124 



JOUBNAIi OF HORTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 18, 1869. 



frmt of a seedling Apple, which did not meet with the approval of the 

 Committee. 



The Committee then proceeded to the examination o£ the competi- 

 tion for prizes. The first class taken was for the best single dish of 

 jPearg. Mr. Beach, gardener to C. J. Herries, Esq., sent Easter 

 Beorrc, which, though good, were flat. Mr. Earley,.of Digswell, sent 

 'Gloa Mori,-eau. which were fine specimens, bnt rather astringent. Mr. 

 Pari, Grove Hall, Retford, sent two dishes of Benrrt- de Ranee, both 

 ©icellent, and Knight"s Monarch, also excellent. Mr. Miles, gardener 

 to Lord Carrington, sent also a dish of Benrr<- de Kance, which was 

 Jiatringent. Mr. Sorley, gardener to Mrs. Zwilcheubart, Aigborth, 

 Ijiverpool. sent Benrre de Ranee, also excellent. Mr. Gardiner, of 

 Eatington Park, sent Kn ghts Monarch. Mr. Wells, Holme Lacey, 

 sent Ne Pins Menris, which were not ripe ; and Mr. Parsons, of Wel- 

 wyn, sent Ne Plus Menris. The first prize was awarded to Mr. Sorley, 

 ■the second to Mr. Parsons, and the third to Mr. Gardiner. 



In the class for dessert Apples, single dish, there were no less than 

 twenty-seven exhibitions. The first prize was awarded to the Ribston 

 Pippin of Mr. Saul, Stourton Park; the second to the Braddick's 

 Nonpareil of Mr. Wells, of Holme Lacy Gardens, Hereford ; and the 

 third to the Cox's Orange Pippin of Mr. Whiting, of The Deepdene. 

 In the class of three dishes of dessert Apples there were twenty-eight 

 eshibitore. The first prize was awarded to the dishes of Mickleham 

 Pearmain, Cox's Orange Pippin, and Ashmead'a Kernel, exhibited by 

 Mr. Whiting. The second prize was awarded to Mr. Cox, of Eedleaf. 

 The third prize was awarded to Mr. Saul, of Stourton Park. 



In the class for kitchen Apples, in which there were fifteen exhi- 

 bitors, Mr. Lynn, of Hedsor, obtained the first prize : Mr. Ford, of 

 Leonardslee, was second ; and Mr. Cox, of Redleaf, third. 



Messrs. Staart & Mein. of Kelso, received a special certificate for a 

 fine collection of Variegated Kale. 



Floral Cosimtttee. — Pvcv. J. Dix in the chair. Mr. Boyce, Clap- 

 diam Nursery, sent three large and well-grown plants of double 

 Primnla sinensis. A special certificate was awarded. Messrs. Smith, 

 of Dnlwich, also exhibited a collection of single and double Primulas, 

 for which a special certificate was given. Mr. Wiggins, gardener to 

 W. Beck. Esq., IsUeworth, exhibited some verj fine specimens of 

 Cyclamens, which were awarded a special certificate. There were 

 among them many very distinct flowers, the high colour of some being 

 most attractive, and the stripes and spots of others were very bean- 

 tifnl. Mr. Wiggins also sent a large collection of Primulas, which 

 received a special certificate. 



Mr, Bull sent several specimens ; among them Phormium Cookii 



variegatum, received a first-class certificate. This plant was entirely 



' distinct from the Phorminm Cookii exhibited by Messrs. Veitch, and the 



-decision of the proper names and species was left to the Rev. M. J. 



■■ -Berkeley. Camellia La Maestosa, a beautifully formed red and white 

 :flower, very handsome, received a first-class certifii-ate. Camellia 

 Bonomiana, Theresa Negri, and Quercifolia were passed. A collection 



■■ of Orchids and other plants was awarded a special certificate. 

 ■ Mr. T. Charles, gardener to R. Bamett, Esq., sent Cattleya Alicia, 

 one of the many varieties which now exist. Messrs. Veitch sent 

 Dendrobiam Devonianum rhodoneurum, D. lasioglossum — first-class 

 certificate ; D. crassinode — first-class certificate ; I), macrophyllum 



_ Hattoni, D. moniliforme or japonicnm, Cattleya Fpecies from Choco, 

 Epidendrum sp ; Cypr-ipedinm Harrisiannm, a hybrid of great promise, 



"raised by the indefatigable Mr. Dominy between C. barbatum and 

 -C. viUosum. A first-olass certificate was awarded it. Messrs. Veitch 

 had likewise Phorminm tenax, P. tenai variegatum. P. Cookii, and 

 P. Cookii variegatum, and the two latter plants seemed distinct from 

 -the others shown under the same names. Messrs. Veitch exhibited a 

 group of spring greenhouse flowers. Hyacinths, Narcissus, tl'c, and 

 -among them a double Pmnus, also Spiriea Thunbergii, both hardy 



Slants, and very useful for forcing. A special certificate was awarded. 

 fr. Parsons, Acton Green, sent plants of Clematis indivisa lobata, 

 ^ very useful for this earlv season. 



'y Mr. B. S. Williams, ^olloway, sent a collection of Cyclamens and 

 '■"15olannms. together with other plants, and a specinl certificate was 

 •'■awarded. He also exhibited a fine strain of Primula sinensis of an 

 :"-int«nse bright colour, the finest variety yet raised. A first-class cer- 

 tificate was awarded it. Messrs. Lee, Hammersmith, sent two double 

 Primulas, white and pinkish rose, and a special certificate ^vaa 

 awarded. Messrs. Windebank, Southampton, sent a collection of 

 , seedling Primula sinensis; two of them with double flowers — viz., 

 , Miss Kingsbury, a white-striped variety, and SnowSake, pure white, 

 received first-class certificates. 



Messrs. E. G. Henderson sent a collection of plants, including Tri- 

 chopilias and other Orchids, and a special certificate was given. Mr. 

 "Green, gardener to W. W. Sanuders, P-sq., received a special certifi- 

 cate for a hybrid Sonchns, the plants being most eleeant and useful 

 ior table decoration. Sonchns laciniatus and S. gumraifer were the 

 parent plants. Mr. Fairbaim, Syon House, sent a fine specimen of 

 Dendrobinm speciosnm, for which a special certificate was awarded. 

 Messrs. Downie. Laird, *.t Laing exhibited Coleus Baroness Rothschild, 

 one of the Chiswick seedlings, and it received a first-class certificate. 

 ^ Mr. W. Paul sent a ncT white Primula ; the footstalks of the leaves 

 ^ ^ ^and flower stems were red. an unusual occnn*ence with white flowers. 

 '■ It was requested that this plant should be sent again, as it was out of 

 ' «oadition. 

 -'' This waa a most snocDssfol exhibition, and the attendance of the 



Fellows unusually nnmerous. The cat Camellias from Mr. W. Fanl, 

 Messrs. Veitch, and others, were much admired, and some of them 

 distributed among the ladies after the meeting. 



SciENTn'ic Committee. — W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., in the 

 chair. Mr. Berkeley, referring to the disease in the Telegraph Cn- 

 cumber which was before the last meeting, stated that he had discovered 

 numerous vibrios in cells amongst the cellular tissue of the plant, and 

 that it was his opinion their presence had produced the disease. 



A report was read from Mr. Barron on the condition of Apple trees 

 grafted on various stocks now growing in the garden at Chiswick. 

 These trees were grafted about the year 1824. The appearance now 

 presented shows that after so long a period there is little or no differ- 

 ence in size and vigour between those grafted on the Crab and the 

 Doncin ; and those on the English Paradise and the French Paradise 

 are smaller trees, but do not differ in stature materially from each 

 other, but those grafted on the French Paradise canker, while the 

 others do not. 



An imported bulb of the Hyacinth Robert Steiger was sent by the 

 gardener to G. Simpson, Esq. The normal colour of this variety ia a 

 fine carmine, but in this case the flowers were a bright green, the 

 colour of the foliage. The shape and consistence of each flower had 

 undergone a change ; the tubes were more elongated, upright, and 

 thinner — altogether abnoi-mal, but the anthers had retained their 

 usual crimson colour. Mr. W. W. Saunders observed that many Hya- 

 cinths had a green point to the petals, showing their tendency to 

 assume a green coloor. 



A plant of Abutilon Thompsonii, grafted on a green stock, was sent 

 by Messrs. E. G. Henderson, of Wellington Road, showing the varie- 

 gation extending to shoots of the stock, both above and below the 

 graft, so that both plants had become equally variegated. It was 

 arranged that the experiment should be repeated at Chiswick, to see 

 if the like result would be obtained. 



Mr. Saunders exhibited several leaves, all of which had been taken 

 from one plant of Cyclamen europoeum. The character of almost 

 every leaf was different ; some were rounded, others reniform, while 

 others again exhibited the usual angular or Ivy-leaf form. The 

 colours varied also, some having the white centre, and the rest alto- 

 gether green. 



Professor Westwood reported the results of his examination of the 

 bulbs from some imported Orchids which had been submitted to him 

 for investigation at the former meeting. The spaces between the 

 leaves of the buds he found occupied by parts of two distinct Hyme- 

 nopterons insects. Enrytoma was the name of one, which deposits its 

 eggs in the bodies of other insects ; the name of the other he had not 

 determined, and he stated that an American naturalist had found all 

 the species of Enrytoma to be parasitical, except one which he found 

 on the Wheat. 



Dr. Masters made some observations on a branch of Mistletoe, which 

 had both male and female flowers. It was decided to be a real growth 

 and not a graft ; the leaves of the male portion of the branch were 

 much broader than those on the female. 



A paper was communicated from Mr. Henry Taylor, of Bedale, 

 Yorkshire, on grafting Potatoes on their roots. He grows Potatoes 

 for the market, and gave the results of his grafting on twelve different 

 sorts. He does this by removing all the eyes of the Potato, and insert- 

 ing the eyes of the other kind. The Committee recommended the 

 experiment to be repeated at Chiswick. 



Geiceral Meeting. — W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., in the 

 chair. A list of donations of plants, &c., having been read, and a 

 vote of thanks passed to the givers, nineteen new Fellows were elected. 

 The awards of the Committees were next announced, the Rev. J. Dix 

 at the same time calling attention to the enamel used for faces of 

 watches and clocks as a material for plant labels. 



Mr. Saunders asked the Chairman of the Fruit Committee if it had 

 been ascertained how the fine fruit exhibited had been preserved in 

 such high condition to this period of the season. 



Mr, Wilson replied that had not been done on this occasion, bat 

 last year they had found the best mode of keeping fruit had been open 

 on boards. The subject, however, woold be brought forward at the 

 next meeting of the Committee. 



The Rev. M. J. Berkeley, in his observations on the subjects ex- 

 hibited, remarked that Hoteia japonica and Spiraa Thunbergii are 

 perfectly hardy, and very decorative in spring. He also produced two 

 flowering branehlets of Pmnus myrobalana and Pyrus sinensis, add- 

 ing that nothing could be more beautiful than the trees of these now in 

 blossom at Chiswick. Cypripedium Harrisiannm. one of Mr. Dominy's 

 hybrids, was then noticed as being exactly intermediate between its 

 parents C. barbatum and C. villosum, and not only extremely interest- 

 ing on that account, bnt also extremely beautiful. With respect to 

 the different kinds of Phorminm shown, he could not say whether they 

 were distinct species or not, bnt he would examine them, and report; 

 the result to the next meeting. 



Mr. Berkeley next adverted to Pelai^oninm fulgidum, brought by 

 Major Trevor Clarke, and which was interesting as one of the parents 

 of our present race of bedding Pelargoniums ; also to some beautiful 

 plants of Pelargonium triste, flavum, filipendulifolium, etc., in hang- 

 ing baskets, Mr. Berkeley remarking that he had seen a collection of 

 little-grown species, such as the above, many years ago, bat of late 



