth in the theoretical views that have from time to time been propounded by those who professed to base them on what they vaguely term scientific and physiological principles. We are glad to know that the Woolhope Club have discarded such views, and have entered upon the work of restoring to the Herefordshire orchards the old orchard fruits which have added fame and fortune to the county. Since the Club has engrafted pomology on their constitution attention has been given to this all-important subject, and willing hands and sound heads have not been wanting to help in furthering the good work. There have always been in the country a few trusting men, firm in their own convictions, who either disbelieved the prevalent error, or were so sceptical on the subject that they have been silently doing their own work and perseveringly preserving some of the best sort of cider apples, grafting and regrafting from young and vigorous trees, till they have established and fixed a progeny which possesses all the vigour and health of the original trees. Witness, for instance, what has been done by Mr. John Bosley, of Lyde, in the case of the Foxwhelp. He has proved conclusively that these old varieties can be restored; and although the cider from young trees cannot be expected to be of a quality equal to that made from old and matured ones, any more than fine wine can be obtained from a young vineyard, still every year these trees live they are approaching nearer maturity, and every year becoming of greater value. We are convinced that landowners who will now set to work and plant orchards of Foxwhelp and Skyrme's Kernel Apples and Taynton Squash Pears of the true sorts, such as are being supplied by the Woolhope Club, will add greatly to the value of their estates-a value which will every year increase with wonderful rapidity.

We have been led to make these remarks from having received the following circular from the Secretary of the Woolhope Club :

SPECIAL NOTICE TO MEMBERS OF THE CLUB.

The Pomona Committee have the great satisfaction to inform the members that the experiments they have caused to be carried on during the last four years

for the restoration of those valuable orchard fruits, the Foxwhelp and Skyrme's Kernel Apples and the Taynton Squash Pear, have completely succeeded. They have now upwards of 800 young trees in vigorous health-viz.,

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6d. each for two-year-old They are offered, in the

The prices of these trees are 2s. 6d. for maidens, 3s. trees, and 5s. each for the Standard Foxwhelp trees. first instance, to members of the Club, who will be allowed a reduction of 10 per cent. on these prices.

Members desiring to have any of these trees should apply immediately to Mr. Theo. Lane, the secretary, who will register the list for the committee in the order of application up to the end of August, when the list will be closed. The trees will be sent out in October.

The committee are very desirous that every care should be taken to maintain the vigour of the young trees. They beg therefore to suggest :

1. That the trees should be planted on fresh ground, well-drained and deeply trenched.

2. That holes 1 yard square, or trenches 1 yard wide, be dug at once in readiness.

3. That the loam from the ground be mixed with turf parings and a little lime rubbish to fill the holes, and be firmly trodden down.

4. That the roots be carefully spread out immediately below the surface, and

covered with fine soil, thus avoiding the error of deep planting.

5. That the young trees be firmly staked when planted; and lastly,

6. That a thick layer of rotten manure be placed on the ground above the roots to preserve moisture and keep out frost.

Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club.

OCTOBER 4TH, 1883.

THE

FUNGUS FORAY.

THE last meeting of the year is devoted by the members of the Woolhope Club to the search for funguses in the surrounding woods. These forays have now been carried on for many years, and always with the same interest and enthusiasm. Almost the whole week is engaged in mushroom study, and hither come mycologists of the highest distinction to discuss their characters, their merits and demerits. The real workers this year were Mr. Broome, from Bath; Dr. Cooke and Mr. Wharton, from London; the Rev. William Houghton, from Wellington, Salop; the Rev. Canon Du Port, from Norfolk; the Rev. J. E. Vize, from Welshpool; Mr. Phillips, from Shrewsbury; Mr. Plowright, from King's Lynn; Mr. Howse, from Guildford; Mr. Bucknall, from Clifton; Dr. Carlyle, from Carlisle; Mr. Bennion Acton, from Wrexham; Mr. Soppitt, from Saltaire, aided by Drs. Bull and Chapman, Mr. H. C. Moore, Mr. J. Griffith Morris, and some other members, who might say of mycology as Don Diego Snapshorto said with regard to Greek, "though he did not understand it he liked the sound of it." Forays were made to the Woodeve copse and Moor park, near Ludlow, Dinmore woods, Conigre wood, near Eastnor, and Ledbury park. The foray on the Club Day was made to the rich hunting ground of Haywood forest, and on the grassy slopes of Bryngwyn hill. The weather was fine, and so many members attended the meeting that some delay occurred in finding carriages for them. A very successful search was made, and a pleasant field day spent. Immediately on the return of the Club, a meeting of the members was held in the Clubroom at the Free Library, when the following gentlemen were elected as officers for the ensuing year: President-The Rev. Charles Burrough, M.A., Eaton Bishop. Vice-Presidents-Mr. G. H. Piper, F.G.S. (retiring President), Mr. H. C. Beddoe, J.P., the Rev. H. B. D. Marshall, and Mr. J. Griffith Morris, J.P. Central Committee-The President, Messrs. H. G. Bull, M.D., J.P., Joseph Carless, jun., C. G. Martin, J. Griffith Morris, J.P., and Orlando Shellard, J.P. Editorial Committee-Dr. Bull, Dr. Chapman, and Mr. J. Griffith Morris. Treasurer-Mr. Thomas Cam, J.P. Auditors-Messrs. James Davies and J. T. Owen Fowler. Secretary-Mr. Theophilus Lane. The Rev. Canon J. M. Du Port, M.A., of Mattishall, East Dereham, Norfolk, was elected an honorary member of the Club.

The dinner took place at the Green Dragon Hotel, when the tables were well filled with guests. The agaric served up this year was the Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius), and so well did the chef de cuisine perform his part that he re

ceived a special compliment from the Central Committee, and an additional one from the guests in the generally expressed regret that there was not more of it.

After dinner a very amusing satire on mycological theories was read by Dr. M. C. Cooke, M.A., &c., entitled, "A Missing Chapter from the Tramp Abroad." It was a little above the audience generally, since it required some knowledge of mycological science fully to appreciate its pungent wit. This was followed by a very learned paper on "Fish-Culture, as Practised by the Ancients," by the Rev. Wm. Houghton, M. A., &c., &c., which proved, once again, that the ancients were much more wide-awake than the moderns are always willing to allow. An evening reception was afterwards given by Mr. and Mrs. Cam, in St. Owen Street, where an excellent paper on "The Fish-Eating Birds at the Fisheries Exhibition," by E. Cambridge Phillips, Esq., F. L.S.; and several other mycological papers, were read by the Rev. Canon Du Port and Messrs. Edwin Lees, Henry T. Wharton, and C. B. Plowright. A very interesting and pleasant evening has thus passed into history.

In addition to those already named, the following gentlemen took part in the day's proceedings:-The President, Mr. G. H. Piper; the President of the Malvern Naturalists' Field Club, Mr. Henry Wilson; the Vice-President of the Worcester Field Club, Mr. Edwin Lees; Mr. and Miss Bartlett, from Malvern; the Revs. C. H. Bulmer, J. E. Grasett, E. J. Holloway, A. G. Jones, J. J. Lomax, V. T. T. Orgill, from Aston, Ludlow ; H. P. Strong, T. A. Stoodley, and F. S. Stooke-Vaughan; Messrs. Arthur Armitage, Thos. Blashill, Joseph Carless, jun., A. D. Chapman, C. Dawbeny, from Cote, Westbury-on-Trym; Charles Fortey, from Ludlow; S. Greaves, from Malvern; Arthur Houghton, from Cheshire; G. H. Jones, from Malvern; J. Tuke Mannell, from Croydon; C. G. Martin, A. E. Owen, W. A. Roberts, O. Shellard, Henry Southall, and Theophilus Lane, Secretary.

During the week papers were read on the following subjects :

"A Missing Chapter from the Tramp Abroad:" by Dr. M. C. COOKE, M.A., &c. "Jensenn's Discoveries concerning the Potato Disease:" by Mr. CHAS. B. PLOWRIGHT.

"Fish-Culture, as practised by the Ancients:" by the Rev. Wм. HOUGHTON, &c.

M.A.,

"On some so-called Fish-Eating Birds at the Fisheries Exhibition:" by Mr. E. CAMBRIDGE PHILLIPS, F.L.S., &c.

"On the Colours of Fungi, as indicated by the Latin Words used by Fries:" by the Rev. Canon DU PORT, M.A.

"Mr. C. G. Stewart's Notes on the Alkaloids and other Substances that have been extracted from Fungi:" by Mr. HENRY T. WHARTON, M.A., Oxon. "Some Remarks on Polycistina:" by Rev. J. E. VIZE, M.A.

"Notes on some Species of Tricholoma not easily distinguished from each other:" by the Rev. Canon DU PORT, M.A.

"Researches upon the Uredines:" by Mr. CHAS. B. PLOWRIGHT.

"Notes on the Chroolepus Jolithus and other Algoid Colorific Plants: " by Mr. EDWIN LEES, F.L.S., F.G.S., &c.

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