198 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIODLTUSB AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ March 11, 1875. 



that the scheme of the Commissioners was not approved, the 

 opportunity they had now would be lost by adjourning the 

 meeting. He had no wish to say a disrespectful word of the 

 Council. He had a word to say about them at the last meeting, 

 and he was sorry for it, but the cause for his remarks was no 

 longer on the Council side of the table [hear, hear. ]. But he 

 should like to know how that change had taken place. It was 

 known to them all that the time had now arrived when the 

 Commissioners were prepa.red to discuss with the Counfil that 

 which they were not prepared to discuss before. Was it wrong 

 to say to the Council, "Don't shut us out from participation in 

 any benefits which may arise. Adjourn the meeting to any day 

 suitable to yourselves, discuss the question with the Commis- 

 sioners, and come to us and tell us what you propose to do." 

 Were not these business propositions ? [hear, hear.] The 

 Society accepted the Report, but deferred the adoption of it 

 nntil they had a settlement of the scheme referred to [no, no]. 

 It was all very well to say "no, no," but he o*ly asked what 

 was right and proper. There was no reason why these negotia- 

 tions should not be made within the nest montti or sis weeks. 



Mr. J. H. Mackenzie rose to propose to the proposer and 

 seconder of the amendment that they should withdraw it and 

 not drive the meeting to a division [hear, hear]. He was sur- 

 prised that Mr. Walford should not consider it possible for the 

 gentlemen comprising Her Majesty's Commissioners to decline 

 to negotiate with three thousand Fellows when they could do 

 80 with the Council. He had not heard a word fall from any 

 Fellow to the effect that they all had not the fullett confidence 

 in the Council [hear, hear]. Let the Report be adopted, and 

 let it be left entirely in the hands of the Council to enter into 

 negotiations with the Commissioners whether under bye-laws 

 or Charter. It was said that a certain number of Fellows had a 

 right to call a meeting, but he thought that the paragraph at 

 the end of the Report was a very honourable pledge on the part 

 of the Council [hear, hear]. The Council looked forward to 

 meeting the Commissioners and laying before the Fellows the 

 result of their communications. It would not do for them to 

 ride too high a horse with the Commissioners, because to a 

 certain extent they were under their control. He hoped the 

 proposer and seconder of the amendment would withdraw it. As 

 to the question of horticulture, he was sorry to read in Saturday's 

 Morning Post a letter from a gentleman calling attention to a 

 clique in connection with the Society. He (Mr. Mackenzie) had 

 been mixed up with many public societies, and from bis expe- 

 rience he earnestly entreated all gentlemen who wished to keep 

 this Society in a straight path to help in abolishing cliques 

 [cheers]. One thing he was quite certain of — that the Council 

 were doing the best they could for the Society [hear, hear]. 



The Chairman, — In a meeting like this, gentlemen, it is well 

 I should have you to understand that the Council are willing to 

 concede and conciliate as far as they can do so consistently with 

 their own dignity. And, gentlemen, I will say at once we are 

 quite willing to give a day for the discussion of this question 

 [loud applause]. You will be just as able then to discuss the 

 question, and when the arrangements made with the Royal 

 Commissioners come before you, will be just as able to put your 

 veto on any of our proceedings as you are now; and you will 

 have this advantage, that you will not have lost valuable time 

 in dealing with the Royal Commissioners. Thus that objection 

 falls to the ground. We only wish, in the interests of the 

 Society, that you should pass this Report at the present moment 

 [cheers]. 



Mr. Houghton rose to ask the Chairman whether the Council 

 would consent to the Report being adopted at the meeting 

 called for the purpose of discussing it [cries of "no" and 

 " divide"]. 



The Chairman. ^Perhaps it would facilitate matters if gentle- 

 men would put their heads together and come to some arrange- 

 ment. 



Mr. Mackenzie earnestly entreated the Council, if they had 

 brains, or sense, or judgment, as he believed they had, to enter 

 into the negotiations with the Commissioners perfectly un- 

 trammelled. 



Mr. Alfhed Smee believed that the Commissioners wished 

 well to the Society, and would do all in their power to promote 

 its interests. There was much more danger to the Society than 

 what came from the Royal Commissioners. 



Mr. H<iUGHTON did not think any reflection was cast on the 

 Council by the meeting asking them to adjourn the proceedings. 

 Let them pass the Report and adjourn the meeting [" no, no," 

 and uproar]. He should move "That the Report be adopted 

 and the meeting adjourned to this day sis weeks to consider 

 any statement the Council may make " [loud cries of " no."] 



Dr. Masters said he rose to second the amendment. 



The Chairman. — There is no amendment at present before 

 the meeting [cheers]. 



After a short discussion, the amendment moved by the Rev. 

 Mr. Peach was withdrawn. 



The Chairman said there was no other amendment before the 

 meeting, and the subject now fell to the ground, as imder the 



Charter they were prohibited from making a proposition as to 

 the adoption of the Report. 



Mr. Pinches moved, and Mr. Liggins seconded, " That the 

 Report of the Council be now adopted^' 



Mr. Hol'ghton. — I am now in order, and I beg to move the 

 amendment I have just read. 



The amendment having been seconded by Dr. Masters was 

 put to the meeting and lost by a very large majority. 



The motion for the adoption of the Report was then put and 

 carried unanimously. 



On the motion of Mr. Pinches a vote of thanks was given to 

 the President, and then the meeting closed. 



In consequence of the representations made by several of 

 their regular exhibitors (particularly of florists' flowers), the 

 Council of the Royal Horticultural Society have determined to 

 hold all the Exhibitions as originally advertised in the schedule 

 for 187-5 ; but that to carry out the reduction of expenditure 

 suggested in their advertisement in the gardening papers of 

 the 18th and 20th February last by striking off the list the 

 Exhibitions of March 17th, April 21st, September 1st, and 

 November 10th, fifty per cent of all the several prizes offered 

 in the schedule must be deducted, leaving the values of the 

 medals as they are. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



On the 2(jth ult. a testimonial was presented to Mr. James 

 .Anderson of Uddingston, N.B., gardener to the late Thomas 

 Dawson, Esq., and now nurseryman at Meadowbank. The 

 form of the testimonial was a purse containing 1.50 sovereigns 

 and a piece of silver plate bearing the following inscription : — 

 "Presented, along with a purse of sovereigns, to Mr. .James 

 Anderson, Meadowbank, Uddingston, at a complimentary 

 dinner in the Clyde Hotel, Bothwell, as a mark of recognition 

 of his fame as a gardener while in charge of the renowned 

 Dawsonian collection of plants, and esteem for his general 

 activity and usefulness, on the occasion of his entering into 

 business as a nurseryman." We wish Mr. Anderson every 

 success in his new undertaking. 



To test the merits of the new American Potatoes. 



Snowflake and Eureka, in this country, Messrs. Hooper & Co, 

 of Covent Garden, London, have offered prizes amounting to 

 FIFTY GUINEAS foT the best exhibition of them at the meeting 

 of the Royal Horticultural Society to be held on the 10th 

 November next. The conditions relating to them may be found 

 in our advertising columns, or by application to Messrs. 

 Hooper. 



FORCING SEAKALE AND RHUBARB. 



I CAN fully endorse what Mr. Keetley says respecting Gilbert's 

 Rhubarb tubs or boxes. As a protection they are useful, but 

 not more so than long stable litter. I know a market gardener 

 who grows several acres of early Rhubarb, and he uses the 

 stained straw from the stables, merely covering the roots with 

 it in November. When the roots begin to push the stems raise 

 the straw also, and form an excellent protection. The Rhu- 

 barb is fit to pull by the beginning or at least the middle of 

 February, and is of a beautiful colour, and the flavotir far 

 superior to any that is forced with fermenting manure. 



To have Rhubarb through December and January no plan 

 is better, in my opinion, than to take up some good strong 

 roots in October and place them in a warm cellar with a little 

 litter rotmd them, and water them occasionally with nulkwarm 

 water. In March cut-up the crowns, leave a good piece of root 

 to each, then make holes IS inches in diameter and 3 feet 

 from centre to centre, place the crowns against the sides of 

 the holes triangularly, then fill-in with good rotten manure. 

 Do not pull any during the next two summers, when the roots 

 will be in excellent condition for taking-np again. — J. Saunders. 



MRS. PINGE VERSUS LADY DOWNES' GRAPES. 



I qoite agree with Mr. Harrison Weir that Mrs. Pince is a 

 good Grape. As it is grown at Loxford it is large in bunch 

 and berry. It sets well ; and though not so rich in flavour as 

 Muscat of Alexandria grown alongside of it, still it is superior 

 to Alicante, Gros Guillaume, and Lady Downes'. One fault 

 it has — it does not colour well, nor does it keep anything like 

 so long as Lady Downes'. 



My reason for noticing Mr. Weir's letter is, that he says he 

 has ptilled up all his Lady Downes' Grapes in favour of Mrs. 



