Aogaat 20, 1874 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



163 



and distribute, at the lowest possible price, suitable plants, 

 bulbs, d-o., properly potted ; and we are authorised to state 

 that a townsman will annually make a present of a large 

 number of Geraniums, &a., to such a society. They should 

 arrange for the holding of two exhibitions every year — one 

 early in spring, when bulbs should be shown ; the other some 

 time in the summer, for plants generally. They might also 

 arrange for the occasional delivery of simple, but instructive 

 addresses on plant life and plant-growing in various parts 

 of the town. They would also have to collect funds, in order 

 to cover necessary expenses and provide prizes, which might 

 be in money, plants, books, or useful domestic articles. As a 

 start, we can already promise them subscriptions from several 

 friends interested in the movement. 



To make the society as powerful as possible it would, per- 

 haps, be advisable to arrange for the organisation of two 

 bodies — the one central, the other local. The local sub- 

 committees should, perhaps, be as numerous as the ecclesias- 

 tical parishes or the municipal wards. They should be chosen 

 by the residents in their respective districts. The central 

 committee might consist of representative members of the 

 local ones, one or two selected from each, with the addition 

 of perhaps a few other persons chosen by these local repre- 

 sentatives. The work of the central committee would be to 

 raise the necessary tands, to settle the rules, to fix the exhi- 

 bition days, and to award the prizes ; while the local com- 

 mittees would have to work-up their several districts, diffuse 

 information respecting the objects of the society, put them- 

 selves in personal connection with the class in which the 

 exhibitors would be found, and in other ways help on the 

 work of the organisation. By such a dual arrangement an 

 immense amount of work might be done, while no one person's 

 share need be overwhelming. The connection betwen the 

 localities, each being represented in the central committee, 

 would be mutually helpful, and if well managed the society 

 would prove all-powerful in carrying out its objects. 



Here, then, we venture to submit, is a plan capable of yield- 

 ing admirable results, and which all classes of the community 

 can assist either by subscription or personal work, or both. 

 Cannot such an organisation be started in Birmingham forth- 

 with ? No one need be frightened at the labour involved or 

 the amount of money to be raised : £100 per annum would do 

 the work magnificently; half the amount might possibly be 

 sufficient to start with, and to do it fairly well. 



The writer of this article was, not very long ago, in some 

 degree instramental in setting on foot in one of the largest 

 towns in Lancashire a small but successful show of the kind 

 suggested, where the exhibitors were the children attending a 

 Sunday fcbool in a poor district. A teacher in that school 

 applied to him for information as to what could be done to 

 induce the children to attempt plant-growing. He suggested 

 that they should be suppUed with bulbs, properly potted in 

 suitable soil, for which they should pay a nominal sum. This 

 was done ; a considerable number of the children invested 

 their pence. Simple directions what to do were given to each 

 purchaser, and a few months after the juvenile cultivators 

 were invited to assemble on a stated day, and bring their 

 plants with them. These were then arranged in order of merit, 

 and prizes, consisting chiefly of books, were distributed among 

 the ohUdren. Not only did the children bring the plants, but 

 their friends, all poor people, came too ; and a happier gather- 

 ing was, perhaps, never brought together. This effort, com- 

 menced quietly and unostentatiously, but carried on with 

 intelligent perseverance, has already yielded good fruits, and 

 its refining influence is growing greater and wider every year. 

 The plan has been tried in many other towns, and nowhere 

 without success. Surely this, and more, may be done in 

 Birmingham. 



TWO SIDES TO THE QUESTION. 

 We folks in the insect world don't read periodicals, yet we 

 do get, in a way that I need not explain, some iutelkgence 

 about what is going on amongst gardeners, as this often nearly 

 concerns us. I hear with alarm the tidings that there is a 

 movement afoot to promote the plan of planting none but 

 early Potatoes as a precaution against disease, and were this 

 to be carried out universally, I suppose long before August is 

 out the Potatoes would be dug and the fields cleared. Now, 

 only consider for a moment how hard this is upnu those who 

 belong like myself to the species called the Death's-head, or 

 the Atropos of entomologists. We as a race come forth in 



the winged state some time in July, seldom earher, and then 

 having deposited eggs, the caterpillars from these feed on the 

 Potato leaves in August and September. Used to do so, I should 

 say ; for on this new plan there will be no leaves to be got at the 

 season when they are so important to our progeny. It is true 

 we can eat the Privet, but we don't much care for that shrub; 

 Jasmine is rather to our taste, only on that we are exposed to 

 more perils ; and though some caterpillars with eccentric tastes 

 resort to the wild species of Nightshade, yet the Potato has 

 always furnished our staple diet. We feel so safe in a Potato 

 field or plot : birds are less likely to molest us, entomologists 

 seldom look us up, and if a chrysalis is now and then chopped 

 in two by the fork, that is a casualty that can't be avoided ; 

 but to rob us of our food altogether, that is serious indeed, 

 and I am afraid as moths who have pursued the same plan 

 many centuiies we cannot make a change, and come out two 

 months earlier in the year. Habit has an astonishing power 

 both with moths and meu.^AN Anxious Atkopos. 



BOYAL HOKTICDLTURAL SOCIETY. 



August I'Jth. 



Feuit Committee. — G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.E.S., in the chair. 

 Messrs. Dobsou & Sons, Isleworth, sent a brace of Cucumbers 

 called Prince of Wales, a white-spined ribbed variety, which 

 was not thought distinct from others in cultivation. Mr. James 

 Chambers, of Springrove, Isleworth, also sent a seedling Cucum- 

 ber, called Westlake Rival, of which the same opinion was ex- 

 pressed. Mr. A. Henderson, Shrublands, Walthamstow, sent a 

 Kidney Bean,, called Lady's Finger, which was considered too 

 similar to the Case-knife to be regarded as distinct. It was re- 

 commended to be grown at Chiswick. Mr. Sweeting, gardener 

 to T. G. Venn, Esq., Sneyd Park, Bristol, sent bunches of a 

 seedling Vine, called Sneyd's Seedling. It is a large bunch, 

 well shouldered. The berries are oval ; the skin black, with a 

 delicate bloom ; the flesh firm, juicy, richly flavoured, and with 

 a distinct Muscat flavour. It was considered a very valuable 

 addition to the varieties of early Muscat-flavoured Grapes from 

 its free-settiug and early-bearing properties. It was awarded a 

 first-class certificate. Messrs. Lane & Son, of Berkhampstead, 

 sent a seedling Grape which was thought very favourably of by 

 the Committee, and as it was not quite ripe the Committee 

 desired to see it at a subsequent meeting. Mr. Clark, of Roe- 

 hanipton, sent a dish of Wasiiingtou and Kirke's Plums. 



Mr. Browne, gardener to Earl Howe, Gopsall, sent a box of 

 excellent fruit of Peaches and Nectarines which had been 

 gathered from trees moved last season, to which a cultural com- 

 mendation was awarded. Mr. James Groom, Henham Gardens, 

 Wangford, Suffolk, sent a Melon of very large size, which had 

 been brought home from Africa by Sir Samuel Baker and pre- 

 sented to the Earl of Stradbroke. The fruit is 18 inches long 

 and 9 inches in diameter, of a deep orange colour, the skin some- 

 what crumpled. The flesh is white, very tender, juicy, and 

 sweet. The Committee considered it a very well-flavoured fruit 

 for the size. Mr. F. Dancer, of Chiswick, brought fruit of 

 Souvenir du Congres Pear. 



Fi.oEAL Committee. — Dr. Denny in the chair. First-class 

 certificates were awarded to Messrs. Paul & Son, of Cheshunt, 

 for a very ornamental variety of Cerasus Mahaleb called peu- 

 dula, having a graceful head of pendulous branches, and for 

 a Cornel having the leaves edged pure white, and named Cornus 

 alba marginata. Messrs. Paul also exhibited Cerasus semper- 

 fiorens pendula aurea with yellowish green variegation, but as 

 shown it was not effective. 



From Mr. W. Chater, nurseryman. Saffron Walden, came a 

 collection of Hollyhock blooms ; also a number of seedlings, of 

 which Mulberry Gem and Rose Supreme, answering in colour to 

 their names, had first-class certificates. Messrs. RoUisson and 

 Sons, of Tooting, sent a fine collection of cut Phloxes ; and Mr. 

 R. Dean, Ealing, Phlox Miss Robertson (Cocker & Son), with 

 large white flowers, one of the early-flowering section which had 

 been already certificated. Messrs. W. Hender & Son, Bedford 

 Nursery, Plymouth, were commended for their strain of hybrid 

 Amaranthus, with leaves exhibiting various shades of crimson, 

 orange, yellow, and green. 



A botanical certificate was granted to Mr. J. Croucher, 

 gardener to J. Peacock, Esq., Hammersmith, for a flowering 

 plant of Decabelone elegans, having a campanulate flower with 

 a yellowish ground nearly covered with purplish red dots and 

 broken streaks. He also sent Aloe Fraskii, a South African 

 species, with the base of the leaves clasping the stem like a cup. 

 From Mr. J. W. Blackwood, gardener to F. CoUiuson, Esq., 

 Heme Hill, came Bonatea speciosa, an old Orchid which, though 

 shghtly fragrant, has no claim as an ornamental plant. Chei- 

 lanthes Bergiana, a pretty Fern from the Cape, was sent by the 

 same exhibitor, and had a first-class certificate. Weigela 

 Lavallei, with rather small dark red flowers freely produced. 



