132 



JOUfiNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND OOXTAGE GARDENER. 



L Fobru.icy 13, 1868. 



4, As regards the Floral Department, some new houses have been 

 fom^leted, and others efficiently repaired, sothatthe Superintendent has 

 uoiv better accommodation than formerly for growing lowering plant-, 

 thechief demand for which is to aid in the decoration oftheconservaton.' 

 at Kensington throughout the year. With this latter object in view, 

 various additions haTe been made to the collections of stove and green- 

 house plants. 



T). During thepastyear. 'P.71 plants have been prown for distribution 

 to the Fellows by ballot, and 1'25..^>1'2 packets of vegetable and flower 

 seeds have been also made up and distributed ; besides 1714 plants 

 and 12,512 packets of seeds which have been sent out to the various 

 Societies in union. 



6. The provision of materials for the decoration of the garden at 

 ^^oath Kensinston hai been greatly extended, and has correspondingly 

 increased the expenditure at this establishment, both as regards labour 

 and glass accommodation. No less than ir>,227 plants thus reared have 

 been contributed by Chiswick ior this purpose during the present 

 year. 



7. In addition to the plaiits referred to in the foregoing paragraphs, 

 !)27 varieties of plants, old and new, such as Pelargoniums, Verbenas, 

 Troprpolums, Calccolaria-.i. &c., have been grown forjudicialexamination 

 by tho Floral Committee The groups of the older kinds, grown as 

 standards for comparison, were very attractive in their season ; but the 

 nerfCT varieties have been less successful, owing chiefly to two causes — 

 the late date and weakly condition in which, in too many cases, the 

 plants are received, and the uupropitious weather of the past summer. 

 It IB hoped that in fntui-e the plants may be obtained earlier in the 

 season, in better condition, and that more extended and useful results 

 may be obtained. 



a. Attention has been given to Hybridising, and the rearing of 

 iiovelties for the use of the Fellows ; and the Directors are lughly 

 .^ratified to he able to report that M. Bausr, the foreman of the Floral 

 Department has won for himself the credit of having produced an 

 entirely new race of golden-leaved Caladiums. A very large number 

 -:f hybridised Caladiums has been reared, showing great variety in the 

 colouring and marldug of the leaves, and including amongst them 

 several highly ornamental novelties ; but the production of the golden- 

 loaved forms (which include some three or four distinct variations), 

 has been the most marked instance of success. Besides these, some 

 promising Variegated Zonal Pelargoniums have been obtained ; as well 

 as a crop of hybridised forms of Coleus, and of some other plants, 

 which, however, are not as yet sufliciently developed to show whether 

 any improvement has been gained. 



ft. Sympathising heartily with the expressions of regret which are 

 fregneiitly heard as to the neglect into -which hardy herbaceous 

 (Kironniais have been allowed to fall, to the curtailment of the beauty 

 ;ind interest of English flower gardens, the Directors have set about 

 tiie formation of a collection of these plants, with the view to revive 

 the taste for them, by facilitating the selection of those best adapted 

 for particular seasons and particular situations. To this end, they 

 Ivopeto secure examples of all the more ornamental and really interest - 

 lag species. As plants of this character are frequently preserved in 

 country gardens after they disappear from general cultivation, and thus 

 become difficult of access, the Directors trust that the Council will urge 

 cpon any Fellows of the Society who may possess uncommon and 

 attractive species the advisability of adding to the Chiswick collection 

 by contributing plants or seedi^ of any such which they can spare. The 

 Directors anticipate that much interest will he excited by this collection, 

 and that it may induce many Fellows to introduce into these Gardens 

 that much -maligned institution, "the mixed border," from which, 

 liowever, they feel satisfied that a large amount of interest may be 

 ii3i-ivcd by the lovers of rfowcr.s. 



LO. A collection of subtropical plants has been brought together, 

 :i.ad daring summer forms a very interesting feature along one of the 

 principal walks in the garden. 



11. In the Pomological Department, the Board have to report that, 

 by the removal of the house from South Kensington to Chiswick l-.ist 

 spring, the valuable collection of Figs has been properly accommodated. 

 and almost the whole of the varieties are in full bearing. During the 

 past season several new und excellent varieties have been discovered, 

 and numerous synouymes have been detected. A report on the varie- 

 t;eB which havo fi-uited i;> in preparation. 



The collection of Stniwberries. to which reference was made in last 

 year's I'eport, as having recently been acquired and planted, is now in 

 a- most satisfactory condition. Last summer the greater number of 

 the varieties produced frait ; but as it is anticipated that from the 

 vigerous condition of the plants, and the encouraging prospects for 

 next anmmer, the whole wUl then be in bearing, it will he better to 

 luako a report on the whole after comparing them with each other and 

 ascertaining their relati\ e qualities and merits. 



12. During the past year the Board instituted a trial of all the 

 varieties of Grj-pes that arf- included under the group of Chasselas. 

 These were gvov.Ti in pot? ::_ a heated pit, but the experiment was not 

 .sufficiently succ.is.^Ful to warrant a report being made on the various 

 varieties forming tlie collection. It is, however, intended to repeat 

 the e:-:i>eriment next suuLmer. 



i15. A trial of all fUe varieties- of garden Peas was highly suc- 

 cessful, and tended to the acfiuisition of much valuable information 

 relating to the different varieties, and especially to those of recent 

 jjjtrodxTction. The same .■success attended the trials of Tomatoes 



and Lettuce. On all of these subjects complete reports have been 

 prepared. 



14. Another of the most important fnnctions of the Chiswick 

 Garden has been liberally worked in the distribution of grafts of fruit 

 trees, of which no less than l,.50O parcels have been received by Fellows 

 of the Society during the past season. 



!.''>. The demolition of the old and diseased fruit trees which occu- 

 pied some of the belts in the kitchen garden having been attended with 

 beneficial results to the garden, the Board would sugge.=;t to the Coancil 

 that the greater portion of the old orch.ird of nnproductive standard 

 trees should be trenched over; and the ground appropriated to the 

 reception of the young trees raided from scions of those which had 

 been destroyed, along with others forming a numerous collection which 

 have been obtained at various times from the pomologists of tho 

 continent of FiUrope and tho United States of America. These old 

 orchard trees, as they at present exist, are perfectly worthless, and 

 occupy a large extent of ground, which is thereby rendered nnpro- 

 ductive. If this were done, not only would there be room for tho 

 young plantation of pyramidal and bush fruit trees, but space avail- 

 able also for the production of vegetables and the more common fruits 

 for which there is an increasing demand by the Fellows ; while there is 

 less inquiry for Grapes and tht- higher class of fruits. 



16. The Peach wall, which at one time was the pride of the garden, 

 has for some years been gradually losing its interest ; the trees, many 

 of which are coeval with the wall itself, having fallen into the decre- 

 pitude of age, and occupy space which might he more aerviceably em- 

 ployed. The Board would suggest that these old trees ba removed, 

 and their places filled with young trees of choice varieties, which will 

 serve not only as a source of income by the sale of the fruit, but as 

 examples of the different methods of training and the most approved 

 modes of pruning wall-fruit trees. As the trees at present exist, they 

 afford uo instruction in this latter respect ; and it is most important in 

 an establishment like the garden of the Society, in which experimental 

 and educational purposes form so important a feature, that the train- 

 ing and pruning of fruit trees should be on thf mo^t approved and 

 modern principles. 



EXTRACT FROr-T THE EEPOET OF THE I'O^IOL')^.U AL KX.VMiriER. 



The examinations of gardeners as candidates for the Society's cer- 

 tificates, which were commenced in 1866, have been continued during 

 the past year with the most satisfactory results. One of these took place 

 at Midsummer last, when seven candidates presented themselves, six 

 of them being students at the Society's garden at Chiswick, and one 

 from Battersea Park. Of the former, three tooh second class in fruit 

 and vegetable culture, one a third, and two were unsuccessful. 



At the examination in December last the number who presented 

 themselves had risen to fifteen, and this shows the growing popularity 

 of these examinations. In this case six of the candidates were Chia- 

 wicl: students, four were from Kew. and the remaininj^ five from various 

 gardens throughout the country. Of these, two (Chiswick studenta), 

 toot fixst-class in fruit and vegetable culture, five took extra seconds, 

 three seconds, three thirds, while the remaining two did not pass. 



The marked improvement that the Chiswicli students exhibit at the 

 successive examinations shows that, a> ;t school for horticalture, 

 Chiswick supplies all the requirements necessary for that purpose ; and 

 the steady progress that the yonng men have made who entered the 

 school when it was instituted it^ an evidence of the earnestness of 

 purpose with which they are actuated, as well as a proof that the 

 instruction communicated is of such a character as to enable the young 

 men to take a high position in the gardening world. 



I have to observe with pleasure that the great national establishment 

 at Kew has sent up so large a proportion of the candidates at the last 

 examination, and that the endeavour of the Society to establish a 

 sound horticultural education is so well seconded by the authorities of 

 that establishment. It is very desirable that not only in all public, 

 but in all private establishments where young men show indications 

 of ability and a desire to distinguish themselves, the heads will use 

 their influence to induce the young men to prepare for these examina- 

 tions, thereby affording them a stimulus which cannot fail to operate 

 for their advantage. The establishments from which the other young 

 men have come up are, the gardens of tho Uoyal Botanic Sociely, 

 Regent',^ Park; Battersea Park; J-larl of Abergavenny's, at Bridge 

 Castle ; Benham Parh. Newbury : and Court Yard, Eltham, Kent. 



EXTFL\CT i'ROyi THE EEPOUT OF THE EXAIIIN'EP. IN" FLOEICULTUBE . 



In the department of Floriculture the students have shown that they 

 possess a very satisfactory amount of practical information. Their 

 answers generally indicate an intelligent, and in some cases a thorough 

 and intimate acquaintance with the subject propounded, especially 

 if it be of a practical nature. T-^xjierieuce has shown tiiat questions 

 on practical subjects are more fully and clearly responded to than 

 those which have a more scientific bearing. Thus, for example, it is 

 found that a more complete au=;wer will be given as to the mode of 

 treating any particular plant or family than when the question relates 

 to sncli points as .an enumeration of the species of that particular 

 family, or the popular features of difference between them. While it 

 is thn5 gratifying to be abb/ to report that thess young men are 

 acquiring a good practical icnowledge of this branch of their profession, 

 which will fit them hereafterto occupy situations -where such knowledge 

 would he caUed 'nto activtj exsrciss. it is to bo obr.erved thnt it would 



