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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 11, 1869. 



to the effect of certain manures on different grasses or vegetables, 

 Bnder various conditions — the inflnence of the stock on the scion, 

 and the nattire and degree of this inflnence in different stocks — the 

 effect of pruning upon the growth of forest trees — the influence of 

 coloured glass upon flowers and plants grown under it — various points 

 in hybridisation — the cause and cure of the black spot in Orcliids, and 

 a number of other matters of a similar nature. 



5. The Council are now making arrangements by which reports of 

 the experiments conducted at Cbiswlck, and of the transactions at the 

 various Committees, can be obtained by the Fellows without the delay 

 which the present form of the publications of the Society has hitherto 

 necessitated. 



6. The other well-established means for the advancement of horti- 

 culture continue their efficient working. The Fellows are familiar 

 with the labours of the Fruit and Floral Committees. These, during 

 the past year, have in no degree fallen short in importance and in- 

 terest of those of previous years. For some details regarding their 

 operations the Council refer to their Reports in the Appendix. 



7. In addition to the twenty minor Shows on Tuesdays, five prin- 

 cipal Shows have been held at Kensington during the past year ; and 

 the Council think that they can discern the beneficial influence of the 

 Society's operations in the improvement of the cultivation of more 

 than one class of plants. Those who remember (for example) the 

 meagre response to the Society's first efforts to encourage the growth 

 of Roses in pots in 1862, must have seen that great progress has been 

 made in the treatment of that favourite flower ; and the Council ven- 

 ture to think that this and some other improvements are mainly due 

 to the well-directed encouragement given by the Society. 



8. The experiment of a country Show, wbich had been tried with 

 such good results the previous year at Bury St. Edmunds, was suc- 

 cessfully repeated last year at Leicester. A beneficial impulse has 

 been given by these Shows to hoiticulture in those districts, without 

 risking or encroaching on the Society's means. Manchester has been 

 selected for this yeai-. Requests have been made from several other 

 places that the Society will hold an exhibition in them, but at present 

 the Council do not see their way to accede to these wishes, thinking it 

 more prudent to hold one country Show only in the year, and that in 

 connection with the Royal Agricultural Society. With regard to these 

 country Shows, it is perhaps right to remind the Fellows that, in 

 adopting them, the Council carefully guard against imperilling the 

 means of the Society. In every case they make it a preliminary ■•^iiie 

 qua non tbat the locality which desires its presence shall protect the 

 Society from the chance of loss, by providing a guarantee for such a 

 sum as the Council think sufficient for the purpose. This has been 

 done by the Manchester horticulturists, as at Bury St. Edmunds and 

 Leicester, and in addition (as was also done at these places), special 

 prizes to a considerable amount have been subscribed for by them. 



9. The increasing frequency and amount of donations of special 

 prizes by private individuals or associations in supplement of the prizes 

 offered by the Society, is a feature in its progress which seems to call 

 for particular notice and thanks. A list is appended of the donations 

 of special prizes, since the opening of the Garden at South Kensington 

 to the end of last year, and the Council are sure that the Fellows will 

 see with pleasure tbat the exhibitors themselves are now contributing 

 to the prizes offered for competition. 



10. The Rhododendron Show of last year is deserving of record, 

 not only from its extraordinary beauty and exuberance of bloom under 

 the unusual heat of the season (although attended with the disadvan- 

 tage of a curtailment of its duration from the same cause), but from 

 the alteration and remodelling of the ground under the tent. The 

 changes there appear to have been generally approved. 



11. A subject having an important bearing on Horticulture — viz., 

 the injuiy done by insects to vegetation, has been under the considera- 

 tion of the Council, and they have taken some steps towards making a 

 collection relating to it, for which it is scarcely necessary to say that 

 their connection with so many horticulturists should give them unusual 

 advantages. It would, probably, have been attempted before now but 

 for the want of any fitting place in which to display the collection when 

 made. The assistance of the authorities of the South Kensington 

 Museum has relieved them from this difficulty. On communicating 

 their wishes to them, that department met them half way, and under- 

 took to house, display, and take care of, any collection that the Society 

 might make. The Council would, therefore, beg such of the Fellows 

 as have the pow^r, to aid them in making this collection as complete 

 as possible. Although apparently minute and trivial, it is in point of 

 fact a subject of national importance. The labours of the State Ento- 

 mologist at New York are rejioited in American documents to have 

 saved the State thousands of dollars ; and it is undoubted that here 

 also much good may be done by encouraging similar observations and 

 5nG[nijies. 



12. Another Incidental matter which has been brought under the 

 notice of the Council is, the adulteration of seeds. This, both to 

 horticulturist and agriculturist, is a serious matter. They accordingly 

 appointed a sub-committee of theii* number for the investigation of this 

 subject, and it has devoted considerable time and attention to it. They 

 have embodied the results of their inquiries in two Reports, which 

 will be found in the Society's Journal. The Council believe that these 

 inquiries have aheady been productive of good. 



13. From previous reports the Fellows are aware that the shows 

 have ceaBed to be a source of revenue, the expenditure on them consider- 



ably exceeding the receipts. The Council have, however, refrained 

 from diminishing the amount of prizes offered, from a desire not to 

 lessen one of the favourite eujoyu ents of the Fellows ; for although 

 the Society still suffers from the eff'ects of the commercial calamities 

 of 18GG, the Council regard this depression as temporary, the actual 

 decrease in the number of Fellows being only eight. 



14. The Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences is rapidly ad- 

 vancing to completion. When finished, there will be a direct com- 

 munication from the Gardens through the Conservatory to the Hall, 

 affording to Fellows of the Society, who are also seat-holders, a quiet 

 and private access to the attractions which will from time to time be 

 offered in the new building, 



15. The Council have learnt with satisfaction that Her Majesty's 

 Commissioners for ISol are now considering a plan, embracing the 

 completion of the Gardens, for Annual International Exhibitions of 

 objects of Industry and Fine Art, to be placed in the so-called east and 

 west annexes. 



Report to the Counxil from the Chiswick Board of Directors, 



1. The Directors report that — besides the work performed by the 

 Fruit Committee at its ordinary meetings held at South Kensington — 

 several experiments have been conducted at Chiswick under its imme- 

 diate supervision. All the new Pt;as that were introduced last season 

 were sown, and compared with tbe previously existing varieties ; a col- 

 lection of thirty sorts of Runner Beans was also sown and proved ; and 

 a test of the various kinds of Lettuce, as to theii- utility in standing the 

 winter in the open aii'. Reports upon all of these subjects have been 

 prepared. 



2. Among Fruits, Figs and Strawberries have received special atten- 

 tion. The house which was transferred from South Kensington for 

 the accommodation of the former, has proved in every way well adapted 

 for the purpose, and has enabled the Committee to investigate the rich 

 collection whicJi the Society now possesses in a way for which there 

 was no previous provision. Several new and valuable varieties of Figs 

 have thus been ascertained, and are now in the course of distribntion 

 to the Fellows ; and it may be gi-atifying to tbe Council to know that, 

 by the assistance thus afforded, a gi-eat impulse has been given to Fig 

 culture in this couub-y, which is eWdeuced by the unusually numerous 

 applications which have been made for cuttings. 



3. An immense coHectiou of Strawberries now exists in the Garden, 

 and during the past season manj new varieties have fruited, and have 

 been compared with the others, their various qualities and merits 

 ascertained, and a Report has been prepared. 



Arrangements have this season been made for carrying out experi- 

 ments on the influence of the stock on the scion, and vice t-traa, , which 

 it is hoped maj' lead to important results by the investigation of the 

 affinities of vegetable tissues. These experiments will not be confined 

 to the scions and stocks at present in ordinary use, but will embrace 

 subjects the union of which with each other has never before been 

 attempted. 



4. The cultivation of Oranges has recently received some attention, 

 and promises to become general in all gardens where glass houses 

 exist. The success which has already attended those who have made 

 the experiment of growing Oranges, not for ornament as formerly, but 

 for the dessert, has been so great, that the Board of Directors would 

 recommend to the Council to institute a system of Orange culture at 

 Chiswick. There are at present no less than three houses devoted 

 exclusively to stove plants, one of which might be spared for this 

 purpose, and thereby enable the Society to exhibit to the Fellows, and 

 horticulturists generally, the pleasure and profit to he derived from this 

 hitherto -neglected branch of fruit culture. 



5. The new Orchard House, to the erection of which the Council 

 gave their sanction last year, is now completed, and will speedily be 

 furnished with complete collections of Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, 

 and Cherries. These three kinds of fruits are what the Directors have 

 thought proper to select for the first investigation ; and for this end, 

 as complete collections as possible of these have been obtained. Mr. 

 Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, has offered a large number of his fruiting 

 Peaches and Nectarines, most of which are newly-raised seedlings of 

 his own, on terms so liberal as to amount almost to a gift. The Rev. 

 W. Kingsley, of South Kilvington, has most liberally presented a large 

 collection of carefully hybridised seedlings of Peaches and Nectarines, 

 which have not yet fruited, but from which there is every reasonto 

 expect varieties of great excellence, when the care and judgment with 

 which the hybridisation was conducted is considered. Mr. Pearson, of 

 Chilwell, near Nottingham, has also intimated his intention to send 

 some of the handsome orchard-house trees for which his establishment 

 is noted. 



6. From the Pomological Department the distributions have been 

 very numerous, 1700 packets of fruit-tree cuttings, of Apples, Pears, 

 Vines, Figs, &c., and 75,000 packets of vegetable seeds, having been 

 distributed among the Fellows in the past season. 



7. The Directors are making the most eaniest exertions in carrying 

 out the recommendations of the Scientitic Committee, on the result of 

 which they hope to be able to report another season. 



S. The usual attention has been given to the supply of plants both 

 for out-door and in-door decoration at South Kensington ; to the dis- 

 tribution amongst the Fellows of plants, seeds, and cuttings ; and to 

 the growth, for the use of the Floral Committee, of plants and seeds 

 (or trial. 



