February 10, 1870. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIGULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



107 



of the resticp; spores of the Peraaospora, to which the formiaable 

 Potato mun'aiu is due. 



Some peculiar features eoon manifested themselves in a large 

 collection of American varieties of Potato, which are under ex- 

 periment. It was not, indeed, the first time that these features 

 had been observed, for they were well known to Mr. Barron, 

 who had remarked that they were far more pronounced with 

 respect to English-grown sorts than with those which were 

 immediately imported from America. Indeed, these latter 

 seemed free from disease. Daring the early part of this year 

 the disease was so prominent, not only in the garden, but gene- 

 rally over the country, as to call more general attention to the 

 snbjeot. It was, indeed, intimated that the matter was ex- 

 aggerated, or, indeed, was altogether denied; but the slightest 

 inspection showed that there was enough for serious injury. 

 Some peculiar budies had been observed in the blackened leaves, 

 which were supposed to belong to some species of Protomyces ; 

 but Mr. Worthington Smith at once conceived that they might 

 be the long-sought resting spores, and carried oat the matter 

 so perseveritigly that he arrived at complete certainty on the 

 question. It lemains only to be observed how these restiug 

 spores may comport themselves when germinating in the spring, 

 and we trust that Mr. Smith will add to the honours which he 

 has 80 well merited, that of ascertaining this closing point in 

 the life history of this dtstructive pest. 



POMOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 



Tha crop of frnit of all kinds has been nnusually abundant 

 in the garden this year, and many varieties which have not 

 hitherto fruited have been observed, and descriptions of them 

 have been made. An opportucjity has also been afforded for 

 ■correcting erroneous nomenclature, and of ascertaining syno- 

 nymes. 



The varieties of Currants have for many years been very much 

 misanderstood, great confusion having existed as to their no- 

 menclature and identification. A collection of as many kinds 

 a5 it was possible to obtain, both at home and abroad, was se- 

 cured, and the number ti reputed kinds planted in the garden 

 amounted to fifty. When these were examined, and compared 

 one with the other, it was found that there were only sixteen 

 distinct, twelve of them being red, one flesh-coloured, and three 

 white. 



One of the largest experimental trials of Onions which has 

 ever been undertaken was carried out very successfully. 158 

 samples were sown under 08 different names. These were all 

 carefully compared and referred to their proper sections, whereby 

 that large collection of reputed varieties was reduced to twenty. 

 A full report of this trial has been already published, and as this 

 was confined to the spring-sown sorts, the remainder, consisting 

 of the Tripoli and Silver-skinned sections, are now under trial 

 as autumn-sown Onions, and will form the substance of a 

 future report. 



A trial of all the varieties of Celery was also very successful, 

 and out of forty-seven sorts that were sown, twenty proved to be 

 distinct. A full report of this trial has also been pul)li3hed. 



An attempt was made to obtain a full report on the numerous 

 varieties of the Kidney Bean, but the season being cold and un- 

 genial this proved a failure, and another trial will be made this 

 year. 



An attempt was also made to investigate those vaiieties of 

 Potatoes that had not been included in the former trials, but the 

 virulent attack of the Potato disease to which they were sub- 

 jected rendered the experiment a failure. 



A complete collection of all known varieties of Cauliflower has 

 been sown for trial during the present season. 



The distribution to the Fellows consisted of 965 packets of 

 •cuttings of fruit trees, comprising Apples, Pears, Plums, 

 Cherries, Vimes, and Figs, and of 17,002 packets of vegetable 

 seeds. 



The important discovery of the resting spores of the Perano- 

 spora infestans in the tuber of the Potato will no doubt be re- 

 ferred to by the Botanical Director. It was found that the 

 disease this year attacked chiefly the new American virieties, 

 grown from home-grown seed of the second year after their in- 

 troduction, and it has been further remarked that all those new 

 American Pototoes which produce such enormous crops from 

 newly-imported seed rapidly degenerate year by year after their 

 introduction, and that the produce gradually becomes smaller 

 and of inferior quality. 



The extensive collection of Strawberries which was planted 

 for the purposes of trial promises to fruit w«ll this season. 

 Floral Department. 



The work of the past year in the Floral Department has been 

 IB some degree crippled by the diminished facilities granted to 

 the Superintendent. Nevertheless, under the circumstances, 

 some very good work has been accomplished. 



The trials of plants and flowers constitute some of the most 

 important work done in this department — work which is of ranch 

 public utility, since the experienced judgment of the Floral 

 Committee, to whose labours for many years the Society owes 

 so much, is brought iu this way to bear upon subjects which are 



all grown under identical conditions. The conclusions arrived 

 at by the Committee form, conEequently, a tolerably safe guide 

 in the selection of subjects adapted for the climate of London, 

 and for districts iu which the climatal and geologionl conditions 

 are in any degree similar. During the spring months the Com- 

 mittee examined the collection of bedding Violas which Mr. 

 Batron had got together, consisting of some eighty-two varie- 

 ties, and amongst them seventeen certificates of merit were dia- 

 tributed. Later on, a collection of Fuchsias, grown aUke in 

 comparatively small pots, and consisting of 12.5 varieties, under- 

 went the scrutiny of the same body, and on this occasion twenty 

 certificates were awarded. These wore cultivated under glass. 

 In the open-air beds a large contribution of Zonal Pelargoniums, 

 from the principal nurserymen and florists, and consisting of 

 35(1 varieties, was planted-out, aud amongst them seventeen cer- 

 tificates were distributed. Besides these subjects, considerable 

 collections of Phloxes and of Pentstemons were planted for in- 

 spection and comparison. 



The plants prepared at Chiswick for the decoration of the 

 garden at South Kensington always draw heavily on the labour 

 and other resources of that establishment. Daring the past 

 year there have been provided in this way, and devoted to this 

 object, 12,000 flowering plants for the ornamentation of the con- 

 servatory, and 52,000 for bcdding-out in the garden. 



The conservatory plants, calculated at the low price of Is. 

 each, give a return of £.597 IGs. ; and the bedding plants, valued 

 at from Id to id each, a return of £457 175., making a total of 

 £1055 Vis., the whole expenditure on maintaining the garden 

 during the past year being only about £1.500. 



The following are tho subjects which have been distributed 

 amongst the Fellows from this department— namely, plants of 

 various kinds, 2000 ; cuttings of various kinds, 523 ; packets of 

 seeds, various, 31,032 



The Directors have again to express their regret that the 

 slender means at their disposal does not permit them to engage 

 in those experiments in scientific floriculture and horticulture, 

 and in those illustrations of modern practice, for the proper and 

 eflicieut carrying forward of which, as being the national ex- 

 emplar, the public has a strong claim upon the best efforts of 

 the Society. M. J. Berkeley. 



E. Hogg. 



T. MOOBE, 



Revence Account from 1st Jandauy to 31st DECEatEEE, 1875. 



Da. 



To EatalAishment Expenses : — £ s. d, £ s. d. 



Salaries 659 19 5 



Wages 832 IG 10 



Printing, Stationery, and Cards 281 18 3 



Postages 107 13 2 



Law 105 17 6 



Miscellaneous 70 11 S 



Gas 20 19 5 



Library 8 3 8 



1,487 19 G 



Special Expenses iu relation to Horticulture : — 



Journal 48 7 6 



Fruit Committee 24 6 



Floral Committee 32 9 10 



Botanical Adviser 200 



Reading Bo jm 14 13 H 



Botanical Protesjor 62 10 



532 7 



Chisuick Garden Expenses : — 



Bent, Bates, Taxes, and Insurance 237 9 2 



Labonr 894 6 4 



Implements, Manare, Coals, and Coke 236 11 11 



Repairs 77 15 7 



Trees, Plants, Seeds, &c 4110 1 



I^Iiscellaceous 78 5 4 



Snperinteodent's Salary 150 



Water 82 16 1 



Kensington Garden Expenses :^ 



Bates, Taxes, and Insurance 587 14 4 



Superintendent's Sa'ary 100 



Labour 661 12 11 



Repairs 1(3 12 1 



Coke and Manure 97 9 



Implements 33 9 6 



Water 60 9 



Miscellaneous 78 3 8 



Bands 259 



1,798 14 6 



1,931 10 6 



Exhibitions : — 



Advertising 146 



Prizes and Medals 448 



Bands . 



Police 



Sundries 



Superintendent of Flower Shows 



.Tudgt s' Fees 



Special Prizes 



12 



4 5 







2 



2 



Interest (.n Dtbentures . 

 Balance 



736 4 



1,968 10 11 



860 10 2 



,f 9,205 12 11 



